The news & observer., 1895-09-15
Recon- menGations.

We would respectfully recommend that
each committee in charge Of different de
partments of the city's business requir
ing expenditures OF the city's iund sub
nit an estimate of the amount which in
their economical judgement they think
will be necessary to be as d in their de
partment for the ersuing year, in order
that the resources may be pro-rated and
each department confined within pre-
Der limit in the wisdom IF this board,
and all expenses belongi0g 10 any v"22part-
malt shuli be charged to the account of
that department. We would respectfully
recommend that the City Clerk be in
structed to prepare a uniform voucher
upon which all bills and accounts against
the city shall be presented and provided
with spaces for approval by proper com
mittees and designating the department
tOwhich such expense shall be charge
able As this board is called apon for eX
rensiv@ and imperative Improvements Te
would recommend that necessary steps
be taken according TO the various statu
tes governing such action. for issuing
bonds with which TO provide such i'm
erv0e ueLts a. is demanded Of his Board
A general bord might be issued for the
improvement Of thes treets and a special
bond running, say ten years, for the i'm
proven Mt Of the sidewalks, thus al
loving the properc. -2#ner instead Of
paying t he whole cost of such i'm rove
meut at once to detray said expenses in
a series of years, and your committee
would be- glad to have the citiz5ns Of
this city express themselves freely to this
committee, or through the public press,
as to the adEi5ablility of taking such
steps. ",n a multitude of counsel there
is wisdom" And here we would call
attention to the statement of the city
debt. The bonded debt Of the city is
S224,O00 This is reduced by the sink
ing fund to 1904, 588 As, which, for city
OF the size of Raleigh, is unusually small
The net debt per capita of this city in
1890 was $40 As That of Asheville was
1913 81; of Durham 1920; of Winston
$29 90; of Wilmington $30.87. Com
pairing our debt per capita with three of
our largest cities the contrast is4even
greater The debt, less sinking fund, in
1890 of Philadelphia was $28 80; OF New
York S67 SO; of Baltimore S73 %. We
sincerely believe that we could do no
greater deed for our plsterity than to
issue bonds to put the streets of this
lovely city in good condition. Nothing
attracts strangers attention quicker,
and in making this recommendation we
may add that We have great confidence
in our present Street Committee rs to
the most advantageous handling of funds
at their disposal.
Finally:
! We believe your homo cable body will
| anpr, ciata these statements, AMI we beg
| that each member OS this board and
that each citlz n oil the town would
make themselves thoroughly familiar
with the facts therein contained, and ii
sbal be cur purpose TO keep taam con
stantlY iffarnsd d as to the state Of the
cty's ii aueas, and | can pledge for each
and eyerg committee to whom has been
assigned the various departments of the
city's work that improvements will be
made as rapidly as the funds shall be
, furnished.
Ii is the desire Of this committee that
fun and detailed statement, as con
tanned in and appended to this report