, 1878-07-13

year proceeding, oar debt would be
about four Thousand dollars less tEen i.
is now, or about twelve thousand dol
lars, an increase ia two years of little
over two Thousand dollars. This. Uu>
der all the circumstances ard difficult
ties encountered in carrying or the
government in the fuce of decision OF
the court against the charter, is a bet
ter showing than could be reasonably
expected.
Tie tax levied for the ensuing year
and due in December, together with
the delinquent tax now due onsht, in
my Judgment, to meet the running ex-
penses Of the city and reduce the debt
at least Que half by the end of. the next
fiscal year. Our amended city charter
provides that after 1880. eighteen
months hence, the liquor licenses COLI
lected in the City shall be paid irto the
City Treasury. This will relieve the
general fund and no doubt permit re-
duction of the property tag considera-
bly, below the present rate.
Il will be noticed that the item for
assessing the City is for both 1877 and
1873 This is owing to delay in the as
.sessment last year.
The item for attorneys fees is also
large, but considerable expense in this
direction has beer unavoidable on ac>
count OF the litigation in which the
City has been involved.
The suit Of the City for the posses
sion of the east half of the Maynard
donation claim. has been appealed from
the General Land office to the Depart
ment of the Interior, where it is now
pending.
The suit of the City against II. L.
Yesler, to recover a street tax, is still
pending in The Supreme Court. and i:
is earestiy hoped that decision of the
case may be reached in the July term,
in order that the delinquent assessment
for street Improvement may be collected
and the books balanced, or If the mode
of assessment is declared Illegal. that q
new assessment may be made in con-
formily to the law and the matter fl
nally settled up.
The County having persisteEtly re-
fused to assume the debt contracted by
the city for the care and maintenance
of INDECENT persons sick with the small.
pox. 1 most respectfully recommend
that snit be commenced against the
county to recover the amount so ex-
pended.
In view of the urgent necessity of
some more efficient means to protect
the City from fire and save US from the
disaster of great conf ,gration, pre-
liminary steps have already been taken
to secure first class steam fire engine.
In my judgement this is matter of the
first Importance. The possession by
the City Of such an engine would not
only be reliable protection against
fire, but would tend to reduce the rates
of insurance. and give feeling Of safe
ty and security to the business com>
munity which does not now exist.
1 feel it my duly to call your atten>
ton to the defective means of drainage
in our city. The frequent and alarms
ing prevalence of zyIAotic disease in
our milst during the past two years.
gives most impressive emphasis to the
necessity of some thought and action
on this subject. While many of our
citizens may be relied upon to keep ev>
erything clean and wholesome about
their dwellings. a great many, through
carelessness or indifference, or for want
of proper knowledge, cannot be safely
trusted in this respect. Consequently
some stringent sanitary regulations are
necessary to compel such persons to
keep their water closets and sink drains
cleansed and disinfected. Much may
be done in this way to prevent disease,
but through drainage to salt water is
the only effective remedy. As things
are now, the sewerage from one locality
becomes a nuisance and a menace to
health in another, and the health officer
is powerless to remedy tho evil. l COM
mend this matter to your earnest con-
sideration.
There is no doubt that the business
interests of the city i'm. era,ively de-
demands the completion of the Com-
mercial street grade to the railroad, and
the grading of that portion of Mill St.
situated within the business part of the
city. These Improvements should be
made before the commence ment of our
winter rains.
would also recommend the revision
of our City Ordinances; for the reason
that they are greatly in need of revision
and aYa wanted in prinred f,rm for tho