The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-06-15
THE CORVALLIS CITY DADS.
Met Monday Night - Business
of Importance Transacted
Mayors Message.

At the council meeting last Monday even
ing long and important session was had.
AL the members were present, with the
exception of Councilman Peet, who was alb.
sent from the city. Bills aggregating 1850
were allowed against the genesal.fund and
800 against the street fund. A generously
signed .remonstrance against the passage of
an ordinance to prevent the stalking of stock
about town was presented and when the bill
came up on:its final passage the vote was a
tie, 4ffor and 4 against its passage.
Bid of Chas. Schmidt for 81 600 and James
Hays for $3.50 for the old engine house and
lot 25x10O feet, were referred to . &C IN.
imtttee for Investigation.
The fine recently collected from r. NJ.
Glaze for peddling badges without q license
was RENTED.
The Corvallis water company was ordered
10 put in hydzant at the corner Of 3rd and
"A streets.
A communication from Strahan, Whalley
III Pipes offering to compromise on
$500 for their services in the water bond
case, for which service they originally
charged 81, 900, and which bill the council
cut to $500, was read, but no action was
taken thereon.
C. III. Lee was chosen president of the
council and standing committees were ap.
pointed for the ensuing year, after which
Mayor McFaddsn read his auual message,
which is as follows:
To the honorable city council Of the city
of Corvallis, Oregon:
GENTLEMEN:-It is made the duty Of the
mayor annually to communicate by mes
sage to yonr honorable body, q general
statement of the condition of the affairs of
the city, and to make such recommends.
tions as shall seem expedient and proper in
the premises, therefore in compliance with
the provisions of section 40 of chapter vi,
i submit for your consideration the follow.
ing:
-r IMPROVEMENTS.
The plan for. the general improvement of
the city, formulated and adopted in 1892,
which has been largely carried ont in the
years 1894, has conduced much to the
comfort and convenience of the city gerer-
ally, and has been beneficial to all of our
citizens, so far as the portions OF the city
reached by these improvements.
Some structures have been from time to
time made by many of our responsible citi.
zens, claiming in q general way that these
improvements were restricted and special
in their scope. While the inadequacy of
the means at the command of the city of
necessity made these improvements special,
1t would seem that the whole citizenship
conducing to the fund by which these i'm.
provements were made should in equity
and justice be entitled to have at least
fair portion of the funds by them con-
tributed expended in their own vicinity
and the streets adjacent thereto.
In the matter of street improvements
some regular system should be adopted,
with reference to future expenditures, to
insure rigid economy, as nnder the present
lesy and the levies that will doubtless be
hereafter made, a sum of money equal to
about 81. 800, will be used on street i'm
provements annually. If wise and eco.
nomical course is strictly pursued, the city
ought in reason to expect good streets, with
oil the necessary and proper drainage
thereof with the funds at command. ,
Incident to the employment of large
number of men, without system as to time
or labor, there is liable to be extravaesnce,
and wonld therefore recommend that the
committee, Of, the council give all matters
within the parview of their duties special,
personal attention, instead of dslegatine
authority to other officials of the city.
1t is true that this course, il followed.
will. of necessity, exact your time and at.
tention, without compensation, other than
the, good Of the city, but you having &C.
eepted the position of councilnen, knowing
the duties it involved, the city has the
right to expect faithful discharge of duty
from you personally and not by proxy.
All elaine against the city should be
specially passed on by the proper committees
OF the council and the system of 80. X. ling"
by the police judge and chief of police, in
my judgment, should be discontinued.
1tis no part of the duties Of those of.
kcials to audit claims against the city; this
duty rests wholly with the council; besides,
It il embarrassing for.any official to assume
TO act BY delegated authority, paeticulariy
when trust cannot be delegated.
Owing to the stringency of the money
market, the Indebtedness of about $ll, 900
growing out of the building of the city
hall in 1892 SO, has not been bonded, al.
though strenuous efforts have been made
for that purpose. at different times by your
body.
Seemingly the city should be able to float
the city hall indebtedness for at least six
per cent, and take up the orders heretofore
issued by the city, against the general fund
representing the city hall debt aforesaid,
The accrued interest thereon is at this time
about 81, 900, SO that the city Indebtedness
growing out Of the city hall, inclusive of
the interest, is now in excess of $I2, 2,eO0
The result of this condition of affairs has
been to greatly depreciate city script
amoag our own citizens on account of the
priority of the orders on the general fand
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