The record-union., 1896-01-07
MAYOR HUBBARD ASSUMES OFFICE.
His First Message to the City
Trustees.
He Hopes for Harmony-An Outline
of the Policy He Expects
to Pursue.

c. H. Hubbard, the Mayor elect, put
in the first day of his term yesterday
very diligently. Promptly at 8 o'clock,
the hour named in the charter for city
officials to begin their daily duties.
Mr.. Hubbard presented himself at the
Office of Mayor Stein1nan and pleas
antly informed him that he was ready
to lift the Mayoralty burden off his
shoulders.
The retiring Mayor as pleasantly an
nounced that he was prepared to drop
his official load then and there, and
that was all there was about it. Citizen
Hubbard simply swapped places with
Mayor Steinman without any fuss-and-
feathers, was handed the keys to the
office and desks, and after the exchange
of a few pleasantries Mr.. Steinman re-
tired and left his successor in possess
sion.
Mayor Hubbard's clerk, William Rem
fro, received from John Powers, who
had been Mayor Steinman's clerk, all
things pertaining to the Office, and then
he, too, withdrew.
Mayor Hubbard put in the day famil-
iarizing himself with some of the de-
tails of his new and responsible posi-
l1Oll, anu WHSl luS 1lly A1ASlCCo AAOS
last night he presented to them his
first message, or address, giving an
outline of the policy he expected to pur-
sue during his term of office. At the
conclusion of it's reading there was
hearty applause from those present in
the boardroom. Mayor Hubbard says
THE ADDRESS.
We have been selected by the citizens
of Sacramento to attend to their inter-
ests for the ensuing two years. You are
expected to legislate and pass such or
dinances and make such rules and reg
ulations as, in your judgment, will be
conducive to the comfort, protection
and safety of all within our city's lin
it's While it is my duty to see that the
ordinances, rules and regulations which
you may see fit to enact, and which
have been heretofore enacted, and not
repealed, are enforced.
Some of you for the past two years
have had experience in public affairs.
Several of US who were but recently
elected are inexperienced in the work
upon which we are to engage, and we
shall look to the old members of the
board to guide us in many matters.
We shall have to work under what is
known as the new charter, under which
our municipal government has been
regulated during the past two years.
In this charter it is conceded that there
are many defects, and, by reason of
these defects, discovered subsequently
to the enactment of the charter. in
many instances the spirit of the char
ter has been lost or misconstrued. Still,
- work
and must be the guide of our official
acts. Undoubtedly, occasions will arise
when we shall disagree as to the mean
ing of our charter, but If such disa-
greements should occur we ought ami
cably to discuss the disputed portions.
and endeavor, if possible. to agree upon
a correct Interpretation of the instru-
ment. If we have the common interest
at heart and desire only that which
will benefit our people, and carry into
effect the intent Of the trainers of the
charter, we ought to be able readily
to reconcile any differences that might
exist between us in relation to any dis
puted portions of our organic law.
Tt is my earnest hope and wish that
we shall work in harmony during the
two years we shall serve together. For
getting all past differences, we should
have but one aim in view-that of doing
at all times what we believe to be for
the best interests of all of the people of
our city.
We must carefully guard against the
useless expenditure of the public money,
and endeavor, as economically as is con-
sistent with good government, to regu-
late our expenditures. We must recog-
nize that, in times such as these, the bur-
den of taxation falls heavily upon all
our citizens, and that it has been diff
cult for many of them to contribute
their quota for the expenses of our Gov
ernment While 1t is essential that we
should be economical with the public
funds, yet 1 believe it to be necessary
for the progress of the city that our i'm
provement of streets, sidewalks, sewers,
etc, should be pressed with all convent
ent dispatch. OF course, in particular
cases, circumstances may arise when it
would be unwise to insist upon immedi-
ate Improvement, but, unless unfore
seen obstacles should occur, I think
these improvements should be vigor-
ously pushed.
There are several important matters
that must ultimately be considered,
such as a new or improved sewerage
system, a new City Hall and clear