Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-07
MAYOR BALDw1N,s MESSAGE.
An Interesting and Instructive Pub lie Document-The Volunteer Fire

An Interesting and Instructive Pub lie Document-The' Volunteer Fire
 Department Finds Another Friend.
 At this time of the year when as indi- viduals we are counting up the profit or loss of the past season, it may not be out of place to take a sort of inventory of the city of Waterbury, whose interests are in our care.
 It will not be necessary to go back to the days when they fshed where the village green now stands and went to church in OK carts, but to get true idea of how prosperous and thriving we are, go back only 10 or 20 years in your minds. | Our population has more than doubled. | In place of wooden structures we have lofty blocks of brick and granite with all | the modern conveniences. 1 venture to say that more money has been put into new buildings during the last twenty years l than in all our previous history. A horse railroad touches every vital point within city limits. Ten years ago we had city half lighted, now we are using electricity from dusk to dawn. We have new churches, new schools, a hospi- tai. beautiful soldiers monument, in creased railroad facilities, a complete theatre, a life insurance company bringing daily tribute from 20 different states, a watch company carrying our name into l advertised city of our size in the world these and more than these have been the product of our recent growth. Our fac tories have more than doubled their capao- ity and the good work still goes on. A good system of sewerage has replaced the ancient and malignant cesspools, and we E have made a good start at paving our streets We have population of B, ,OOC and a grand list of $10, ,O0O, ,OOO or more on g } very low valuation. There are few if any ) willing workers who cannot find employ. ment and it would be difficult to find ( man among us who thinks himself rich 1 enough to quit work. We are essentially : a busy people and our many beautiful
 homes testify to our industry and ou, 7: thrift.
 Just here let us look at the financia r condition. The city's bonded indebted 7 ness is as follows:
 :; Water bonds, first series ......S .S1eO.COO Water bonds, second series .... 75,Ooc
 Ciy hall bonds: .:............. 25,ooo s75,ooo Q
 Floating gindebtedRess.......... 145,495 B , The books show unpaid sewer and stree and paving assessments, including money due for work done by street inspector, o1 !, about SIS, ,O0O. These amounts have TUT . for years and no special efforts seem to b,
 made to collect them in some instances
 
 assessed. In the meantime these unpait assessments are figured as expected income F F in the laying of the yearly tax. Of cours'
 this is very bad fnanciering and unles
 checked will lead to unpleasant results More than $45, 900 is now due the cit, g from various persons on account of publi D improvements, some of which have bee,
 long completed and paid for by none,
 the city has had to borrow. This none
 ought to be put into the treasury immedi . ately If any portion of it cannot be col ', lected that fact and the reason for it shoul, Y, be known at once. It might be well to ap f point committee to investigate the mat ,' ter, giving them the power to take what o lever action may seem best to them T One thing we do know and cannot wip r rr out by any system of figuring, and that i we owe $520, 495 36
 . Add to this s........................ S3eO ia5 3 The indebtedness of town. .. =. .. STOOD 0 l. And the Center school district. ..... 1o 9COO c S $GS6, 495 3 o It may not be improper to de-
 duct from this total
 l. The Sinking Fund (water bonds) S6S,0 ,00O
 Amount due on account sewer
 | assessments say ................ 250OO
 Street paving a. scssments . . 14 900
 Collector list lSSS 10 GOO |, Sundries..... 5000 120 GOO