The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-09
Mayor Davis's Inaugural.

Gentlemen Of the City Council Gath
pose of organizing the sixth City Gov
eminent of the City of Deering, we are
reminded of the rapidity with which
time passes. 1t seems but yesterday
since we were organizing our tirst.Govern-
ment, and yet when we remember the
wonderful advance we have made as q
city, it becomes our duty to return
thanks..to the giver of all good, for the
many blessings He has bestowed upon
us in the past aud to ask for His guild
anoe in oil the duties we may be called
to perform.
Oue.of the first, and it seems to me,
most important factors in our organfza-
ton, is united action. We should each
realize that a personal responsibility
rests upon each of US; that together we
can manage the affairs of our city sue
cesefully. and without this concert of &C.
ton, We cannot reach the. desired result.
1 assure you that it will be my en-
deayor to do all can to bring about
such a feeling and trust each one of
you will work with the same emil in
view.
FINANCE.
Our financial condition as city Is one
of which we have reason to be proud.
Finance. whether In our private or pub
lie affairs, is a subject which gives US a
feeling of security or anxiety. would
call your attention. gentlemen. to the
fact that f1l, 10000 of our bonded debt
falls due April 1st, 1897. AS this will
come before any appropriation can be
made, l would recon mend that this
amount Of the debt tie re. bonded.
With population of something over
5000, we have valuation of "a, COB, 1865,
a debt of only sos, 1861. Our percent
age Of debt is only two and forty six one
huniIedths. We have city property val
ned at sos, 1889 besides the sewers
which have been built during our exls-
tenoe as city, of which there are eight
and eighteen one hundredths miles now
completed, at a total cost Of S75. 043.@5 as
is shown by the report of our city engin-
Ger, Our charter requires that one-third
of the expense of this sewer system shall
lie forLe by the city. This constitutes
the OILY increase in the city debt since
the adoption Of the city charter. 1t is
a question whether this should be held
as debt in tie strict sense of the word,
since we have the severe as the property
of tie city, adding as they do, very ma
terially to the convenience and value of
our homes. 1t seems to me. with these
facts before us, we have every reason to
feel secure on this point.
SCHOOLS.
A good and we'll conducted school sys-
tenn is credit.to any city, and matter
of equal Importance to citizens in every
walk Of life, as the prosperity of our
children depends mainly upon good
education, and believe that our schools,
under the management Of our efficient
and ex per1enced school board, are second to
none in New England. In order to
maintain the present high standard we
must encourage our committee to keep
abreast of the new methods and modes of
teaching. We can best do this, perhaps,
by a liberal appropriation. The past
year we expended S13 47l.S 81 for common
schools; SO, 998. SO for our high school. In
this connection ] would urge the neces-
sity of having each sohoolhouse, which is
on the line of the sewer, connected with
the same by the best sanitary arrange
ments available. No risks should be
taken with the health Of our children by
trying to save the expense of proper sani
tary appliances. | would ask that you
give this subject careful attention.
STREETS,
We have in our city about seventy miles
of streets. In no one year since we be-
came city has there bean so large an
amount of in telligent work done on our
streets as has been done the past year
1t ought to be source of qualification
and pride to citizens to have the many
miles of streets kept.in the uniformly