The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-04-29
Alderman Lamfron's Address.
Address submitted by Alderman Lamfrom
the new council April Is. 1892:

| Address submitted by Alderman LamfrOm
to the new council April IS, 1892:
| Mr.. Mayor and Colleagues:
In assuming the duties which we are
called upon TO exercise for the ensuing year.
| it will be wise for us to bear i'm mind the
| Importance of the functions of this body.
| We should impress upon our minds that
| this is no longer a small town, but that
| il is manufacturing city of considerable
magnitude and that this is an age of pro-
| gress and competition as well between cities
| as between individuals and corporations
| What seemed to be the wants and neces-
| sites of this city twenty years ago are
nothing as compared with what is required
by its prosperity today. Much of the public
work which was planned and carried out at
that time is now utterly inadequate, result
ing from the marvellous growth of our city
during period of the last ten years. / am
happily gratified to be able to make the as
sertion that our last years administration
was generally satisfactory and successful
one. We have gained many important
points for the prosperity of our city, We
have endeavored to use the most strict
economy in our expenditures, and have ac-
complshed our object and very little money
has been expended but what was highly
year has taught me that it requires a great
deal of money to manage and conduct the
affairs of city like ours. We have sue
ceeded i'm supplying our inhabitants with
good, wholesome water for domestic use
and in sufficient quantity for fire protection,
matter which required a great deal of
labor, time and judgment, and we now pride
ourselves on having obtained 1gOod and
efficient system of water works and have
have the same nearly If not quite
OIL a self sustaining and paying basis. A
great deal is required yet to bring same
to completion; more extensions of water
mains are required, but it will be more pru-
dent to make same gradually and as we re-
ceive the returns from revenues from said
plant, rather than to bond the city and
burden it with more Indebtedness. We
therefore ask our citizens 10 have patience
and grant us time and we will see to it that
those mains are extended as speedily as DOS
sible. Our fire department is i'm an efficient
and 1ourishing condition, and we must aim
to keep it so, and labor tremendously with
them, for 1t is of high importance and essen
tial for the welfare of our city to have good
and efficient fire department. 1t has lately
been agtated by some of our citizens and
some men bers of this council, to have some
of our business streets speedily paved, but
would call the attention of my colleagues to
this matter that such a step at this time
would be premature, lmprudent and in
judicious. 1t is very important that we
should first place sewers IN our streets be-
fore paving them, and aside from that the
streets are continually torn up for the
tapping of water mains hence the pavement
would have to be continually torn up, and
you all are aware same never could be re-
placed i'm proper manner. We should also
compel our street railway company to
to comply with their agreements and
see to It that their track is on proper grade
and that our streets, torn up Dy them, are
replaced In proper condition according to