The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-02
GLASGOW'S GROWTH.
Said 10 Be the Best Governed
City in Europe.
he MODEL MUNICIPALITY.
scotch Business Methods Applied Co the
kunniag Of = Corporation-coss
and Results.


co, covering an area Of about fifteen thou
sand acres. Like Liverpool and Chicago.
Glasgow, according 10 the writer. affords
striking example % ssself- msde' city.
IL IL modern creation. The first great
work that Glasgow accomplished was the
improvement OF the navigation OF the
Clyde. A deep-water port was created.
The development of the iron and coal
mines preceded that great industry Of iron
ship-building- The ship-builders became
famous The government Of the city is
invested IN fifty members Of the town coun-
cli. They are water commissioners. gas
trustees. market and slaughter house COM
missioners. city improvement and park
commissioners. In fact, all the commits
sions necessary for the execution OF any
particular work are exercised by these fffy
members of the council
The sanitary department Is set down as
model of good work. Fifty inspectors ara
constantly engaged in hunting out and cor
rectlng nuisances. Five men ara constantly
employed IN inspecting lodginghouses.
BESIDES these, five women are employed as
house-tO-house visitors. There is one fea-
ture of municipal life in Glasgow which
certainly detracis from the character of q
model city. Ii is shown that la6.0o fam
lilies in that city live in sinele-room tene-
ments. and rs 900 live in two-room tene-
ments- In these overcrowded fenemenis
the inspectors are constantly at werk
ferreting out nuisances and contagious dis.
eases. The nuisance inspectors reported
last year u $50 ..nuisances.r These mostly
referred TO defective drains. water supply,
garbage accumulations. ash pits. structural
decays and other unwholesome conditions
The city has an epidemic hospital situated
on an estate OF more than thirty acres.
This establishment can accommodate Go
patients and the space can be increased for
the accommodation OF 900. There is also
q sanitary wash house. provided al a cost
OF $4,000
The streets of Glasgow isl miies} are
swept every night by twenty-three horse
machines. There are also II go courts
which are cleansed two or three times
day. All the streets OF the city are sprink-
led in the summer tire. The street sweep
ings are carried 10 s large building, screen
ed, q part is burned In furnaces and what
ever is valuable as ferializer is sold The
net proceeds range from - TO 80 cents
ton The revenue from this source
amounted in single year to Si30, 600. The
city has built model tenement houses in
the most crowded districts, and has bought
''unsanitary property" for the purpose of
opening courts II has opened twenty
seven new streets for that purpose, and has
demolished great number of unsanitary
buildings.
Glasgow has established public baths and
wash houses at 3 cost o. not less than $780,
600. For the sum OF pence women are
allowed all the modern facilities for cleans
ing clothes, including steam heating, hot
and cold water, machine driers. hot air
apartments and a mangle or machine for
smoothing the garments. so that at the
end OF an hour housewife may go home
with basket of clothes washed, dried and
ironed.
Glasgow owns its osn gssworks. The
original cost exceeded s., 800 900. Twenty
years of management by the municipal
corporation has given complete satisfae-
ton. The price OF gas. which IN the year
is69-70 was 81. Ia per 600 feet. was reduced
in 1883 TO 6S cents. The municipality from
the profits has been able To construct new
works. to write of large sums for deprecia-
ton Of pipes, and TO accumulate a sinking
fund of 81 600 600. 1t is estimated that 20
per cent. o. the people use gas for fire and
cooking. The municipality does not at
tempt to make money or TO raise more
than is necessary TO keep the works In
good order and To create q sinking fund
which in the course OF long term Will
pay the original cost of the works.
While Glasgow allows one or more COM
panies To operate its tramways. or street
railroads, the control of these is vested in
the municipality. which has put in . capt.
| tai OF 81, 100 600, on which interest is paid.
| The companies also pay mileage rental
OF $50 mile. The highest fares are
| pence. and on some OF the roads the fares
| charged morning and evening 20 working
men are only / cent There are no inn
| proved methods O. street transit-no
/ cable and no electric roads The horse
| railway is an American system. George
| Francis train built the first line IN London.
| and undertook 20 obtain an act OF pariia-
ment for building one in Glasgow about
| the year 1851, but was headed ca.
Glasgow owns its water works. II was
one of the first cities in the world 70 con-
strues works OF permanent character.
| II had been wretchesily supplied with un-
| wholesome water al high rates by private
companies pumping from the Clyde More
| than thirty years ago the authorities bought
/ out these companies. obtained exclusive
| control OF Loeb katrine in the Highlands
| and brought 10 the city through great
/ seaueduct a magnificent and Inc xhaustisle
l supply OF pure mountain wsier. The ex-
| pense was great No private company
/ could have been induced TO undertake such
| an enterprise. Yet the city has been able
| easily TO make the works pay for their ogn
| maintenance and enlargement, and 70 ae-
/ cuIasiiate large sinking funds for the iiqai-
| dalton OF the original cost, while reducing
l the water charges rapidly from year 10 year
/ and providing the most honatsful quaint
/ ties for every body that any British city
/ grants Glasgow illustrates the direct adj
vaussges that city derives from a good
municipal water supply. The great pres
sure in the mains, due so the high sources
| whence the water comes. snfsscss to ex-
| singssish nearly ali fires without the use Of
| engines, and the annual saving IN the IRE
| department alone is more than
! enough 90 par interest charges
| upon the cost of the water works
Moreover. GLASGOW ssAsisficians have
convinced rae that the absence OF mineral
| ingredients froEa the water effects a saving
In The two isems OF tea and soap THAI more
| than meets the coss OF the works. Further.
the pure and soft water. ches ply fur
nished. has nasae &: possible 70 develop IN
Glasgow VARIOUS important lines Of manu-
taetare that otherwise would have sesn
driven 20 rural districts.
In tie particulars IT street railways.
vasar. gas xisa police ssi&xgow - > model
eity. II has brought AZ these advantages