Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-04-06
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW BOARD
OF ALDERMEN MONDAY.
Alderman Booth Elected President of the
Board-The City Omcers-But
Few Changes, Made-Mayor
Henry's Message.

day afternoon for the purpose of organ
izing all of the members being present, as
follows From the First Ward, S, S.
Watson and O. :. Storrs Second Ward,
f. J. Booth and j. f. Painchaud Third
Ward, A. H. Parker and G.. B.
Rand: Fourth Ward, f. B. johnson
and N. X. Brown; Fifth Ward,
l.. j. Smith and Elias Lyman.
The Board was called to order by City
Clerk Allen who administered to the new
ly elected aldermen the oath of office. The
election of president being in order, Alder
man johnson moved that the Board pro
coed to ballot for president and he nomin-
ated Aldermen Lyman and Painchaud for
tellers. The motion was carried and the
ballot was taken with the following re-
suit:
Whole number of votes cast..............10
Necessary to choice. ................-.
N. X. Brown. ............ ...............
f. j. Booth..... ........ .......,......
Alderman Booth was thereupon declared
elected On taking the chair he briefly
returned his thanks for the honor and an
nounced that the Board was ready for
business
The president appointed Aldermen
Brown and Lyman committee to wait
upon the mayor and inform him that the
any communication he might desire to
make. Mayor Henry accordingly appear
ed before the Board and read his annual
message as follows:
MAYOR HENRY's MESSAGE.
To the Honorable Board of aldermen:
Gentlemen: The management of the
municipal affairs of this city has been
placed in our hands for the year to come,
and upon our wisdom and good judgment
in the discharge of this trust will largely
depend the welfare of the community |
Under the solemnity of an oath have we
commenced this work, without the hope
of fee or reward, except such as we may re
ceive in the approval OF our own consciences
and in the hearty commentator of our
fellow citizens, for having done the best |
we could under the circumstances, and |
with the means at our disposal
During the past year our beautiful city |
has been highly favored. Business has |
been prosperous in all its departments. |
No failure of any note have occurred |
while probably no city of its size has had |
so few fires or been so healthy and free |
from epidemic diseases.
1t is my firm convection that If all will |
heartily interest themselves in sustaining |
with good counsel and money our Board |
of Trade, and not throw 'cOld water" on |
fore the end of the year we shall see we'll |
established market day" whose pa
irons will be transactiug successful bust |
ness in a market house worthy of the |
name. shall be pleased to heartily co |
operate with you in putting our city |
building in proper repair for the |
use for which it was erected. Judging |
from our experience and from public |
opinion SO far as it is expressed during the |
past year, | am satisfied that it IS the wish |
and expectation of most of our business |
men that we put the building and grounds |
in good order and make it really "A city |
market"
FINANCES
The bonded debt of the city is as follows:
Water bonds is. outstanding ........S $3.50 co |
Water bonds T., retu ding .......... $4,000 % |
Improvements bonds 6s................ $500 o. |
Railroad bones 5s. ................,.... 1900 %
Si?6,1 TO 90
Less sinking fund investment....... 80 60J on
Net bonded debt.........,.........S a29 800 co
Our temporary loans are less than usual
at this Uime Of the year, and Will all be
paid when the taxes are collected.
| have in my estimate of January, 1883,
told you thai Il tax of % cents on the dol
lar would RAISE money enough to pay all
our running expenses for the year to come,
including cents on the dollar for the
sinking tund.
If, however, the school commissioners
should find iC necessary to build a new
school house on Pine street this season it
will be necessary to slightly increase this
STREETS, SEWERS AND PARKS.
The superintendent of streets reports
that there was quite an extra expense in
this department during the past year. Oc-
casioned by the necessity for purchasing
four new carts, an express wagon and Il
road machine.
This nd machine, he thinks, good
as 1t assists materially in turn
piking new streets, levelling down the
streets where sewers have been laid and
clearing the snow from the sides of the
street after heavy storms. Owing TO the
severe snow storms during the past win
ter, it was necessary to haul the surplus
snow from the principal business streets,
which has been done to the satisfaction OF
all.
The most noticeable permanent improve
ments Oh our streets during the year past
have been on Main street between Willard |
and Summit, on Pearl between Battery
park and hurch street, and on Lake, Col
lege and Maple streets. good macdd-
amzed road was also made on College
street between Champlaln street and the
railroad. As You all know there is quite
a heavy grade on College street at the
point named, and the street has washed
badly in former years, and it WAS found
necessary to cover with three feet of stone
OH Iut low DtIl.
A fine piece Of road 1000 feet in length
was built uu Lake street from College
street no!th on to "Blodgett's mill"
More curDiug, tagging and paving was |
done than ever before in one year, a great |
part at the expense of the property own
ers
You will find more detailed statement |
OF all the streets worked in the excellent |
report of the street superintendent.
But the thing that should interest you
most in this department is what shall be
done in The Year to come. The committee |
on stree should take this into consider
alton at once, and lay out the work, desig- |
nate the STREETS to be macadamized, |
and thus give the superintendent "A
chance Ia BE- gin his permanent work early
in the spring. The idea should be to use
most OF the street money for permanent
improvements, and AS little rs pos.ible for
pat hing The sidewalks should b. flag
geo every step o. the way from Churcn
street to the College park on College and
Main streets. the streets should be grad
ed and maCadamized, curbed and tagged
around he city market. North avenue
as far as Lake View cemetery at least
should be one of our very best roads to drive
upon the permanent Improvement on