The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-18

Der Of borrowers under the fee system in
1x6 was I,fss. while the number In LIS.
without fee. was 4-zs1 The cost OF cirEu-
Iation has been reduced from "a cents per
volume IN f&&5 10 cents In 1885, which the
librarian says ara the lowest figures ne
has ever seen reported: 40 z7s volumes were
circulated for home reading during 1854
preparation be increased and that ar
engagements be made for one or more
social reading rooms In the lower business
districts. with cofee and lunch rooms
under private management a. an Access
sorry. all 10 be under supervision of the
library department and TO be kept open
day and night.
City Lights
The city light bin should be reduced
Lights In residence districts should he ex-
tingussfed after the street cars cease to
run. and should not he lit on moonlight
nights. The mayor believes the city should
provide It's own system Of light distriou-
ton. leasing. II necessary. the power re-
quired TO operate the system.
Public Employment Oalce.
This has proved not only feasible but
most useful department 1t Is matter
Of regret that the bureau cannot be given
more accessible and commodious quarters.
TO the number of s4e. The cost to the
city was q cents for each person en-
ployed- II Is recommended that down.
town Office be secured. and that an ample
verfising.
The financial stringency has prevented
the acquisition OF any more parks. The
curfaiiment of the powers Of the park
commission under the new charter re-
suited In the resignation OF the members
of the commission. These resigna tons
have remained Enacted upon for year In
the hope that the members would recon-
slider their determination A charter
amendment Is recommended comforting
suitable powers upon the park commission
Hon. G. ID. c. Williams. the only men-
Der of the park committee who did not
resign. In his report made several sugges-
tions which are submitted without COM
menf- These are that dogs should be ex-
cluded from parks. bicycle riding reguiat-
permit old men 70 be employed in weed
ing, Pioneer place bricked over and used
as a team stand. city park surrounded by
a hedge. city park abandoned as park
and used as a cemetery. the available
funds used for the Improvement of Denny
park. surplus trees set out along the
streets, and the school grounds belutffied
by setting out trees
Cemeteries.
Prices for burial plats in private ceme-
terfes are stated TO be exorbitant- A pub
lie cemetery is recommended. to be pur-
chased and plated by the city. the pur-
chase money to be reimbursed from the
sales OF plots.
Municipal Court
The present administration of the NUM-
cipal court Is warmly commended The
action of the legislature In abolishing the
court is regretted.
Franchises.
Great caution Is urged in dealing with
franchises. other than those for steam
railways. MoHopolies In public service
should not be passed into private hands
without compensation. Such privileges
should be subject 10 recall by the people
axSI<x i'm
bursement Of the grantees for their actual
outlay. The refusal to grant franchise
for a crematory is commended No street
railway franchise should be granted for
term exceeding - or Is years. and the
franchises granted should be subject to re-
call. The same as to telephones. The pub
lie should derive all profit from the man
agement of public utilities. either as mu,
nicfpal revenue or in the form Of reduced
rates and improved service. Municipal
ownership. coupled with the merit system
of civil service. is suggested
Old Taxes.
The acquisition of copies OF the delin-
quent city tax rolls for lss3-4-5-6-7, the
originals of which were burned up In the
fire, ought to enable the city to recover
considerable amount Of back taxes for
those years.
Relief Employ ment.
The next time the charter Is revised. the
mayor suggests there should be some pro-
ment In emergencies for the destitute TN
employed.
Free Market.
Further effort Is urged toward the inau-
guration of free public market system in
the city.
Rotation Of Laborcrs.
The suggestion that there be a rotation
OF ordinary Iaborers In the city service, is
held by the mayor to be unwise. Such
system is really proposal to divide the
employment which furnishes fair pay to
one man between three or four, thus starv-
Ing all the men by giving them insufficient
employment while inviting them to desist
from the wiser plan of seeking employ
ment In private vacations.
City Buildings.
1t will probably be some years before ii
will be wise for the city to undertake the
task of building city hall. The generous
bequest made by the late James Osborn
will probably then yield a much larger
sum than could be obtained during the
present depression In real estate values
Ii Is suggested that when the time comes,
building for the Joint use of the city and
county be constructed.
INDECENT Relief.
The question of relief for the INDECENT.
and the growth of pauperism is discussed
AZ great length. The mayor expresses his
firm conviction that one-half the money
annually paid out by King county to indi-
are more injured than benefited by its re-
ceipt Indiscrimsnate giving of aims is de-
precated. as tending 10 encourage pauper-
ism. ON the other hand. the city should
begin a system OF providing relief work,
as well rs relief maintenance for those
who need IL and who cannot work. Ordin-
ances should be passed not only against
soliciting aims. but against the giving of
aims TO persons of whom the donor knows
nothing. One years faithful adherence TO
this plan would make tramps as scarce In
Seattle as millionaires.
The work of the WASHINGTON Children's
Homo Society is heartily commended That
Institution, during the past IL months has
secured the adoption or about 100 home
less children In this state nj an average
cost OF about S.. 20 per child. The money
being furnished by charitable persons.
The mayor closes this portion of his
message as follows: These things can be
/ improved. in fact they could not be worse
than we now allow them to be- We are
leaving the solution OF the question TO the
tramps and the beggars and they are solv-
Ing II 20 their own amusement and degra-
dation and 10 our dismay and shame
earnestly appeal 20 your honorable body
and the public to study and deal with this
question. which is serious not in the fu-
tare. but in the year 1897.
Charter Amendments.
The proprlety of formulating and SUBJ
uitting to popular vote charter amend
uentS Is suggested. and the following
amendments are recommended:
u. An amendment OF the plan for isSu-
ance of bonds In payment for local i'm
proVcments In accordance with the provi
stonS o9 bill prepared by the present cor
porafion counsel and submitted 10 the last
legislature. but which failed Of passage
close OF the session.
- An amendment In the method Of
paying for the extension of sewer ard
water mains. substantially in accordance
with house bill No. tiS. herein elsewhere
referred TO. prepared by members - your
honorable body and heads Of departments