The Portland daily press., 1883-03-10
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Last Meeting Of the Present city Council.

The final meeting of the present City Coun-
Gil was held last evening. Quite number Of
| spectators were present in the Aldermen IS
| room.
!. In Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
The annual reports of the chief engineer of
the fire department and secretary of the board
OF overseers of the poor were presented and
ordered on file
Alderman Melcher introduced an order cor
recting an error of area, in an order passed at
previous meeting whereby the city treasure
was instructed to convey lot of land to B.
w. Slower. The order was passed.
PETITIONS REFERRED.
OF G. j. Green for permission to erect TWO
stored wooden building on the corner of Con-
gress and Forest street; of Abandon Stone.
for 1916 as reimbursement of the necnniarv
Joss sustained by him while shut M in house
NO. 70 Hancock street, owing to small pox in
family in same house.
1t was ordered that all unfinished business
referred to different committees of the present
City Council be referred to the next City
Council.
Alderman Winslow offered the following
resolution, which was passed by unanimous
rising vote
ReSolUed, That vote of thanks of this board
be extended to the Mayor for the pleasant and
courteous manner in which he has at all times
during his administration treated each member
of this board.
To this resolution Mayor Libby responded
substantially as follows:
For this expression of your kindly feeling
towards me as the presiding officer of the
board desire to return to you my hearty
thanks.
While couched in the language of compli-
ment 1t Is in keeping with the uniform cour-
tesy and consideration which you have at all
times shown me throughout the year, and /
recognize the fact that whatever measure of
success has attended the discharge of my Off
ciai duties is largely due to the cordial support
which have always received from this board.
L deem 1t my good fortune to have served with
body whose deliberations have been attended
with SO little of partisan feeling and political
strife. And L cannot but believe that the abb
sence OF these elements has greatly contri-.
buted to the usefulness and efficiency of the
board
AS we approach the end Of our official labors
1t may be satisfaction for you to know that
the financial showing at the end of the year
is favorable. We shall have made net re-
ductlon OF little more than $4,000 in the
city debt. Our expenditures not only have
been kept within the appropriations, but we
shall carry forward to the sinking fund unex-
pended balances amounting in the treasurer's
CopilAdtO W dUOut RlUyUOO, u sum larger imam
the unexpended balances which we carried
forward at the beginning of the present year.
Ihls result is the more satisfactory as it has
been accomplished in the face of unusual de-
mands upon the treasury, in the way of inter-
est on the Atlantic and st. Lawrence loan
construction of part of the sewer wharf, and
remodeling of the Spring street school
house, and has been accompanied with
marked decrease in the rate Of taxation,
a decrease which our successors, I trust will
ahln n ffIrf Thor
reason why under proper management the rate
OF taxation may not be reduced to two per
cent; the coming year-"a contamination de-
vouty to be wished" in the interest of our
city's material prosperity.
This year has been marked by the illness
both of the City Treasurer and the City Clerk,
two OF our Oldest and most valuable public SER
wants. The former has returned to his post of
labor, apparently restored to health; the latter
we miss Tonight, and can only hope that he
may soon return to his old place with many
years of usefulness before him.
The turn OF the political wheel which releas-
es some of us from the responsibilities of office
transfers the management of municipal affairs
hoped will be able to administer them SO as to
secure IN larger measure the confidence and
approval Of their fellow citizens.
On motion of Alderman Winslow vote of
thanks was passed to Alderman Little, chair
man of the board.
On motion of Alderman King resolution
of sympathy and good will was passed to City
Clerk Robinson.
The Mayor offered resolution of thanks to
John l.. Shaw, who, for considerable part of
the past year, in addition to his duties as City
Messenger, has acted as City Clerk pro tenn.
This was adopted by rising vote.
On motion of Alderman Winslow vote of
thanks was passed to the reporters of the daily
papers for their careful reports of the proceed
ings of the board.
On motion of Alderman Melcher vote of
thanks was passed to William Burnham, the
janitor of the building, for efficiency in that
department. The board was then adjourned
sine die.
In Board of Common Council.
Absent Messrs. Trefethen, Kicker, Sullivan,
Fogg and Brown.
The records were read and approved.
Papers from the upper board passed in con-
currence, and resolutions were offered to Presi-
dent Mari, the retiring members, and the
Clerk, Mr.. w ade, as well as to Mayor Libby
for his faithful service in behalf of the city. A
resolution expressive of sympathy with the
City Clerk, Mr.. Robinson, passed in concur
renee.
The Common Council of 1928 then ad
journed.