The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-22
THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
what tie Mayor Recommends to Run the
City.
THE LIGHT AND WATER SERVICE is POOR
Some suggestions as to srunicipnl
Ownership-A Public Park, the
Lyceum and Public schools.

The mayors annual message, submitted
to the council at Mondays meeting con.
tains not only the budget OF municipal eN.
penses for the current year, but some Ira.
portant recommendations, which the coun.
ell VIII be called upon either to adopt oil
reject.
The message is as follows:
To the Honorable City Council.
Houston, Texas February A. 1sso.--The
mayor, in conformity with the require
ments of the charter. presents his sug-
gestions upon the points referred to there
in, and in addition takes occasion to give
TO this message a wider scope than the
law commands, in order that you may be
advised as to the operations OF the various
features OF the municipal government dur
ing the year 1898, and that YOU may re-
capitulate the governmental progress
which he would congratulate you upon
having made during your incumbency in
the trust accepted by you from the pco-
pie.
Subjoined will be found several tables
and statements, the most important of
which is perhaps that prepared by the
auditor showing the expense incurred
during the year 1898.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.
In the period of less than nine months
of your official incumbency, during 1898
you have positively provided for the fol-
lowing permanent improvements, many
of which are already under way:
The paving of Main street.
large sewer on Preston and Main
streets.
A steel bridge across the bayou at
Franklin avenue.
The paving OF Houston avenue.
The repaving of part of Congress
avenue
The paving of Montgomery avenue.
The paving of parts of Crawford street.
McGowen avenue and Milan street.
sewer on Sabine street.
The paving of Preston avenue on north
side of Buffalo bayou.
a sewer on Pine and Arch streets
a fire house equicona with steamer and
hose wagon on Milan street.
A sewer on Pierce avenue, Third ward
A sewer on Bell avenue, Third ward.
pavement from Buffalo street to Hill
street bridge in Second ward,
A fire house near tho Crockett street
bridge to serve the First ward and north
end of the Fifth ward.
The remodeing of the south wing OF
the city hall
a small sewer on Tuam avenue from the
Fannin school building In Fair Grounds
addition to Main street.
THE RELATIONS WITH THE CITY OF
CORPORATIONS OPERATING UN-
DER MUNICIPAL FRANCHISES.
Tho mayor regrets to state that while
some of the corporations enjoying fran
chises have fairly striYen to comply with
their obligations to the public and thu
city. government others have baen very
negligent, and in some cases almost de-
FAINT In their failure in this particular.
With city occupying the proud position
of Houston, commercially and industrial
ly, many OF these corporations are noces-
sary to it's welfare. especially the rail.
roads, and recognizing the interests OF our
people as inseparable from the allow |
ance Of proper facilities to these cdni-
panies for the conduct OF their business
they have for years past been granted |
every reasonable concession. Now, since |
the rapid advancement of the city their |
franchises have become more and more |
valuable, and their duty to faithfully OBJ
serve the conditions annexed to their
grants should be greater than ever.
The Missouri. Kansas and Texas Rail- |
way company, for several years failed TO
provide proper drainage along it's right
OF way in ttr First ward and through
your proceedings last year looking TO a
forfeiture OF lis franchise was compelled
10 DO this work at an approximate cost
OF $4,000. The Houston East and West
Texas Railway company, for failure to
drain Sterreit street in tho Fifth ward
was required during the summer TO re-
move its tracks therefrom. AVID you now
nave pending an ordinance forfelting the
franchise Of the Gulf Colorado and Santa
Fe company over Mary street In the Fifth
ward because OF the wrotched condition
of that street.
Tho service of the electric light and
water companies is very poor and since
you wave been in office your finance
committee has refused TO approve their
DIS except one-half the amounts there
OF. the city taking The position that tbc
value OF the service given has not been
worth much. II anything. in excess of
that ngure Owing TO the length of time
necessarily taken in preparations of that
character 1t is recommended that steps
ne taken at onco towards establishing
water works system TO be owned and CON
trolled by the city herself so that same
may be ready for operation when the
present contract with the water works
company expires few years from now or
before that. II you see proper to rcscind
Inc contract on account OF the failure
OF the company TO perform its contract
with the city
Much complaint has been made that
the water works company Is extortion-
ate in forcing co9zumers to pay a greater
price than provided for in the contract
l
pany Tails contract provides that water
shall be supplied to three-room houses at
% cents per month, and to houses OF four
,r Ave rooms at 70 cents per month, anll
o six or seyen-room houses ut ST nor
month. The parties agyrieved by the fall
ire OF The company to observe this con-
ract would probably have the right by
In court 10 force the com ,
amy to supply water at the rates above. ,
'r might hold II liable for the dam ,
&c for failure TO furnish H. But
either az these remedies would be re-
arded as sufficient on account OF the
ost and delay to the consu sser. who. Ia s
lost cases, would prefer TO pay The addi- |
onal 20 or 80 cents eSacted than to liti- / {
ate or do without water This Is hut p
nc of the many reasons why the city /
self should own and operate its water 4
ystem. In order to remedy existing v
,nditions 1t Is recommended (hrst) that b
soon as you shall feel that the city d
IN stand the additional debt you will d
rovide for municipal ownership of 9
ater plant. and isecond) that meantime r
lie council appoint committee on d
ater works to whom shall be referred II
petitions OF water consumers COM Il
aiming of excessive rates. and that such S,
mmittee BIO directed TO make jnyestiga- oil
ms and reports in such matters and 10 Of
epare full records OF all cases of exfrr-