The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-06-06
The MAYORS MESSAGE.

THE MAYORS MESSAGE.
= Monday night the newly elected officers
and councilmen took their respective oaths
of Office and donned their official robes, fol-
lowing which fermahties the retiring mayor,
Hon. w. S. McFadden, in conformity with
the laws of the city of Corvallis, read his
annual message. 1t is a carefully prepared
paper and the showing therein made is
indeed creditable to the retiring executive
land the body over which he has presided
during the past two years.
The matter of Improvements is first taken
up. The mayor notes that the plan for
street work adopted in 1892 has in the main
been adhered to since that time. and the
recommendation is made that the plan
already adopted be followed year by year to
the end that all portions of the city be
reached by these improvements. He further
recommends that the council levy each year
to the full extent of The charter Limitation
for street work, as no other improvements
will conduce SO greatly to the general bene-
| fit of the city and its citizenship. By taxing
to the limit for this purpose a fund of about
81 800 will be raised annually, the expendi-
ture Of which should be under the personal
supervision of the street committee and
under no circumstance should its authority
be delegated to other officials of the city.
Immediate steps were favored looking to
the funding of the indebtedness growing out
of the building of the city hall. This in
debtedness now amounts to $4,000, upon
which the city is paying interest at the rate
of 8 per cent. The mayor believes it can be
funded at from to per cent, thus making
net annual saving Of many dollars in the
matter of interest, besides it will place the
city script at par among our own citizens.
Notwithstanding the depressing times of
the past year the city has made a splendid
showing in its financial exhibit. A year ago,
Including $1,000 interest on city hall war.
rants, there was outstanding total liability
against the city of SIS, ,447.96. Including
1estimated accrued interest, the total indebt-
Iedness of the city June 3rd, 1895, was $lS,-
5S2.S9, against which there was in cash
on hand $2,773.63, leaving the net debt
S15,7 1876, thus showing reduction Of
50, ,6SS.60 in the city's liabilities for the past
twelve months.
From the report OF the chief engineer is
noticed that the fire department is in good,
healthy condition, and that the apparatus is
being we'll cared for. Regarding the fire
laddies the mayor said: 'Thc city is to be
congratulated on the zeal and energy that
has always characterized the volunteer fire.
men Of this city and they should be encour-
aged in all legitimate ways by the council for
their sacrifices so freely rendered in behalf of
the city," A recommendation was made that
at least five cisterns be placed at convenient
points in those portions of the city now with
out water supply and without fire protection.
! Owing to the fact that all matters pertaining
| to the purchase of the Corvallis water works
had been annulled by the repeating of the
ordinances authorizing the purchase of said
works and the incurring of an indebtedness
| of $50, ,008 for the construction of new water
works, the mayor thought it essential that
the council formulate, at an early date, some
base of contract looking to the proper sup
plying Of the city with water. In conclu
sion he said:
"You owe it to yourselves and the general
puDllc 10 cOnuuce all III your paFt w ClcdHSo
the city from all debasing and demoralizing
| influences; and to that end it becomes i'm
perative that the wise laws which you have
enacted for the good of the public be vigor-
ously enforced. As representatives of the
city, no other consistent course, in view of
your oaths of office, is left you except to en-
force the laws of the city as you find them.
''We haye accepted the charter with the
provisions pertaining to saloons as given by
the legislature, and those holding licenses
to sell liquors have taken the same with full
knowledge Of the fixed conditions connected
with the business; hence, as law-abiding
men, no other course is left except either to
comply with the law or take the conse-
quences which follow violation thereof.
''You have ample law in the premises and
besides it is public duty to maintain the
law and enforce it, without in any sense
masquerading behind the supposed duty of
the state of Oregon in the premises. By all
those fairly advised it is known fact that
the violation OF the conditions OF the liquor
traffic are very easily enforced by due course
of law and that speedily"
A CORRECTION.
Our information regarding the death OF M.