Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-02-19

Gentlemen Of the BocFdQf 4Aldernaess:
M, 49,, e 49, Rsaa3 x.o.,, hr;,,ess

also OF your own cOnlnllIeHS.
seems therefore. not inappropriate
that ( should review with you, IN
somewhat cllrsory manner, the con
| duct nf this first twelve Hnonths q
your administration. a popular de
Inand for policy of retrenchnen
/ Ia the administration of the affairs q
the city called you into Office. Ac
knoWiedging the justice OF the de
| mand, yet With many inisgivIngs a
| to your ability to satisfy 1t, y0I
/ promptly inaugurated measures II
accordance with Il policy Of rigit
economy in the expenses of the city
and of thorough discipline among 1T
officers. Among the earliest conclu
sions of your deliberations, was tina
very important one, that the eur
rent expenses of the city could b.
/ reduced without inpairing the Ell
ficiency OF its government. Ehi~
you enforced, first, by q reduction
Of your own already very small sal
aries, then by a reductioni in the sal
aries of other officers. Following
this, the foundation for practical
Iy economical administration WAS
laid Dy your determination to con-
tract Indebtedness for the city only
when the means for its liquidation
We're in sight. But your greatest
difficulties had not yet been reached.
The legacy of former adplinistra-
tions must be disposed of. Notes in
bank long past due, bearing an ex-
travagant rate of interest, which
was being compounded by renewals
every sixty days cupOns bearing
the interest on the bonds of the city
were past due and unpaid. Is it
strange, then, that creditors were
impatient and threatening, and
that the bonds of the city at public
sale brought only seventy-five cents
two months before you came into
office, and even then you were con-
graduated that the bonds of the city
had improved five to ten cents on
the dollar. Just here, then, was the
emergency that had called you into
Office. Our people had, with scarce
ly dissenting voice, demanded an
administration that would not sim
ply uphold the pubic credit, but
would use every effort to elevate it.
What are our resources ? What use
can be made of them with view to
immediate financial relief? were
the very pertinent questions that
confronted you. Your Finance Conn
mittee, after diligent Investigation
of the resources of the city, found
the lower Red river bridge with
remnant of a debt still hanging Ov-
er it, to which ii had been pledged
by former administrations. Here,
they suggested, Was, a source offer
ing hopes of relief from this harras-
sing floating debt. They invited to
their councils the bankers of the
city, and made known to them their
resources and their great necessities..
With characteristic liberality and
sagacious regard TOR the public well
fare, they at once offered the aid
that was asked of them, and gave
much encouragement and hope by
expressions of confidence in your
administration The bridge bonds
were issued and the means placed
at your disposal to clear away the
greater portiont of the floating debt.
With this transaction began at
once feeling of confidence in the
city securities, and those who crit
icised it adversely must admit that
it was but making the very best of
the limited resources at your COM
mand.
The Water Works contract came
next in importance, and the solution
of this veXed question gave you and
your committees many months of
thought. The settlement
of it within the past two months is
subject of such recent occurrence as
to require any detailed statement
at this time, and it is sufficient TO
state that while you were impressed
with the belief that the Water
Works Co. were completely in your
power, owing to their utter inabili-
ty to comply with their contract
made with the preceding admins
tration, yet you sought only such
a settlement as you believed to be
equitable and just 10 all concerned.
This settlement, while increasing
the current expenses of the city, yet |
an abundant supply OF |
good water, for private cOnsamp-
ton, adds greatly to our facilities
for manufacturing purposes, and af- |
lords a fire protection SO ample as TO |
have reduced the rate of insurance |
about twenty-five cents.
In connection with this settle |
nent of the Water Works you have !
made some important changes look !
ng to the increased efficiency of the |!
ire department, purely voluntary |
yet has always prov |
IN its importance by willing and i
active service and the maintenance /
Of unusual discipline, and | need not |
,sk you to encourage this spirit in
every way possible, consistent with
he means at your disposal.
The reports of the officers and
will give to you the de-
allied statements of the work done
~ them during the year just clos
ad, and it is well that you have de-
,ided that the public should have
IN opportunity to critically exam
ne them in printed form. An ex-
of the very cOmprehen-
i've report of your finance Commit
ee will, | am sure, repay all who
eel an interest in the financial con-
litiOn of the city; and while we
night wish that we had no such
weight of debt, and were free to use
he credit of the city in many need
ID Improvements, yet they will also
ind therein evidences that the debt
) such as can be carried with safety
o its maturity and then refund at
wen a lower rate of interest. To
10 this, however, / need not say it
will be absolutely necessary that
you and your successors in Office
hould rigidly adhere to policy of
trictest economy, and faithful adj
ference to the suggestions made by
vuur finance committee in regard
o the practical efficiency of the
linking fund. / am certain that af-
er an examination of the repi.rts,
he public will credit you with an
fort to faithfully discharge the du-
les of yoar Office. Yon have I'M
made progress in the
Erection, but it is only a.beginning,
nd there is so much for your con-
Iteration during thecoming year
can not hope that you will be able
n the slightest degree, to depart
rom your policy of strictest econo-
ny in the. expenditures of the city.
Among the most important meas
Tres that will be brought before you
re the drainage of ponds and sys-
EN- of sewerage. These are ques-
ions of the greatest importance. and