The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-04-14

a dollar of the city's assessed valua-
ton.
The Council is from time to time
authorized to direct the Treasurer to
place the moneys accruing from the
first two named sources to the sink
ing fund, and that body is directed in
the month of April of each year If not
sooner done to cause the money from
those two sources to be so placed.
Money derived from the sinking fund
tax must also be placed to the credit
of that fund. Without desiring to
reflect on the preceding council, l
find no reference to a sinking fund in
the City Recorders last annual state
ment. A sinking fund to the City is
in the nature of the annual savings
in the history of every prudent bust
ness man. 1t is an important consid-
Grafton in establishing the financial
standing of City, and l urge the
carrying out OF these provisions.
A subject closely akin to this topic
is the necessity for accountability and
economy in public expenditures. Our
city has been heavily taxed in past
years, and while progress has been
made in providing necessities and con-
veniences demanded by our growth as
city, the expenditures attached
thereto should be prudently and care
fully made and with results which we
expect and accomplish In our indivld-
ual and private affairs.
The prevailing theory of our chart
er, as l comprehend it, is TO place the
burden of expenditures for improve
ments, notably those of streets, pub
| lie grounds, sewers. ETC., upon the
property specially benefited. This be-
| ing the case we should endeavor to
carry out the letter and spirit of the
charter as far as it is practical and
place the cost of this class of improve
ments where it legally aud equitably
belongs, on the persons for whose ben
eft it is made and whose property is
enhanced in value thereby.
| would respectfully call the city
| treasurer's attention to the necessity
of keeping the different accounts sep
arately, not permitting one fund to be
used by another but where one fund
is exhausted treat the situation as
| business one and arrange otherwise
for necessity. The council agreeing
with me we shall expect the sugges-
tiOn carried.
! The Fire Department of this city,
one Of the most efficient volunteer Or
CARNATIONS within the state, is to be
commended for its watchful care and
successful efforts to prevent deStruc
tion of life and property. Our record
is wonderful, scarcely a fire OF cOnse-
quence during the past three 'or four
years, and | request the council to use
it's best efforts to encourage this de-
partment in every practical way to
promote it's further usefulness, eSpec-
tally to the end that more prompt
and effective system Of alarms may be
adopted
Finally, gentlemen of the council,
in entering upon the mission entrusted
to US, if we shall keep in mind to close
| ly and carefully study the provisions
of the charter, and earnestly strive to
carry out both the letter and spirit of
its provisions, assuming no powers but
| those clearly cOnfided: studying the
same economy in public that we are
compelled to in our private atiairs.and
when our terms of public service shall
have ended we will receive the COM
mendation most highly priced by con-
scientiOuS public servants, the apprO-
baton and respect of our ufelloW cltl-
ZenS.
The election Of vice-president OF
the council was then taken up. Aid.
Widell named Aid. Higgs, and Aid.
Peterson named Aid Fowler.
A ballot was taken and resulted as
follows:
7. a.
| . G. FOWler......
! Mr.. Higgs was declared elected.
Aid. Higgs suggested that commit
tee be appointed to draw up rules and
report at future meeting. He moved
that committee of three be appoint
ed, of which the mayor should be
chairman. This was carried and the
mayor appointed Aids. Higgs and
Peterson as members of the commit
tee.
Mayor Weaver named DR.. VIM
Jacoby as health officer. This was
unanimously confirmed.
The mayor then announced the fol
lowing committees:
Claims and Accounts Aids. Pitch
er, Higgs and Peterson.
Ways and Means = Aids. Higgs
Basbaw and Fowler.
Streets. Alleys and Grades-Alds
Bashaw. Higgs and Widell.
Health-Alds. Bashaw, Higgs and
Pitcher
Fire Department-Alds. Peterson,
Widell and Fowler.
Markets-Al Fowler, Bashaw and
Higgs.
| Taxes-Alds. Wldell, Higgs and
Peterson.
Printing Peterson, Fowler
and Pitcher.
| License-Alds. Fowler, Widell and
Bashaw.
Hospital-Alds. Hlggs, Bashaw and
Widell.
i Buildings and City Property-Alds
Peterson, Pitcher and Widell
Water Works-AidS. Pitcher, Fow-
Ter and Peterson.
City Lighting-Alds. Higgs, Peter.
son and Pitcher.
Sewerage-Alds. Widell, Bashaw
tfol