The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-31

-, hasgnx been taken 20 De d.
Iiversd In ianuarv and Februsry. isAa.
iHe floating debt .iis soon Re ~ funding
bonds. .ish the exception n che 5~fssserey
above mentioned Of So 785e-. which wii
be tfse only soasiag Indebtedness. OF tire
c.fy apcr orr retirement
1T is n0w time skat the citF call bait
ia her course OF mourning indebtedness.
The fosFgwing represents the interest pad
ard incurred By the city daring the year
1896
un usr ~ent b1ses .....-.--. 81. - 30
Ga fsraa3 street boz1s -.....e.s . a. e.
90 oHtsssrstnx warrants --<e- sl-ss :.
"a baFsacs asss for city ksli .+..%s-s.. 1-ssg 20
seta4 -sssse+-.-@e e.+-- 1880 -
With our floating Indebtedness now
funded into trtere~;-besvsng per cent
bonds. the fsllosing represents the aesaas
interest TO be met hy the city in the future
iasefess On tosai toute1 inasssssssss
Ins-fea, on Grant sss~st bridge boads i.sls
Total snnasl interest ..........s T., 800
The outstanding warrants or local I'M
rrovesnent funds amount 20 t2sS Z7ss.ts
against which there - . surplus IN the
treasurv Of 50. SCI ~ Bot large per cent.
Of this surplus consists of the proceeds OF
bonds far local Improvement purposes. and
can only be applied TO meet warrants here
after ~ be issued against the particular i'm
provernent fund This large outstanding
balance is the result, in some eases. of the
neglect OF former officials. IN most cases.
hoseYer, think " i the result of careless
ness in making assessments. many OF them
being irregular and invalid, and hence
form no basis for the city recovery Of any
amount, whatever. The above total in
cI.des:
Outstanding wsrrasss on streets i'm
proved prior 20 present charter fi55,s2s 0s
Outstanding warrants on streets i'm
proved under present charter ani
prior "a this aim aIstr ss4on ..4..s.- 50 $50 81
0utstandtng warrants on streets i'm
proved BY tais asmins~aEation. F677s 70
II nder our present charter collection IL
easily enforced, unless irregularities iu-
tervene. The large delinquency outstanG-
ing OF warrants issued from ISssl to the
advent 81 this administration is due largely
To irregularities which affect the city's
lawful right 20 collect. Tae above balance
OF outstanding warrants on streets graded
prior "a the present charter Vas larger n
year ago by SO i2S than now. This diff
ference has been collected through the I'M
firing efforts and faithful diligence of John
W, Pratt. esq. under his contract with the
former administration.
MANY OF the Older stree, assessments
have oeen held Invalid, and the corpora
ton counsei has very dutIfully from time
To time called the attention of the city
council to the necessity OF a reassessment
To provide for the warrants outstanding
against sucn street Improvement districts
They are uneosIectabse and there Is no
means now of collecting the same. The
city owes il 10 its own fair name TO make
reassessments In al cases where assess
ments have been set aside for technical
defect III this course is once established
by the city there will be no incentive for
property owners who ought. Justly To pay
To- attempt 10 take advantage of technical
imperieetions in The records"
Referring to the police department the
MAYOR says:
''Oa December 5. isas, Chief Andrew
Jackson. who had been chief since the
commencement of this administration
severed his connection with the police de.
pnrtment. He was an honest man and
the department was reluctant to part with
his services. ID. r. Willard, the RANKING
cania,n, was promoted To HRS position.
Chief Willard has been a member OF the
Police force of the city for many years.
The honor WAS we'll earned BY him, In
der him tho department Is in capable and
competent hands. The department is a
credit 10 the city of Seattle. The officers
are courteous, ohedtent cautious and
brave. The personnel wilt compare favor
ably with any force in America. The pas,
year has been in some respects one OF
fevcrisb excitement. but owing 10 the cool
heads and precautionary measures of the
department no trouble has occurred and
none ~ apprelended. +"
The review of tho departments under
the board OF public works is mainly stats
ticai. aud that of the health board is a re-
sumo OF its report.
The fire department comes in for a need
Of praise. and. commenting upon the har.
Dor department a recommendation made
that in 7les OF increased shipping traffic
more attention should be devoted TO Ii.
Considerable space is devoted TO urging
the extension OF the park system "a 4
paying investment. The public library is
said "a be in an exceptionally satisfactory
condition.
The work Of CIR. law department {,
highly commended and many OF the topics
touched upon by Corporation Counse,
Donworth are emphasized. In conclu.
sion Mayor Ronald makes the following
comments:
''The legal department has been IN com
retent hands. and the results are monu.
ments OF the psinstsking fidelity and
diligence Of its head. The modesty of his
report IS Characteristic of the true WORT
OF the man. Many wise and i'm nortant
principles coatended for by this admins
tration have been adopted and are now the
announced doctrine of the supreme court
of she .fase
AN action is now pending in the sane
rlor court OF this county against Joseph r.
1a,lahsr. late clerk of the munIclpal court
aud his sureties, 10 recover S90i. N. bal,
ance claimed by the CITY TO have been
received by Mr.. Gailaher az such clerk in
excess 1T the amount paid over by him.
The case has been pushed as rapidly as the
crowded condition of the court calendar
Will Kermit.
The general ordinances o. the city have
at last been revised. compiled and pub.
hshed, making a volume of s-4 pages
TINS was n very important work and al
the greatest necessity. Many ordinances
had been repealed or amended II was =
serious question with lawyers and city
officials a 10 what the provisions of the
laws 81 the city we're This vast an 4 com.
mendahle work is due to the exclusive
efforts of John w. Pratt"
The report In full will be given tn the
printer at once and published in fe "
days
Chamber OF Commerce