The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-01-21

acres, Including the water power, on
which we are building our works.
Also our thanks are due Geo. w
Breckenridge, Frank Hamilton, rep
resenting Jas. H. Raymond & Co %
bank, j. T. Breckenridge, for the
First National Bank of Austin, A. P.
Woodbridge, John Hancock and Lewis
Hancock, who formed syndicate
and purchased the $4,000 of bonds
first offered to enable US to COM
mence the work. They should be held
in grateful remembrance by our peo-
pie.
BY the adoption of the charter grant
ed the city by the last legislature,
which was approved April 81, 1891,
the area of the city has been in
creased by about 1921 acres,
giving us an acreage of about 10,496
acres. The extension takes in South
Austin, on the south side of the Cole
RADIO river, as also a strip running en-
tirely around the city, thus increas-
ing our population very largely and
adding quite a sum to the assessed
valuation of property within the city
limits :, lsSS5 ,,,--.t;2 - 80
While we can congratulate our
selves in this increase of population
and wealth, and rejoice that we have
an Eleventh ward with two genial
and objectionable alderman, we
have also to recognize the fact that
there come new burdens with this
newly acquired territory.
While the limited amount available
for street improvements will perhaps
make it impossible for yeur honorable
body to do all we might wish TO Tor
the newly acquired territory in the
way of street imp ovements, | feel
satisfied you will deal literally and
justly with that portion of our city.
Before the final passage of the new
city charter / received a communities
tion from Col. j. G. DeGress, post
master, asking that the streets in the
newly acquired territory be properly
located by having the names and
numbers of the streets posted on the
corners, also requesting the number
ing of all houses to enable him to ex-
tend the letter carrier system Every
thing that is proper for the city to do
towards securing to the newly ac-
quired territory the benefits of the let
ter carrier system has been done, but
the citizens themselves have failed to
have their numbers placed upon their
buildings to enable the letter carriers
to identify their residences and
places of business. Some action
should be taken requiring all houses
within the city limits to be numbered.
! 1 will now invite your attention
to short review of the
operations of the city government
during the year 1891, as exhibited by
the various reports submitted,
FINANCES.
The bonded indebtedness of the
City of Austin on November so, 1881
was as follows:
Ten per cent bonds, due Jan ], 1894. ... $sS5Ct
Ten per cent bonds, due Jan. !, 1879. 5000
Total ten per cent bonds ,.......-...... ST. 500
| Refunding bonds due 1901 .... ,Sl2 500
kefundng bonds due in 1904 ...,,.4 10000
Total six per cant bonds ....,..,. =. s52sO
Five per cent. water works and electric
light bonds, due Aug. j, 1890. siOo. COZ
Total bonded debt ..................... &525 ~.
There is in the treasury to the credit
of sinking fund the sum of s., l94.14.
The charter provides that as funds
accumulate to the credit of the sinking
fund it shall be invested in interest
bearing bonds for the benefit of saiC
fund, and provides that it may be in
vested in the bonds of the United
States, the State of Texas, or Of the
City of Austin. 1 would recommend
that authority be granted allowing
the sinking fund to be invested
in Austin city bonds, provided they
can be purchased at par, such bonds
purchased to be placed to the credit
of the sinking fund.
There is also in the treasury to the
credit OF the interest fund 81 ,009.05 and
to the credit of the water and light
fund the sum of $40, 1877 93; also TO the
credit of the general revenue &nd
cemetery fund $8,622.73.
There has been collected from al
sources for general revenue account
during the year ending Novem Der 30
1891, the sum of SOS, 297 .63; from water
J and light tax for interest and sinking
fund $2S, 435.48; for public school fund
$28, 926.3S.
Although we have had some extra
ordinary expenses to provide for dur
ing the year, namely: S4 ,01682 for the
} care ofsmall pox patients, and IS ,50(
} for the right Of way In opening
Fifth street, yet we have managed tC
keep our expenses within our income
and have left in the genera
revenue and cemetery funC
the sum Of $862273 at the close of the
fiscal year. There is, however, 6
small number of outstanding claims
against the city which have not yet
been passed upon and ordered paid
but the total of such claims will not il
the aggregate amout to the balance il
the hands of the treasurer ON Novem
Der 80, 1891.
The assessed value of property rem
dered for taxation for 1891 is shown by
the books of the assessor and collector
to be as follows:
Real state, old citv limits ......... S651Z7S7 O
Real estate, new addition ......... 1859 800 q
Personal property old city limits 27719l O
Personal property new addition. 16505S
Total assessed value .............. Sl0,5l4t SO O
The taxes due on the above and tt
be collected during 1892 are as fol ,ows
general revenue ...'....,............ SSLll2
Public schools ..... .............. 35O37 0
Interest and sinking fund on water