The state journal., 1884-01-19

the efficiency CfthG volunteer department.
already Incompatible. The completion
of the building for the No. s company
should be a source of satisfaction to ouI
people and insures more efficient protec-
ton of the "IIill district.
Attention is called to the detailed re.
port OF the Chief of Police of matters
pertaining TO the department of which he
is the head There has been gratifying
decrease of crime and consequent in
I creased security for the citizen. The
numerical weakness of the police force
has been very serious drawback to the
complete efficiency Of the force as a
( whole. This defect will, it is believed
be 1emedied in very great measure by
the increase in numbers just allowed by
! councils. The tramp" problem pre-
/ sented itself upon the advent of cold
! weather. | have endeavOred to reach a
| solution Of this problem by the purchase
| of the necessary implements and put
| ting these idle wanderers to work.
Nearly all Of the brick work of the old
! reservoir on North street has been re-
/ moved by them to points where it is
/ available for use by the authorities. The
| streets have been cleaned of mud and
| the crossings and city property kept
| clear Of snow by the labor Of these peo.
pie, and this, too at time when the
| city was without money or authority to
employ men for the work. With proper
arrangements made for the feeding, &c,
of the 'nomads, | believe the grounds
al the new reservoir may be converted
into beautiful pleasure grounds, pride
to the city instead of the unsightly will
/ !. . t. a. Al,
men can repay, by their labor the ex-
pensc the citizens, not only OF this city
tut of the county, are at to maintain
them in idleness and WILL | believe event,
ually drive them ont of this region of
country
That the condition of our highways
throughout the city is bad at the present
time is beyond dispute but it is hoped
that upon the opening Of spring the i'm
provcments contemplated, and especially
with the increased facilities at hand, will
be commenced and pushed forward to
completion in such manner as will con
vince the taxpayers that the amount of
OF money allotted to the highway depart
mcnt has been iudiciously appropriated.
Your attention is called TO the condition
Of Front street, from Vine street to a
point at or near the Paxton rolling mills,
the property owners along the line, de-
srOus Of paving in front of their resi-
denccs have secured their line and paved,
thus leaving the roadway so narrow as
in many places to preclude the passing
Of vehicles. | would recommend the
filling out of the roadway, as in its pres
ent condition it is under many circum.
stances, dangerous to travel
The reports the financial department
Of the city merit and should receive the
careful attention of the councils and the
people. The credit Of the city remains
at premium at all financial Centers in
which its securities have been negotiated.
Your attention is especially called to that
portion of the report of the City Con-
troller wherein that officer recommends
the destruction of certain bonds, in
amount $30 600 now in the sinking fund
These bonds were executed but never ne.
gotated-they were placed in the sink
ing fund representing liability which
never existed. The peculiar function of
these bonds seemed TO be to compel pay
ment into the sinking fund of $1.800
dollars per annum which is credited to
the interest account upon the face value
of said bonds when no such debt as they
are claimed to represent exists. By the
cancellation Of these bonds the debt ac-
count ofthe city is reduced $50, 900 0dollars
and the interest thereon can either be
placed openly in the sinking fund for the
redemption of our bonded debt, or ap-
piled to municipal improvement.
The assessed valuation Of property in
the city is inamOunt Sc 17S, 400 1t must
conclusive to all who take anyinterest be
in the important subject, that it is far be
low fair one third valuation. Complaints
of discrimination are heard on ali sides.
Nearly all the valuable properties are as
scssed far below One-thrd Of their value,
while the homes of the working people
are, in a majority of cases, assessed above
the one third valuation, and in many in
stance reaching one half and more. The
blame for this state of affairs must not
be placed upon the aSsess0r-probably he
does the best he can within the law and
restrictions under which he acts-but the
remedy ''does" lie in the municipal gov.
ernment. All other remedies failing, re-
course should be had to existing laws
which if accepted by the municipality
would remove the evil complained Of-an
evil which is directly contrary to the
mandate of the Constitution of the
Commonwealth. which we have sworn to
support and obey, wherein it is distinctly
declared that "all taxes shall be uniform,
upon the same class 0f subjects within
the territorial limits Of the authority levy
ing the tax, and snail be levied under
general laws. The councils thus have
the remedy in their own hands.
legislation was had, and, under direction
Of councils, sale was commenced of the
grounds at the corner of North and Ell
der streets used for reservoir purposes un-
der the old water system; this property
it is estimated will yield at least $125, 900
to the treasury. BY a wise provision of
the ordinance authorizing the sale, the
proceeds realized therefrom is to be kept
separate from all other funds in the
treasury and cannot be appropriated ex
cept by special ordinance. Recognizing
as | do that these grounds, or the pro-
ceeds from the sale thereof have been
held, if not in law, at least in honor, as
part of the collateral upon which the
great bulk of our bonded Indebtedness
has been pledged, | feel it incumbent
upon me to declare at this time that my
consent for the expenditure of single
dollar Of this revenue shall be withheld
except that it be re-invested in revenue
yielding Improvements. 1t must not be
forgotten that in few years hence the
bulk of our bonded Indebtedness must be
met and prompt measures must be taken
to meet that Indebtedness as it becomes
due-thus maintaining theproud financial
reputation Harrisburg holds among the
cities Of the Commonwealth,
Your attention is called to the urgent
necessity of securing the laws and ordi-
nances Of the city in some compact form
to which ready reference may be had
Under our present system it is almost i'm
possible to secure prompt and ready infor.
~. !, Tho La u.s and nrdinnrn nns Of