The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-05
NEW CITY COUNCIL
Everything Passes OFF Smoothly at
the First Meeting.
MAYORTHOMPSON'S ADDRESS
The Aldermen Start Out BY Voting
and Confirming Appointments
The committees Named-Mr.
he lig Is the President

| Inc new city council nelQ Its nrSt
meeting last evening, and before the
reading of the mayors address was
concluded all of the aldermen were in
their seats. The seats on the outside
or the railing were crowded with spec
tators, who apparently expected to de-
rive some amusement from the proceed
ings. but they were disappointed. Both
the administration aldermen and their
| opponents voted in a rambling way
! which indicated lack of organization
on both sides and as there was no con-
| certed opposition to the mayors ap-
pointments, everything passed eff
smoothly and quietly.
The voting was so badly mixed up
| on the different appointments as to
cause a great deal of surprise and some
bewilderment as to just where several
| or the aldermen stood. Cook, the may
or's candidate for president of the coun-
| Gil was turned down by the slate can
didate, and in retaliation, and partly
in the spirit of a josh, the anti-admin-
/ istration aldermen very nearly elected
Rodda vice president. Chief of Police
! Tebo, Captain Waters, City Engineer
! Blackboard, City Clerk Mcmillan, Street
| Commissioner Joyner and Building In
spector and Sanitary Policeman jerks
were all reappointed and confirmed.
The first business that came up was
| the reading of an invitation from Lin
coin post, G. A. r., requesting the
mayor and council to turn out in a body
at the Memorial day service. Heilig
made the first motion in the new coun-
ell, and the invitation was accepted.
Mayor Thompsons annual address
was then read and received and filed.
The address was as follows:
Butte. May 4, 1896.
To the Honorable Members of the City
Council of Butte.
Gentlemen-It becomes my duty at
the commencement of the second year
of this administration to review the
work that has been accomplished dur
ing the past year by your honorable
body and the city officials and also to
make such recommendations for your
consideration that in my opinion would
be for the best interests of the city and
the community in general for the en-
suing year.
In the year just passed we have en-
deavored to make such reforms in con-
Quoting the business of the city that
would assure a material reduction in
the necessary expenses of running the
city government and also to increase
the revenue by seeing that all licenses
and other resources were collected of
all persons doing business requiring a
license, that the burden of expense be
borne equal by all concerned, and for
full particulars of what has been done
tive statement shown in the report Of
the city clerk for the past year.
The city is growing very fast and re-
quires an increase in the expenditures
in the coming years to keep pace with
the increase of the necessities of a fast
growing population, and will require
your earnest consideration of some
measures whereby there may be a rev.
enue collected sufficient to meet the ex-
penses and provide a sinking fund to
liquidate our present Indebtedness.
FINANCES.
The treasurer's report for the past
year shows that the finances of the city
are in a healthy condition, and there
has been material increase in the
collection of licenses to the amount of
$34, $3.50.
I would also call your attention to
the report of the city clerk as regards
the present Indebtedness of the city,
and the comparative statement show |
ing the decrease of the expenditures of |
the city for the past year to be $751; |
547.3S
By using proper economy the present |
Indebtedness of the city should be re- |
duced $4,000 each year. with the pres |
ent taxation and revenue collected |
from licenses and other resources
One year ago our bonded indie btedness |
was 100000 and for the reduction of |
the same there was an appropriation |
made each year which had accumu- |
lated to the amount of $4,000, which |
was supposed to be in the treasury, |
but of this amount we received about |
one-half, and to this was appropriated |
the past year enough to enable us to |
redeem $4,000 of this Indebtedness,
and also to pay about s12, 900 in inter
est on bonds. This reduces our bonded |
Indebtedness to $780, 900 and our annual /
interest on the same to $4,000
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
This institution has been conducted |
the past year in a manner that is a
credit to the management and to the
entire satisfaction of its patrons and
the reading public. For furthe- infor-
nation of the condition of the library
refer you to the annual report rem
dered by the library trustees and com
mittee, dated April Is, and published
in the daily papers, containing all the
statistics and information pertaining
to the same, the cost of maintaining
the same has been reduced by strict
economy over 81 200 per annum
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
There has been a great many COM
plants as regards the efficiency of this
department and much prejudice seemed
TO enter into them. as regards to the
men employed and the officers i'm
charge, nevertheless a comparative
statement shows that the department
has been managed with skill and abiI-
Ity, and it is my opinion that there
should be better discipline in this de-
partment. 1t should be governed by
proper rules and regulations provid-
ing for an examination Of all appII-
,ants and instructions in drilling. so
that each man might become familiar
With his duties and / would recon-
mend that a code of rules be drafted
BY the fire committee and adopted by
he council. For further particulars of
he work of this department and for
he amount of labor performed during |
he past year, / refer you to the fire |