The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-10

| Decentralization of the Civ Char
Gentlemen of the City Counoil:-
1t is a time honored and useful custom
at the opening of new municipal year,
for the Mayor, after taking his oath of
office, TO address both branches of the
City Government in convention as
ssmbled, upon matters Of public interest ;
reviewing the affairs of the year past,
and presenting for consideration, such
suggestions respecting the future, as
mag seem to him wiss.
We all recognize the fact, if we are
worthy of being elected to public office,
Tint from tho moment we assume official
responsibility, we become the servants of
| the people, whose interests have been en-
trusted to u.s. many of which are closely
related to their welfare and that we must
SO conduct affairs as to subserve the pub
lilo veal, irrespective of private considera-
| tions.
| Weighty duties aud responsibilities are
before US, but. il we apply ourselves con-
soientiOuSly to our work, not permitting
ourselves to be turned aside by friend or
| foe from the plain path Of honest en-
!
burden of office at the close of the year,
if we 10 not enjoy the approval Of the
unthinking and misinforIned, at least
preserve ourself respect, a treasure with
which no man can afford to part.
| Accompanying this address are the re-
ports OF the various municipal depart
ments, which l shall briefly review,
| give them thorough and careful consider
alton.
THE FINANCES.
| Although business conditions are still
| unsatisfactory, and financial problems of
grave import to tie country are still
awaiting solution, thu credit OF our city
is unimpaired. This is shown by the fact
that upon the first day of March six per
| cent. bonds of the city to the amount of
forty EIGHT thousand dollars (s4s, 000),
became due, and under an order OF the
| CITY Council approved Jan. 10th, they
| were refunded with like amount of four
per cent. gold bonds, payable in twenty
years. These bonds were Sid at premi-
um of Sl9, very gratifying result, when
we onsifer that the sale was lnaue in q
somewhat close money market, with bank
rates for first class commercial paper at
six per cent. You will also notice that
| the bonded debt of the city has been de-
creased during the year thirty six thou
| sand dollars 1886, 000), which amount has
been paid from the sinking fund. The
| net debt has also been decreased twenty
seven thousand five hundred dollars
| 1897, 500) by using thirteen thousand dol
lars (Sl3,000) from the appropriation re-
CURED by law for this purpose, and four
teen Thousand five hundred dollars
| (Sl4, 500 from money received from the
Grand Trunk Railway on account of
Galt's Wharf, and the surplus income
over the estimates. During the coming
financial year there will mature upon
Septem Der 1st, 1896, bonds to the.amount
of forty Thousand five hundred dollars
t$4o, 50o), and upon March LIST, 1897, the
same amount, or eighty-one thousand
dollars 1881, 00O) in all, portion. if not
all, of which can be paid from the sink
| ing fund.
The noxt subject to which I would call
your careful attention is
PUBLIC EDUCATION,
subject dear to the heart of every good
citizen. During the summer vacation
the school houses were put in good re-
pair; carefully oleansed; the old desks in
many of the rooms replaced with new
ones, new floors laid in the Center Street
schoolhouse; and the sanitary arrange
ments in all of the buildings inspected
and repaired where it was thought neces-
sary. Before opening the schools for the
fall term an inspection was made by the
committee on public buildings, ac
Uompanied by the supervisors of the
different schools, and everything was
pronounced by them to be in excellent
condition. Owing, however, to the ap
pearance of contagious disease in several
OF the schools, complaint was made OF
| their sanitary condition and two OF
them. the Butler and Chestnut Street
schools, were temporarily closed an6
| considerable changes of a sanitary mature
made, involving an expenditure of over
| two thousand dollars, which it is hoped
VIII prove satisfactory. Fire escapes
| have also been provided for the Monu-
| ment and Center Street schoolhouses
which were greatly needed For some time
citizens residing in the eastern portion
| or the city have felt the nesd of a new
schoolhonse of modern construction tc
accommodate their children, and there
| can be no doubt in the minds of those
who have given the subject attention,
| that the need is a pressing one. Not on.
| ly should that portion of the city have a
| new schonlhouse at all early day, but the
sanitary arrangements of the Monument
ouioou SCuUOiuOuSo SuOulu T6C6lV6 aUl6n-
ton during the summer vacation; in
| deed, the sanitary arrangements of all
of our school buildings should be care
fully inspected, and defects corrected
where any are found to exist.
The Manual Training School continues
to gain in favor with parents and pupils,
as we'll as with the teachers of our public
schools. Experience demonstrates that
the training of hand and eye, which
necessarily involves careful measure
ments, the calculation and consideration
of methods to apply to manual work.
quiokens and strengthens the intellect,
thereby facilitating the acquisition Of
scholarship in departments of education
strictly intellectual besides the bringing
together Of the childre of the rich and
poor In a common employment, useful
to all. where competitive skill is recog-
nized, is useful beyond calculation, in
discouragirg class distinctions, so foreign
to republic Public kindergarten in
struotion, which is akin to manual train
Ing, iseal o firmly established in the 20 lt-
Will OF all who are acquainted with it,
and our three schools devoted exclusively
to 1t are doing most excellent work. In
my last inaugural I spoke OF the near
prospect which the CITY had of securing
q new dormitory for the pupils of the