Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-01-05
The Mayors Message
Richardson's Very Tame Document
A Few Facts and Much Fog Presented
by His Honor.

.Gentlemen Of tue Common COUNCIL
of the City OF Salem:
"The city charter requires that
the MAYOR shall, at the first meeting
of the council each year, maze a re
mort upon the general and financial
condition of the city; and make such
recommendation to tue council as IN
his opinion the exigencies Of the time
NAV require In compliance with this
duty, IL gives me pleasure TO be aole
TO say that the year 1897 has been to
the nation, state and city one OF
marked prosperity when compared
with the preceding year. Our mar
vests have been bOuntiful and our
people have received remuneratlve
prices for their products. The dis.
couragement, the restlessness and
gloJmy forebodings, so widespread
among our people a year ago, the
result of a long period OF low prices
and financial depression, nave given
way to hope and greater prosperity.
Isincerely hope that the year or 1873
will be marked by still greater I'M
proyement in the copdiUion OF our
"The health of the city during the
past year has been phenomenally good
the mortality report being far below
that of any year for the last decade.
"City water-ln my last message L
called your attention to the neces-
sity of improvement in TINS supply.
In this matter | am pleased to report
that Mr.. Wallace, the uperintendent
of the Salem Water Co, assures me
that he is perfecting arrangements
by which during the coming summer,
he will be able to place at the head or
his water system an immense water
filter, which will insure the city
clear, sparkling water during the
whole of the year. This is matter
of vast Importance to Salem and this
conmendable effort on the part OF
Mr.. Wallace, regardless OF expense 10
his company, to supply the city with
the best water possible, ought to and
will meet with a hearty appreciation.
'City lights-One year from next
Nav the present contract with the
Salem Consolidated Light & Power
Go. expires. Whether the city will
renew the present contract with this
company, or make one with some
other company or individual, or pro-
vide the city with its own plant, Is
for you to determine. If, In your
jud gment,. it is desirable to renew
our present contract, then but little
time is required; but If you are TO
invite competition, or the city pro-
vide it's OVID plant, then you cannot
begin the consideration of this prob
lem too soon.
"The streets-One year ago, with
out experience. l advanced the Opin-
ion that the streetstax due the city
ought TO keep the streets Ia much bet
ter condition. What was then only
an opinion, / now know to be a fact,
1t has been the policy of your COM
missioner during'the past year, to con-
centrate the work and make perma
nent improvements, as far as the
taxes and conditions would permit.
BY following this plan the city can
and will in few years have fairly
good streets. 1t has also been the
policy of your commissioner, where
practicable, to eXpend the taxes on
The streets in front of the property
taxed, This is a wise plan, but to
carry it out successfully you must
have large proportion of the road
tax paid in money. A few men with
picks and shovels are needed, but
after the grading is done, the princi-
pal work is to cover the streets with
gravel, to do this you must have
teams and they must be paid money.
/ sincerely hope that our citizens will
remember this during the coming
year, and thus assist in carrying on
the good work.
"City finance s-For detailed state
ment of the financial condition OF the
city l refer you to the annual state
menu f the city recorder and treas
urer. The running expenses of the
city for the year 1897 have been $lS,-
882, $158 more than for the preceding
year. This excess, however, may be
more than accounted for in the items,
$40 for repairing the Willamette
bridge, $500 for road grader, and
years supply of feed for city horses,
purchased at wholesale prices, instead
of retail, as heretofore and amount
ing to about 5000, making, 5000 extra
expenditure which will not have to be
repeated during the coming year. The
ever-present disposition and persist
ent efforts of the last council to econ