The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-23

Mayor is limited to $500 per month 1or the
above, and great care is required to keep
within that amount, as the Applications are
lncessant.
PENAL AND HUMANITARIAN NINsTITUTIoNs-Hos-
PITAL.
\ No city in the United States has exhibited
more liberal spirit than ours In furnishing ann
pie provisions for the maintenance OF the hu-
name institutions, among which public hos
| pital stands prominently foremost T1at, when
Is alike q credit and an ornament 70 cincinnati,
| has no superior in the country. It's manage
Iment has been and still is. excellent; such, in
Ideed, as TO elicit the we'll observed compliments
of the philanthropic strangers VINO nave 1elt an
interest i'll examining the admirable arrange
ments throughout Last year the Legislature
authorized the issue OF bonus by the city, to the
amount OF S5J,00J to make necessary improve
ments and to pay certain debts that had been
carried over for some years i
| The expense OF the institution FOR the 49,, =,
past year was. So,'9,o 0t o.
Cash received from pay patients. ...." 7,l33 10
| Cost to the city ..,..........s7 .s74,S39 50
| HOUSE OF REFUGE.
| There has been no material change at this
institution, except TO utilize the services OF the
inmates and advance their own interest by in
creasing the facilities OF the printing depart
tment.
| This has always been u difficult and perplcx-
| ing department for the Trustees. lhe difficult
| W of discriminating between the really worthy
/
shape Of coal, groceries, ETC., requires patience,
Judgment and a tolerable insight into human
nature. The duties, however, have been faith
| fully and satisfactorily discharged.
| woRK-HoUsE.
| 1t rs an earnest Of the correct and economical
conduct Of this establishment, that the man
| gers nave been endeavoring to make IL self
sustaining. This, however, Will be dl1nculJ to
| accomplish, in consequence OF the many short
| sentences, which preclude the possibility OF
/ 1l,, nfts aftt
| muneratIon In the shape OF labor. While the
efforts of the directors IN the cause OF economy
| ia worthy Of all praise, it may be proper to sug-
| rest that the ork-house was intended as
| reformatorY rather than a speculatlVe lnstI-
| tute. The incucatiOn Of morality, and the IN
| centiye to a better course or llfe, are really
| more important and permanently beneficial to
| the city than the saving OF moderate expense.
| STREET RAILROADS AND INCLINED PLANES.
| Few cities are better provided with these
| facilities for street travel and suburban con-
| yeplence than Cincinnati No less than sew
| enteen lines are now in existence, and four IN
clined planes, which are located upon the
highest hills overlooking the city, at an eeva-
lion of over 400 feet from the level of the Ohio
River at an average stage of the latter.
| The increase of our territory has advanced
| from seven to twenty-tour square miles; and
| the great modern convenience OF street rail
| roads mas thus enabled the over-crowded pop
uation Of the valley to spread upon the
breezy hills and throughout the teemIng val
lev OF the MIllCreeK.
| The uues ion of extending the contracts to
the original companies will most probably be
| brought before your honorable body in a brief
| space oft me- and IL is question OF great im-
| portance to the citizens at large, The fran
cbise is of exceeding value; the interest OF the
citizens is in your hands, aud to your wisdom
ana guardianship they look trusIfully for their
protection
| FINANCIAL.
Our financial condition Will compare favor
| oh witt the
the city debt proper is nearly $S.JU0U 700, and
added TO this the Southern Railroad debt of
| $4,000 900, will make 1t nearly $24, ,OJO,O00.
| the appraised value OF taxable property in
Cincinnati is as follows:
Real estate $50. $l27, l43 9OO
Personal property y.....,............. 56,SO9,OG6
Making a total Of f.................S1S .S1S3 952 966
The annual interest upon this debt approach
es now to q sum not far short of 5000, 90, and
this, added to the amount necessary to provide
| for the city government, involves an excessive
and burdensome taxation.
The credit of Cinclnuati Is now, as it always
| has been, deservedly high; but in order to
| maintain our enviable reputation, we should
devise means to reduce the interest as speedily
as possible, and eventually lIquidate our debt.
| AUDITORS OFFICE.
The duties of the City Auditor are manifold
| and Of vast responsibility; they are indeed
| greater than that OF any other city official.
| The financial exhibit OF the city in brief is as
| follows: Rate Of taxation, 16 mills; total for
| the various funds, % S76,0S8 81; total issue of
our bonded Indebtedness, 2l,0l9,S27 As; amount
redeemed to date, S5lS,5O0; amount outstand-
| ing, S2O, ,5Ol, 1927 As.
| MIsCELL ANEoUs.
| A great diversity OF opinion exists regarding
| the proper mode of conducting a municipal
| government. There are many political econ
| Omists who are OF the opinion that the city
| should supervise enterprises Of magnitude,
while others are of quite contrary mind in
| asserting that Individual enterprise should be
| held as paramount.
| In villages and small towns the fostering
1 care Of corporations is essential for rapid de-
| velopment and due provision to the growing
| necessities OF tile community, but as with the
increase OF age, there is an Increase of wealth,
| it becomes evidenC that the burden of lnunici-
pal rivalry should be withdrawn, and that in
| divldual capital and private energy should be
encouraged to display themselves.
1t is discouraging to invest energy and cap
| ital in business enterprise and after conduct
| ing it to a successful issue, find that you have
| nexv to compete with powerful corporation,
backed by municipal resources. AS an illus
| tration attention ls called to the public
wharves, wherein the city has invested nearly
| 49, 0OU,O00, while in return it docs not receive
sufficient rent to pay the expense for properly
| attending TO them.
In this connection itwould be well to provide
| free wharfage at the Public Landing, between
Broadway and Main street, or at least make
| the amount SO small that 1t would induce 10 an
increase OF our river commerce. ...
| We also have the Southern Railroad con-
structed by the city, running parallel with an
other railroad line, which latter is principally
owned by our citizens. Here is a case Of the
corporation against individual enterprise. and
| in the contest both parties will be the losers.
| Another case in point is tine Public Library,
| which, in it's maintenance, while imposing
heavy tax upon the community, has operated
80 disastrouslY upon private enterprise As to
fairly annihilate competition in the shape of
| circulating libraries, the which is assuredly
not an unmIxed blessing, for In the retirement
Of the latter, there is left vacuum which
| the great monopoizer has failed to fill.
| The Water-wOrks Department., as it is con-
Quoted by the city, is also OF immense ex-
pense. Individuals have proffered TO take the
management and furnish water to consumers
at fifty per cent. less than the present cost.
Here would be Q saving Of a most important
and beneficial character, while, at the same
time, we would be enabled TO get rid of the
| we now owe upon these Works.
i The market system, which in most cities is
| obsolete, is another rival to individual enter
| prise, which In the shape OF stores would
spring up in every locality, and prove much
more convenient to the resident population.
| Should the city in its vision deem it proper
| to purchase the Gas-works. there would be an
other political adjunct brought wiChin the mu-
nicipal area, for there is no gainsaying that
each and every one of the departments owned
| by the city is subject TO changes In sympathy
I ruAnl NaRfp -