The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-11
THE MAYORS ADDRESS
THE CITY'S NEEDED IMPROyE.
 MENTS AND ITS FINANCES.

The City's Sanitary Condition-Need of A
 Public Hospital for Contagious and Inc
 fectious Diseases-PoIice, Fire and Other
 Departments-Should be UntrammelIed
 by Political InfIucnces-The Need of a
 New Police station-A Fire Brigade Pro-
 ject and Other Improvements in the Fire
 Department--streetw Widening and Exten-
 sion-Other Recommendations.
 To the Honorable Court of Common
 CounciI
 Gentlemen-Following the custom of my predecessors. take pleasure in pre- senting. for your information, brief synopsis of the work performed during the past year by the several branches of our municipal government, the knowledge of which has been derived from personal observation and from other sources; together with such sug- gestions and recommendations as may be offered. will, trust, receive your careful attention, and to some extent while entering upon the manifold and responsible duties that will be presented to your honorable body during the pres- ent fiscal year.
 And, by impartipg this information, 1t may enable you to carry out the work of public improvements in a man. ner, and with a better comprehension, and a determination to cooperate and harmonize your actions in all the va rious interests, that the results attained may prove satisfactory to the general public whom you are called upon to serve, and which may largely tend to promote the welfare and prosperity of our growing city.
 TlEAIITH.
 Our departments of public safety may be Classified as health, police and fire. The two latter are quite literally sup- ported, while the former, because of necessity, is obliged to continue it's work under difficulties, which. in many respects, is not satisfactory, but in consideration of the limited means plac- ed at its disposal, the board of health should be complimented for what it ac- complishes.
 The old system for the disposition of garbage must be pursued until the financial resources of our city will per- init of the introduction of the latest sanitary and most improved methods, which is the utmost desire of the board in the near future.
 Much of the wealth and prosperity of a city depends upon it's health and < sanitary condition: therefore the ne- cessity exists for a well organized board of health, whose watchfulness must prove at all times a safeguard od the people. It's duties are extreme Vfgi- lance in eliminating all the causes lead- ing to sickness from a contagious and infectious character. The course pur- sued in the past by the health authori- ties justifies me in saying that the same interest will be manifested and continued, and that the most stringent measures will be enforced at all times to shield our city from serious harm. Our vast means of communication with the larger cities, materially contribute to the introduction and spread of infec- ton. The recent adoption of an ordi- nance preventing the establishment of private hospitals for contagious and infectious diseases, should have the ef- feet to again enforce upon your hons orable body the necessity of consider ing more seriously the duty of the city to carry out the recommendation of the board of health in establishing a pub- lie hospital for such purposes.
 Its necessities must sooner or later receive recognition, and plot of several acres purchased for permanent loca- tion for the founding of such an insti- tuition, where suitable buildings equip- ped with modern appliances can be erected. I sincerely trust that you will interest yourselves, gentlemen, in the work and improvements suggested, as : recommended by the board of healths and carefully scrutinize it's annual re- port in all it's details.
 I trust the time is not far distant when measures will be adopted for the careful inspection of milk. and the man. ner in which it is prepared for the mark ct; also, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and that an inspector shall condemn all : such when found unfit for sale. POLICE DEPARTMENT. . This important department of public , safety is composed of twenty-one off , ficers and one hundred and fourteen 1 patrolmen, three of which are mounted. one truant officer, two signal officers, | who are detailed to receive and attend ] all signal calls upon the police tele- graph, four drivers of patrol wagons, , one veteran reserve officer, detailed in . the city court, all of which makes an . active force of one hundred and forty- three.
 In addition the following employees 7 are attached to the department and borne upon the payrolls: 1 clerk, 4 , surgeons, 1 matron, electrician, line | man, 1 janitor, and mattresses Q2l making total of 155
 l There are also forty-six supernumer- aries, who are subject to call only as : occasion may require, such as absence from sickness, with leave. suspensions l and special duty. The superintendent . states in his report that the discipline : is good, and that but two suspensions were made during the year. While l there were several punished for neglect } of duty, there were also several who were honorably mentioned for conspicu- ous and meritorious service.
 Gentlemen, from my observation, I am led to believe that the department is composed, as rule, of good material, . but there is also a portion, trust not many. who could serve the city better anlaaeS Vrera vacated (Thig nav