The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-07
A Voluminous Message Upon
the City's Affairs in 1892.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
More Money Needed for Water and
sewers-How the Mayor Figures Out
. Reduction in the Debt.

hshed in book form by the city and every tax
| payer will be entitled to a copy.
The mayor starts out bravery by asserting that
experience has led him to the conclusion that
the charter, in many respects, should be radi-
eaiiy amended, and he Gays OF 1t:
| In attempting to hedge against or to curtaii
| powers ana divide responsibility II practically
places power everywhere and responsibility no.
| times the population OF ours, and therefore in
| many respects II should be made more elastic.
30 that 1t can be applied 10 our present needs.
from time to time. in the future For the pres,
en- us Municipal machinery is too costly aud
cumbersome for city OF this size By its pro-
anu maintain, at large expense, many officers to
| perform duties which could very safely be in-
trusted to and discharged as a part Of the duties
however, that certain duties shall be discharged
oy certain officers, and makes nobody else re-
sponsi6le. and prevents such duties from being
lawfully discharged by any other person. H. in
such respects, the council had discretionary
power TO Judge OF the necessity of such addt-
tlonal burdens. 1t would make the character
more applicable to our present. as we'll as our
future needs and purposes.
"The reports" he adds. twill be alike the
source OF pride to the resident and of surprise to
the stranger The city is in the front rank of
progress. aud its prospects are q source of great
inspiration to further efforts on the part of
citizens IL the past is u criterion, the future
appears brilliant
Estimating the population of Seattle in 1892 at
$1,000 and the school population at 1900 the
mayor gives a carefully prepared array of
statistics on the school system.
Commenting upon the police department the
mayor says that the expenses for 1892, including
election and quarantine expenses, and exclud-
Ing cost OF property as asset, are less by
Sl2,7eS "a than in 1891 The mayor adds the fol-
lowing declarations:
dapartmapt hec hoa,~ M
so tree from scandal and suspicion since its in
anguration ss part OF the government OF the
city. ~hitechapel has been abolished. Crime
mat can not be prevented, and hence must be
endured, Is Kept confined in the narrowest pos
sible limits anu complied to ply its calling ont
OF r sight Gambling has been kept suppressed
There is no gambling permitted in Seattle Oc-
casionaiIy game starts up i'll some unexpected
quarter, but II 10 broken up before fairly started
age. Judgment. sobriety and gentlemanly bear
ing Will stand comparison with any force In
America. We confidently challenge the produc-
ton OF d dishonest or dishonorable act attrib-
uted TO the police force.
He recommends an increase in the force.
The mayor then reviews the progress of the
city since the fire. and maintains that since
July l. 1889, to January ]. 1895, the value OF
buildings erected is $i3. S62 4s3 During tho year
luo3 miles OF streets were graded and 20 miles
oil sidewalk built; giving total of "a miles of
graded streets with 95.97 miles Of cable or motor
railways. The cost of street grading during the
year was to the city, $l3, 25S0s; to the property
owners, Sl,s122s; in addition to this private
contracts were let to the amount of ISL, 1os20
The present administration, he says, has taken
particular care In ordering ali improvements to
"hew to the line" Unless some legislation is
had street improvement is practically suspended
owing to the effect of the decision of the supreme
court in the JEANNE MctIugh Brown case.
The report Of the Superintendent of sewers il
referred to and shows the total length of sewers
In the city to be 70. 81 miles, of which Is So miles
are iron and stone and 2.23 miles wooden box.
There have been AS miles laid during the year
at cost of $53,26S3 81
The work Oh the sewer tunnel Is treated at
length, but the facts have bean fully published
by the Posr-lNrELLtdESCER within a few days.
The totals are that on the Lake Union tunnel
there has been expended $50 500 % out of $l0 000
and that besides the balance remaining there
Will be needed another s7,s6a9l. The mayor
thinks, with the city engineer, that the tunnel
is u mistake, and that the sewage should have
been carried around the west shore of Lake
Union and along Salmon bay to the Sound.
Now that it has been started he thinks it 10
cheaper to finish ii.
As to the south sewer tunnel, it is expected
that the 100000 bonds issued in 1892 will be
sufficient to complete il.
The city government was compelled to build
a largo sewer to drain the country between East
street aud Lane street, distance of one and one.
quarter miles, at cost OF $4,000 It was unex-
pected but imperative. Within the next three
years the city will need fifty miles OF main and
lateral sewers, aud the city engineer estimates
that the cost for streets already graded will be
$500 600
The mayor takes occasion to compliment
Superintendent Wilson, of tho water works, and
shows that tho expenses OF the department
were SOL, 81, the receipts $l63, 7la4 40 and the
net profit sll-,066.sS During the year twenty
e5 "A of
ninety-two miles, g. 3S feet. A new pump must
be purchased at once, but she mayor advocates
early attention to the desirability OF adopting
the Cedar River system; because every further
increase OF expense Is out of proportion to the
revenue. He estimates that with the present
system there must be incurred an expense of
S62iCoC, with an annual outlay of S92, 000 or the
equivalent of interest on 81 $50, COO The gravity
syatem can be- completed for 81 ,275,79S aud
that Will afford supply for city OF 25o,oo0.
The mayor makes the statement that the city
council in 1899 appropriated, out OF the proceeds
OF the water bonds issued III that year. So 40 46
ior the purpose OF paying for the hreboa, Sno-
Qualmie and says:
This money was borrowed by vote of the
people, Tor specific purpose. II appropri sted
for any other purpose, while under the stress
OF circumstances encompsssiug US AZ that
time IL may have been ex -usable, II Is never
the .css mlsappropriato on or illegal version of
the funds OF the department. This should be
returned 10 the water iund. With accrued
interest, II now amounts to SIS, 1868 VI.
The mayor is decidedly III error as to this.
The price OF the nfeboat was not ILLEGALLY
diverted from the bonds, but was made part
oil the amount voted for by the people for the
specific purpose OF constructing the snooualmie
The mayor speaks very highly of the annual
report of the comptroller aud says the present
Indebtedness OF The city. on every account, Is
lollows:
BONDED INDEBrEDSEss
Grant street per cent bonds, due in
ISto-b-t p ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. U0O0
Water ana sewer per cent. bonds, due
in 1910. ...,..................... $4,000
Funding bonds, per cent. due in 1911 500 uoJ
Judgment bonds, per cent, due in
1912 .......................... 275oOo
General bonds, per cent, due in 1872. $4,000
Condemnation award bonds, per
cent. due in 1912 ........ .........-. $4,000
Wafer bonds, per cent, due in i9i2... $4,000
sewer bonds, per cent, due IL i3l2... 10000
Total bonded Indebtedness. ....... s., $4,000
The floating Indebtedness is now $50, $50 o.;
the mayor says II might seem to lie larger tnan
when he took office, out he gives figures to show
that there is . decrease OF S2l5.26k4G
IL will take more tnan a superficial examine
ton to show how he arrives al this Fesuiy. but he