The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-07
THE GRAND CHANGE
City Officials Go and Come Amidst
General Good Feeling.
TWO MAYORS MESSAGES READ
NJ kinaey Says Farewell aud Nr Taylor
Makes Ms Official Bow 10 the New
Couneil--Annaal Reports.
TWO MAYORS MESSAGES READ

IOuneil--Anhnhl HepOfta.
Al / o'clock yesterday afternoon was
held the las, meeting OF the old city
council, the retiring mayor presiding
Mcssrs wclch. Thomson and Bergman
were appointed committee on creden'
tails to report upon the certificates OF
election or the new members Of the
council. aud city oniccra The committee
retired and In short time reported that
Mayor Frank J Taylor. the new mem
beers OF the council. MousrH Thompson.
Parker and McGrcgor. aud the various
officials. were duly elected and entitled
90 their seats Councilman Bergman
hud chief Loughcry We're appointed TO
conduct the new members and Cfilciala 10
their seats. Ex.MAyor Kinney then read
his farewell message 10 the council, a.
follows
10 tho Honorable Common Council Of
the Guy Of Astoria Gentlemen: II be-
comes my duty today 20 present 20 you
general resume of the dolHgs Of your
honorable body and other spectlve OIL
cots Of ,Als city. during the year lust
now Nf1nhfA 70 a NNANf ~ wv NfNANr
ming OF ihe year. the committee on
MAya and means made imam
ciAi report of the indebtedness OF the city
and tho requirements OF tho year. and
proposed ways BY which such obligations
that WIRE imodlalcly pressing should be
mot.
Having estimated the revenue 10 bc
collected by means OF licenses and nncs.
they recommend tax loyy Of ~ mills
upon the ono dollar OF the assessed value
Of the taxable property within the city
Their recommendation was adopted by
your honorable body. and IN doing 30 u
was not expected that either Of the
bonded or floating Indebtedness Of tho
city would from these sources Of revenue
10 reduced. but fathrr that those debts
should be kept within our present
bounds. and that provisions should De
made some time in the future for such
liauidationn,
The idea OF tho council at this time
was thEr@the running expenses OF the
dlrcrcn, departments Of tho city should
be as economically guarded as they had
hocn for tho two or three years last
past, and II II were possible that such
~ pcnses should be- shaded IN some. nj
least. II no, In all the departments.
In the appropriations made In the street
department.. however. there was mod
crate allowance made over that OF the
previous year because OF the long de-
fcrrcd street repairs and improvements
then appearing to require immediate at
tcuton.
The total amount of revenue collected
from all sources and the disbursements
OF the same In detail viii hc found In the
reports OF the city auditor and city treas I
ttv,p r.pHaFgI a Nnn fhig iay
Tho departments have practically kept
within the bounds OF the appropriations
then made, and the city government has
met what was theoretically
expected OF H.
The work Of the street department in
cludcs tho construction OF some 500
lineal feet OF new streets. the grading OF
some GO 30 cubic yards Of earth. the .
building OF some 3SS llncal feet OF new
trcstc work, the repairing and recon-
struction OF the city-wRilush road. the
Of 2.iSo lineal feet OF II inch .
to y inch terra Gotta sewers and the .
OF land slide drain in
Drainage District No. !. all at a total
rost Of Sa5. 9sIt9,
This IL a remarkably economical show
Ing. and Is a proof Of the good that .
comes from the methods now In practice
by the council Of letting all construction
work 10 the lowest responsible bidder.
There II also undergoing construction
10y contract two blocks on Eighteenth
street
Plans and estimates have been COM
plctcd for the improvement OF about
COO llneal feet on Grand avenue in OIL
ncy's Astoria. for tho Improvement Of
,.SoO lincal feet ON Eighth street. OF GO
ncal feet on Tenth street and for about
,.Coo lincal feet on Irving Avenue In
shivoly's Astoria.
IN all this work the committee on
streets and public ways was the chief
moving power and being always well sup
ported by the entire council
Much praise Is due them for the good
Judgment exercised In not only proposing
'uch improvements as there was of
public necessity and demand for SO
much care indeed was taken In these
matters that, for one entire year AT least
u the history OF street improvements In
his city there has been no serious pro-
ests against their recommendations for
improvements, and no complaints have
20 far been made by the owner of any
OF assessed for such improvements.
The committee on FIRE and water early
n the year recommended to the council
ne purchase Of chemical engine. which
N'' NN'NANN ~ NNNA VI N..AAu
This No, S}g Champion engine was
placed In the care OF Rescue Company
No, . retiring and holding No. 2s steam
u glne In reserve
We find that during the past years
rlals this chemical engine meets all the
'tquiremcnts expected OF Il. and that Il
9 very valuable aid TO the efficiency OF
'N Ale department.
The council reduced the monthly fire
allowances 1853 without Gripping the de-
'artment In the least.
The fire alarm system has been COM
,letely reconstructed under the direction
II Chief Green, at total cost Of about
800
All the apparatus and machines of the
Ire department are In excellent repair
md In good working condition.
The water commission has been during
he year engaged In the construction of n
complete new water system. tapping the
anne stream now used, at a higher level
md with mains of q larger capacity.
water Is conveyed by gravitatlOn and In
abundance to the highest inhabitable
POINTS In the city. Plans, specifications
md estimates of this work were COM
,letod more than q year ago by the
engineer, all financial ar
'angements were most carefully made,
lnu early last spring the contract for the
construction of the works We're awarded;
inoe which time there has been an ener-
,etic push toward completion, with the
results today that water Is conveyed
rom Bear creek through the new main
nto the new high service reservoir. The
distribution mains and pipes were all
aid In place excepting a high service
nain) and 100 hydrants attached at con-
'enient points. There remains now but
few days work when the high reservoir