, 1886-08-12
COW ORDINANCE.

COW ORDINANCE.
If any curiosity hTnter were to
look for an attempt TO erect great:
ness and dignity upon an insignifi-
cant pedestal, he only need turn to
that COW ordi and the statis-
tics Of popui ion, TO find it in Port
Townsend.
Of all contemplate, cowardly OPP
preston Of the poor, this beats the
record of all ages.
OF all unsound reasoning, the one
this ordinance was based upon de-
fies competition, to-witi One bad
COW in the community shuts up all
the rest. On the same theory, all
women should be forbidden the lib
erty of the street, because one does
wrong; and all men should 60 TO
jail because one thief is at large.
How much more sensible it is, to
punish the guilty, and let the inno-
cent 90 free. We are small com
munity and should not harrass one
another with odious and trifing mat
ters. There are weightier questions
to tax your wisdom than 1mprov-
Using means to drive from poor
families their main support be-
sides, our city has not yet reached
those colossal commercial proper,
tIons which make it necessary to
have so much solicituGe for the
family cows.
The road of the common people
is all up hill, and l trust this Coun,
Gil will not make their hill any
sleeper or higher. Let us, rather
tussle with this debt question which
better becomes our dignity and
give to the COWS a season of peace,
ful rest, to think over past op'
lpressions; | therefore especially
recommend you to repeal Ordin.
ance 131 and revise Ordinance 1913
DRAINS AND SEWERS.
If the new sewer is in use. it is
very urgent that some measures
be taken to have it regularly
cleansed of all accumulations.
The open box drain across Mon
roe street is choked, and all water
that should pass off, flows over anG
has washed many tons of sand or
to adjoining lots to their damage
The city will keep ont Of diff
Guilty by timely fixing this, and the
cost to do so will be a mere trihe.
RULES, ETC.
Section 81 of the Charter reads
"The Council may adopt rules fol
the government of the conduct o
its members, and its proceedings"
| | do not find that this has eve
been done and yet it is ii very i'm
portant matter. Other cities hav,
them. We certainly should have
them. They are to us what TIN
square and the compass is to th,
mechanic-a measure and a guide
have procured copy of those il
use at Tacoma and also Seatt!,
should you desire them.
COMMITTEES.
1 do not find the word in th,
Charter and presume it is among
your implied powers to say whethel
you will have any, and what.
In my yjudgment, it will be bette
to divide the duties of the Counci
as whole, and distribute then
among a committee on finance
committee on streets and street i'm
provements, committee on fire ant
water supply, sewers, drains, etc.
and perhaps others. Until yol
authorize committees | do not ses
that / have authority to appa =
Iany.
CLERKS RECORDS.
! My labors in preparing this docu
ment have convinced me that de
parture from the present system
is den anded in the clerks office
and would like here, to pay Il
Mr.. James G. Swan merited com
pliment for the ability, care anc
neatness he has given to his office
as evidenced by his books and pa
pers. found every thing in splen
did order and as far as the system
allowed, in intelligent shape. AnC
it is this system that / believe we
can improve upon. The city &c
rives revenues from many different
sources, and disburses lis funds ii
many different channels. Under
the present plan, if you wish tc
know from the clerk the revenue
from any particular source, or what
any particular office, improvement
structure or matter is costing us
either now or a month or year OIL
ten years back, he can tell you
nothing about it until he goes
through a hundred files, reports
stubs, etc, etc, if indeed he can tel
you atall. If you ask him what is
the Indebtedness of the city now
what 1t was a year or ten years age
he will refer you to the treasurer
the treasurer's reports. He ca
tell you nothing about it from /
own records. | wanted the tire
urer's reports from 1879, but
that could be resurrccted after
big hunt were, seven out of fifte,
This is all wrong.
The clerk is, or should be, by
perfect system of bookkeepi'
able at any time to produce to t.
Council balance sheet showi
exactly how every fund stan,
what this, that, or the other p;
and what it costs. Such inforl
ton laid before you at call
show at once where we stand. \
will know from it if this or that
costing too much or pays in enoug
Besides these, the clerks boo
would be II perfect and perpetu
check and regulator of the Trea
,,rnr honnncn thor- ,,oncT hnrn,n