Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-06-27
DoINGs OF OUR DADS.


The new board of city dads met Fri.
day evening, took their oaths of office
and started in in good shape to make
the town Of Sturgis city with a big G.
After all had been sworn in. Mayor Pot
ter called the board to order and pro-
ceeded to deliver his inaugural address
Mayor Potter said:
To the Honorable Board of Aldermen:
GENTLEMEN:-It is with the deepest
sense of qualification that I present my
thanks for the hearty support that was
accorded me at the last election, in
which you have done me the honor to
elect me as the first mayor of our youth
ful city, and I assure you that I shall
endeavor at all times and in all places to
labor for the best interests of all Of our
citizens.
I would suggest to the council that
our duty as officers of the city requires
that we should furnish as good a munich
pal government as is compatible with
the strictest principles of economy.
We are now entering upon a new field
of duty. Our city has for the last two
or three years been constantly improv-
ing in wealth and population. For years
we had been without fire protection, but
we have now what no other city of the
Black Hills has, viz: splendid system
of cisterns containing large body of
water, situated at convenient points in
the center of business, and a magnifi-
cent steam fire engine, hose cart and
hook and ladder truck, of which even
larger cities than ours might well be
proud. Iu addition to these we have a
finely equipped fire department, COM
posed of body of men strong in number
and ready and willing to work together
in the emergency which we hope may
never occur.
In this connection I desire to urge
upon the fire department the necessity
of at once selecting chief, and in doing
SO to select one who can command the
respect and obedience of the entire de-
partment, always remembering that in
case of a fire it is just as essential that
the fire department should have head
as that an army should have a command
ing officer in time of battle
Our thanks are due to our very eff
cient board of trade, and the interest
they have manifested in the welfare of
our city is highly commendable and
worthy Of our earnest support. To it
alone are we indebted for all that we
have in the way of fire protection, and
we have reason to believe that we are
about entering upon an era of prosperity
due largely to its efforts in behalf Of our
citizens. It is meet, therefore, that we
should extend all possible aid to it in its
laudable enterprises.
There have been many changes going
on in the garrison of Fort Meade of
late, and we should do all in our power
to foster and promote the most friendly
relations between our citizens and the
officers and people Of the post, and we
should assist, SO far as we can, in aiding
the commanding officer in maintaining
the military discipline SO essential to the
welfare of the army. There have been.
disagreements in the past Let us hope
they are all happily ended.
A movement is now on foot to essab-
lish seminary in our city by the Rev.
David Wilson, of Fort Meade, and pub
JIG spirited citizens have donated lib
eral number of lots in aid of this under
taking. We should not under estimate
the importance of such project, but
should foster and protect scheme that
will do much to benefit our people.
Our thanks are due to the marshal for
the very efficient manner in which he
has attended to his duties, which are at
best of very unpleasant nature. There
are some suggestions which / have to
make in the near future, but on the
whole think we have reason to con-
gratulate ourselves on the good order
that has of late prevailed upon our
streets.
We have reason to believe that COM
pany will soon be organized with an
of capital for the purpose of
constructing street railway from the
railroad depot to Fort Meade. I would
suggest that we should do all in our
power to aid such an enterprise.
We fear that the officers of the Fre-
mont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Rail-.
road company are not doing all that
they should do for us in our efforts to-
build up our city and increase it's trade
and influence. IL would seem to us as
il the interests of our city and those Of
the railroad company were identical. and
that anything benefting lis would also
benefit them. We should do every
thing in our power to promote the
relations with Them and en-
deasor TO convince them that Sturgis as
q commercial center is an assured fact.
There is no better location IN the Black