Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-04-14
MAYORS MESSAGE.
Con inued from fourth page.

and shall insist on their strict ob.
servance while l remain Mayor Of
Chicago. BY proper legislation In
the matter Of public franchises the
revenues of the city might be In.
creased to an extraordinary degree
and Chicago would he placed in pos.
session of the money required for
the proper administration Of affairs
which Il now so sorely lacking.
Concerning the question of
revenue, your attention Is directed
to the several fee offices, none of
which has been source Of income
To the CITY. I have had ordinances
prepared for the abolition Of the fee
system in connection with the offices
Of the Oil Inspector and the Boiler
inspector. II these ordinances be.
come law and the offices are ad.
ministcred on a salary basis the city
will gain no uncomfortable revenue.
Elevation Of railroad Track.
When / took Office your honorable
body in conjunction with the city
officials was engaged In devlsing
plans for the abolition Of grade cross.
ings. TIE counsel to the corpora.
tion, Mr.. Harry Rubcns, and myself,
have devoted our time and energy to
bring about some substantial progress
toward the solution Of this grave
problem which affects the lives and
prosperity Of 90 many Of our citizens.
H. Is with the greatest satisfaction
that can say to you that real be.
ginning has been made. An Ordi.
nance passed by your honorable body,
with my approval, a few weeks ago
contains an agreement between the
city OF Chicago and two Of the great
trunk lines entering the city from
the South Side which will entirely
abolish grade crossings throughout
a most densely populated section Of
the city.
With the passage Of this ordinance
the era Of elevated tracks in this city
has begun. From henccforth the
best effort, Of my administration
shall be given toward the extension
Of the plan proposed In this ordi.
nance until IL shall be adopted by all
the great trunk lines entering Chi.
cago.
It will be too much TO say that In
the few short months remaining Of
my administration this work can he
completed, but a foundation can be
laid, and on this foundation will
rest the future work to be done for
the elevation OF tracks and the aboli.
tion OF murderous grade crossings.
Police Courts.
My attention tn some extent has
been taken up with the administra.
tion OF police courts and the abuses
incident to such administration.
have In mind plan for the re-.
modelling and rearranging Of the 20.
lice court system In Chicago. Pur.
suing this plan have called for the
designations of all the Police Jus.
tices, clerks and bailins connected
with these courts. The plan 80 far
as evolved includes In q general way
the rearrauging Of the ministration
OF our police courts so that a fair
and equitable system will be estab.
lished and justice administered to
every class OF the population fairly
and freely.
In connection with this propose
to diminish the number Of police
courts by consolidating the system
and by improving the administration
bring about q change In the direction
OF economy which will add to the
revenues Of the city.
Another thought which suggested
Itself to my mind IL q change that
would diminish, II not altogether
abolish, the practice OF professional
bailing which prevails To q large ex.
tent IN our minor courts.
Three Great 0us,tions.
There are other questions Of i'm.
portance which hinge to large ex.
tent upon the successful solution of
the three main subjects to which !
have alluded, the financial question,
the question Of franchises, and the
question Of the elevation OF tracks.
These are the great and important
problems that Chicago has to deal
with. Upon the solution Of the hnan.
cial question depends entirely the
solution OF the problem OF keeping
our streets clean.
With q proper system Of city anan.
ces we would have sufficient money
to establish q thorough and complete
system of street cleaning. With
money In our treasury there would be
no complaint In regard to inadequate
street cleaning or an insufficient