Omaha daily bee., 1886-10-15
The inaugural,


election held on the lth inst the electors ut
the city of Council Bluffs saw it to eject me
to the office of MAYOR To III! the uncNpircd
term of the Hon. j, w. Chapman, deceased.
After notice OF election had been served
upOn me qualified in accordance with the
law aud submitted my bond TO Your honor
able body for approval, which bond was ap-
proved ON the Ith inst On the day follow
ing | entered upon the DISCHARGE of my of
iiclal duties The untmely death of
Mayor CHAPMAN, which caused the
necessity for ,pecal election
ment which is sorcly felt 10y the city at large
rs well as by almost every individual citizen
without regard To party attiIiaton. When
the city lost John w. Chapman. 1t lost one
of its foremost, aDlest and best ctlLens,
man who was widely and taNOra1ly known;
with a national reputation; a man who was
always ready To advocate aud defend the IN
terestS of the city and its citizens n man of
strict honesty and integrity, sincere and iilm
in whatever he advocated and believed to be
right, but, always aitable, courteous and to.-
Grant towards those who held opposite views
When community loses such man, ii may
well feel sorry and gneyed aud iook around
with anxiety and despair to nnd another to
take his place. After the death OF Mayor
Chapman your honorable body elected j. f.
Evans aS mayor pro tempOre. The good
sense and wisdom. exhibited by this action is
admitted by all. He is Il gentleman OF the
highest type; a business man OF more than
ordinary ability, in whose hands the reInS of
city government could be safely entrusted.
Assuming control of the city affairs
under such circumstances, | do 50 with great
reluctance; feeling the great responsibility,
and knowing full well that perhaps more is
and all can promise is that will serve to
the best of my ability. Every thing con.
nCctcd with the interests Of til ; city Is new
to me at present and | will therefore have to
appeal to your patience and indul-c -cnce for
awhile, until shalt be able to post myself
and become familiar with the different de
partments. Our city beinS one of the great
est railroad centers in the west, it should be
our policy to extend to the va
rious roads centcring here all posi-
bic advantages for making connections
them the right of way, but at the same time
care and Judgment should be used to protect
our citizens from injury. understand
movement IS on foot to build another bridge
across the Missouri river at or near the foot
of Broadway, thereby giving one more con
nection with our younger but larger sister
city. This enterprise seems to be ot the
greatest Importance, ana when completed
as well as those on the other side OF the
river who are in search of cheap homes
The representatives OF this company Will
probably appear before YOU to ask GER
liberal policy toward them, but never losing
sight of the rights of private citizens.
Chief of Police J. NJ, Matthews has re-
si,ncd and have appointed james Mullen
to his place His bond is filed with the city
clerk subject to your approval. In this de-
partment desire to nuke some changes and
will report the same at the proper time.
The fire department seems to be in good
running order. Chief TcmplGton says he re-
quires more hose for winter use, and would
call the attention of the ire committee to
this for inYestlEatlon. Inc strlnGing OF
wires for the new fire alarm system is pro-
crossing finely and hope that good results
will be attained when it is completed Upon
superficial inspection of the finances OF the
tlnl Ia
the treasury to pay general fund warrants.
If these warrants could be kept at par it
would prove great advantage, alike to the
city and those who are employed and paid
out of the fund. Apparently there are but
two ways to bring this about, and
that is by either increasing the income Or
decreasing the expenditures. 1t is not my
desire or intention to censure or crticiSc the
past actions of the council, but for the future
| would recommend that the expenditures be
kept strictly within the income, and, if pos
sible, provide for the outstanding orders. A
great deal OF the shortage in this fund can
be attributed to the non-payment of saloon
licenses. l find that there is due to the city
and unpaid from this source, nearly $4,000.
IhlS is not, as II should be; the saloon men
ought to come forward and pay their license,
and thereby share portion Of the expenses
of the city government. more stringent
policy in this direction should be followed.
All other funds seem TO be in healthy con-
| dition, showing balances enough TO meet the
| current demands. The aggregate balances
| in cash now in the hands of the treasurer
footup to about $4,000, with about that much
| more IN the hands of the county treasurer.
| not yet paid over The latter includes col
| lections for the general fund which is all in
warrants. The treasurer carries upon his
| books a levy fund showing balance of
S359.G0 and nuisance fund with balance of
| Sl0}.l3. Both of these funds seem to have
| outived their usefulness, and would recon-
| mend that these balances be merged into the
police fund and thus make the money ayaila-
| Bile for use
The paving on upper Broadway is pro-
crossing nicely during this excellent weather.
| The Improvement to the street and the ad-
| joining property can hardly be estimated,
| and paving should be extended as rap
| idly rs the abuttng property can bear the
| expense and the city is able To pay for inter
| sections etc. In connection with this |
would call attention to the necessity of es-
tablshing some uniform system of having
the paved streets cleaned. This is necessary,
| and believe the people demand IL,
| Many people residing along the creek are
| complaining OF manure and other rubbish
being thrown into it, and thereby obstructing
| the channel ana creating nuisance. In my
| opinion this ought to be stopped and the
nuisance abated as the people residing there
| are entitled 10 the same protection as those
| who live elsewhere. ! believe We have an or
| dinance covering such eases and II should be
| strictly enforced, and the ylolatOrs punished.
Permit me to call your attention to the loss
| of revenue to the city caused by not having
| an ordinance requlrin! all weighing and
WOOu measuring 10 De uOnc Dy lnt Supefln-
| tendent of the markets, an office established
| by the state law, and the officer elected by the
| people. | believe that an ordnance com
pells him to pay into the city
| treasury 20 per cent OF all his fees, but as
| long as private parties are allowed TO do
| weighing the city weighmaster has but little
| to do, gets no fees, and in consequence the
| city loses the revenue. The city has gone 10
the expense of establishing standard scales
and there does not seem to be
any apparent reason why they
should not be extensively used.
Inasmuch as the city needs additional in
come it might be well to investi- ate tins mat
ter closely.
Now, gentlemen, | would ask that each
one of you retain your respective places on
the various committees to which you have
been appointed, and hope our official con
nections may be pleasant and harmonious,
and that good results may be attained, bene
hcal to the whole city, without regard 10
party, clique or combinations.
Richmond Ranges for hard coal are the
best. Cooper Il McGee sell them.
IL May Be Fortune.
VIII G. Garman, of this city, has in his
possession an old deed, which may find
its way into courts, and may be the