Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-17
THE MAYORS MESSAGE,

| Gentlemen of the Court of Common CouzcH: We are assembled this evening to examine l the inventory of our past years doings and present prospects.
 Representing Rs we do a municipality of this great nation, it is fitting that we should deplore the sad calamity effected by an as- ! sassin's hand against our chief magistrate, | and, in his person, against our free institu- | tions. For the interest of OUT future welfare it is source of congratulation that our Presi- dent was not murdered either at the instiga- ton of secret political organizations or by political opponent crazed by party defeat The death of President Garfield witnessed the sublimest tribute to the love of free in- stitutions yet recorded, in the unison of fifty million petitions 10 the throne of grace for the future prosperity of our common coun- try, at the time when the animosities of heated presidential contest had barely chance to subside.
 The tendency of some municipal corpora tions to use public moneys in a lavish man. nsr, without regard to consequences has for tunateIy never been looked upon with favor in this community.
 If 1t be good financial policy for an indi- vidual to govern his expenditures by his in come, can see no good reason why the same rule should net apply to municipalities-sg- gregations of individuals.
 During the past fiscal year the-eity's in debtedness has been reduced S72, ,6zT.21 leaving the present net indebtednessat S6O4, 785. 90. Our funded debt is now ESQ., 900 less than it was year ago, through the payment of $6O, 900 for the redemption of the bonds issued to pay for the City Hall and | A. n.m-f railroad. We are still obligated to the extent of $1OO, GOO in behalf of this railroad, excIu- sive of our note of $25, 900, upon which the company pays the interest.
 As we are cancelling OUT bonds issued in aid of the Derby railroad at the rate of $20.- 900 year, in four more years we shall have wiped it out entirely. and be thus enabled in the following five years to make adequate provision for the cancellation of our first in- stallment of sewerage bonds amounting to S249, ,OOO, which become duein 1891, without resort to additional taxation or the necessity of refunding. By so doing We shall be en- a5led to save $17, 430 per annum, which sum we now pay for interest on these bonds.
 4 sinking fund to provide for the redemp- ton of this obligation has lately been c1e- ated, and the sum of S1O,0OO was appropri- ated by your predecessors for that purpose.
 For years there has been more or less con- plication in the settlement of the accounts of the town and city, and it affords me pleasure to announce that during the past year conl- plete and satisfactory settlement was made by the payment of $1, 800 to the city by the town.
 There is a proposition now mooted in favor of further bonding the city for sewer age purposes. It is intended, if am cor rectly informed, to raise fund to be loaned to needy persons to enable them to borrow money with which they may pay the city for such sewers as may be built in the future To this project I am strongly opposed for many reasons, among others the following: The city ought not to constitute itself loan agency. It is not designed to amplify our main trunk system of sewerage, nor does it originate with those having charge@ of our sewerage sys- tenn, viz, thkF Board of Public Works- Persons who are not now able to pay for sewers cannot be expected to pay for them at any future time with any greater degree of certainty, since we have been unusually prosperous for the past few years. There is no urgency for an extensive increase in our sew craze facilities in the immediate future such as cannot be provided for in the usual way. If such an urgency shall arise, 1. prefer & temporary increase in the rate of taxation, rather than an increased funded debt, with which to frighten away capitalists who may be seeking favorable locations for business enterprises.
 There is now due and unpaid upwards of S2O0, 900 for taxes and sewerage and street assessments A large share of this is due from persons well able to pay it, but who have failed to do so presumably because the city was the creditor and it made no differ ence how long it remained unpaid There are now being instituted measures whereby those who are able to pay and have not will be compelled to. There Is no reason why any number of citizens should live on trust public obligations, and by the close of this year hope to be able to inform you of ma terial decrease in our indebtedness by means of more thorough and systematic collection of these uncollected taxes and assessments
 The following from the auditors report furnishes concise statement of the present funded and floating indebtedness:
 City bonds and Derby railroad 500 0e0 co City municipal bonds I5o,00e co
 s749.s0 % City note favor William Fitch. trustee. giF- a for account of Derby railroad
 which the Derby railroad pays interest 2s.osu %
 s774sOO %
 Against which we have
 coSTRA-
 Sewerage bond sinking fund i0o00 co Municipal bond sinking fund. 3o,4l7 1s
 ---SIGa. .21x 10
 Net indebtedness. ess.-.......--.-.-.-.s sso4.7ss %
 THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
 In the early part of the year the name of