The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-03

provement thorough and permanel
will cost more at present, but WI
save money in the end.
If money derived from the sale @
D bonds is to be used upon any publ
works of the city, it must be upo
those of a permanent character. w
cannot afford to incur a debt to pa
current expenses and make tempora
U ~ improvements. Such polio
would be ruinouS.
L call your special attention to thi
question of street and other public i'm
o provementS, and trust we may be abb
: TO adopt some policy that will result
, in benefit to the city.
. AustiD is far behind her sister cit
les in her streets and other pub
lie works, and / am confident thai
her people would be pleased at ar
> earnest effort on our part to adorI
her in these public enterprises. AL
> measurers looking to this end, will
: receive my earnest cooperation and
approval.
By some oversight, the city council
has not fixed the per centum of ad
valorum taxes for the present year.
This should have been done on or be-
fore the first Monday in May. l would
recommend that this matter receive
your early attention.
Further, it appears that the board of
equalization appraisers, required by
law, have not been appointed, which
retards the assessor and collector in
the discharge of his duties.
The levy of the tax also includes
the tax for the support of our public
schools. The ammount of this tax
has been fixed by the people
by elution held for that
purpose, ond their verdict should be
respected. The public schools are I'M
der an able snd intelligent manage
ment, and are daily growing in popu-
lar favor. They are the pride of the
city, and should receive at our hands
the fullest support provided by law.
These matters should not be post
poned.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Any measures looking to better
aud more efficient organization of the
police department will receive my
cordial support. l believe that the
city marshal should have full control
and command of his police force, and
that he should be held responsible to
the city council for the peace and good
| order of the community and for the
discharge of all other duties devolv-
ing upou his department. The police
force should be employed for police
duties as the law contem-
plates, and not as clerks and asSis-
tantS to other saalried officers. If the
number employed are greater than
are necessary for police duties, reduce
the number, and save useless expense.
A better system of warrants should
be provided, and the marshal should
stand charged with the full amount
of all fines and costs assessed in the
recorders court. He should be al
lowed On credits the amount paid in
cash and for amounts worked Out,and
should be required to render daily re-
ports to the assessor and collector ac-
companied by vouchers. The books
of the recorder, the marshal and the
assessor and collector should be a
check each upon the other. A daily
register OF prisoners should also be
kept, so that bye ity inspection the ex
act condition of prison matters would |
be manifest.
BY these suggestions l don't mean |
to intimate that there are any pos
tive abuses in this department. l do
not think there are. 1 merely desire
to point out some of the |
defects of the system as it exists, and
to suggest some reforms that occur to
me as beneficial.
WATER AND GAS CONTRACTS.
The present water contract with
the city was made by our predecessors
in for |
any of it's conditions. We find it a
subsisting contract, costing the city
over $4,000 per annum. l venture
no opinion as to thevalidity or equityof
this contract, nor as to the fault as to
whether the water company has COM
piled with its obligations. These
matters are before a committee of
your body and will be reported on in
due time. l will, however, suggest
that the obligations of the water COM
pany to furnish the people of this
city with pure water, and at speci-
lied rates. is matter of public
concern, over which the city council
can and should exercise supervisory
control.
There is at present no permanen
contract with the Gas company TO
lighting the streets. l would SuggeS
that in any contract to be made with
that company that provision be made
for extending the mains, and enlarg
ing the advantages of gas light. The |
company is now confined to very mar
row limits, and doubt not could be |
induced to enlarge its system in view
of long contract with the city. The |
effect would be to distribute the ad-
vantages of the system to a much
greater number of people.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
The sanitary condition of the city |
demands careful attention. A system |
of sewerage is badly needed, and l |
attention its Importance merits. |
Sive improvement of this character can
be lnaugurated and put in operation
at once, but beginning can be made. |
We can at least inform ourselves at |
what is necessary. | would recon- |
mend the immediate enforcement of |
such needful sanitary measures as
will secure the cleanliness of the city |
and promote the health of our people. |
There are many other matters of a
general character of which L
might speak, but this communication
has already attained too great a
length. l shall have occasion TO adj
vert to these and other matters in our
official intercourse, and trust and be-
lieve that we shall act tremendously,
having in view only the welfare of
Austin, and the promotion of wealth,
perpetuity and happiness.
Very respectfully,
j. w. ROBERTSON,
Mayor.
Aldermen Schneider and Under
hill, who were absent at the begin
ming of the session, appeared and took
their seats.
NEW BOND ORDINANCE.
The finance committee presented
the following ordinance which was
finally passed by vote of 10 yeas to
nay.
AN ORDINANCE
providing for and authorizing the
issuance and sale of eighty bonds of
the City of Austin, of the denomina-
ton of five hundred dollars each.
Be it ordained by the city council of
the City of Austin
SECTION 1. That the mayor of the
City of Austin be, and he is hereby
directed and authorized to issue eighty
coupon bonds of the City of Aus
tin, of the denomination of five hun
dred dollars each, amounting to the
| e,,,,, Of forfv thancond d,lllarc So;1