The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-29
THE LAST MAYORS REGIME.
REVIEW or THE CITY's AFFAIRS
DURING THE YEAR 1894.

Ex-Mayor McDOnouEh Commends the
Omcers Who served Under Him for
Their Faithful and Emcient Ser
vfce-He DepIores the Making OF
the City Omces the Spells of Poll
tics-He Recommends That the
Control of the Health Department
he Centralized, That the City
Drainage he Turned over 10 the
County, That the County should
Bear the Whole Expense of the
street Cemetery should he I'm
proved, Laurel Grove Cemetery
Closed and n New Cemetery LO-
Gated - other ReeOmmen da al Ons
Brought 10 the Attention of the
New Council.
Hon. J. J. McDonough has completed
his report of the citys affairs during
1894. This is Mr.. MeDonough's fourth
annual report as mayor. and his final
one. for some time at least. The report
contains many things Of interest TO the
citizens generally. and the statements
and recommendations IT contains are
worthy Of careful study and considera-
ton. The report opens with a statement
of the city's finances during last year. as
follows:
Cash on hand Jan. 1................S 19, PSI OS
Receipts for the year.............. T72,6S4 rs
Amount thus available to meet
expenses and obligations accru-
ing during 1894. 79i, 951 So
Expenditures ........................7 s1, 3I8 CO
Balance in treasury at end of
! year ..........--................. 10653 20
The budget allowed $4,000, says the re-
port, for necessary paving, but the work
done, including Jefferson street, cause an
outlay for paving Of S21.472S2. But for
this excess the expenditures for all pur-
poses would have been less than the to-
/ tai of the budget.
The determination expressed in the
previous report of the mayor to operate
4 the city government with economy was
| rigidly adhered to, and many of the de-
partments were run even at less cost
than was estimated for in the budget.
| At the close Of the year the city owed
! nothing in the nature of a floating debt,
| except installments on the water works
| contract and for the opening Of streets
such of these installments as become due
| in 1895 have been provided for in the
budget, being included in the items of
new water works and opening streets.
All bills rendered for running expenses
| were paid on or before Dec. 81, 1894 thus
leaving intact the appropriations for 1895,
| which are fully adequate to meet con-
| servative administration of public affairs.
Such sums as were paid I'm December for
purchases to be made in 1895, such pur-
chases having been made under circum-
| stances deemed advantageous to the city
public service, and amounting in all to
| less than 5000, were placed in the Items
in the budget for 1895, and no unusual pur-
chases were made or expenses incurred in
1894 to be paid for in 1895 that were in any
manner connected or grew out of the OPP
Grating of the government during 1894"
The following is the amount of notes
issued by the city government, now out
standing:
For opening streets. payable 1895,
at per cent. interest ............$ 1850
For opening streets payable 1895. at
per cent interest ................ 5000
For opening streets. payable 1895, at
per cent. interest ................. 5000
| For opening streets, payable 1895, at
per cent interest ................... 1900
| For opening streets, payable 1896. at
7 per cent. interest ................ 5000
For opening streets. payable 1897, at
I per cent ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1000
For opening streets. payable 1897. at
per cent ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5000
$50, 500
For new water works. payable 1885,
at per cent. interest ..............s SIS. $50
For new water works. payable 1896
at per cent. interest ............... Is, 1870
$50, $50
Total notes outstanding ........... sos $50
Those due in 1885, as previously stated
are provided for in the budget for that
year. These notes, as well as those paid
| in 1894 and at other times, were issued In
every instance in accordance with the
action of council taken on different occa-
sons during several years. The amount
stated is the total outstanding debt of the
city, other than its bonded debt, up to
| date.
A glance at the budget will show that
! S14,5OO has been provided for the opening
streets account in 1895 over and above the
amount fixed for payment of notes to be-
come due during the said year.
In. reference to the health department
Mayor McDonough has a number of inter-
esting things to say. He urges the ne
cessity of abandoning Laurel Grove ceme-
terry as a place of burial and the necessity
| of securing another cemetery at a greater
| distance from the city. On the subject
| of the South Broad Street cemetery he
says:
THE old cemetery on South Broad
street remains as ever on account of its
delapidated and uncared for condition. a
rebuke to the community. Truly some
thing should be done towards identifying
1t and to secure the maintenance of the
place in a manner worthy of its character.
If on account of the litigation now pend
ing the care and improvements of the en-
tire cemetery is not feasible and should It
remain probable that the litigation will
last for some time, and the present status
of the case continue. then the city author
tiles, if it is legal to do so, should have
the bodies within the portion hereto re-
garded as being controllable by the city
removed, the walls taken down and Lin
coin street opened through to Perry street
lane for the public convenience. II the
law forbids this then there is evidently
nothing to be done but to await the final
| disposition of the case by the courts with
perhaps. the result that this eyesore must
remain undated because of the fact that
under the law it is not in the power of the
city authorities TO remedy the matter"
The mayor does not view with favor the
present mode of furnishing the sick poor
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