The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-11


The municipal government Of the city
Of Buffalo has published for general cir
cuiation a manual containing a sketch
OF the city and the method OF local adj
ministrstion. The purpose is to adver-
tise Buffalo In connection with pro-
posed exhibition. but incidentally 1t will
serve useful purpose to the officers OF
other city governments.
1t should serve ~ . warning against
Imitation. As a local manual 1t is sue
cess. but as q work Of utility abroad it
In an extravagant failure. It contains,
for instance. In the most expensive
form. the full rules OF the three legisla-
tive bodies which direct its destlnies
All the really useful information. 30 far
AZ II can be made available outside OF
Buffalo. could have been put into one
third Of It's 500 pages We may do the
city council Of Seattle the justice to say
that Il would not spend the pubic
money getting up q manual containing
portraits of It's members
There are. nevertheless, many items Of
interest. which will be well worthy OF
comparison with the conditions In other
cities. Indeed. every city should pre-
pare for publication from time to time
pamphlet containing many OF the
facts published In the Buraio manual.
and those facts which are to be found
In the last report of the city comptroller
Of Seattle. and the statement prepared
for circulation In connection with the
Cedar river water supply bonds. A
comparison OF methods. measures and
results would be Of great value TO all
cities. The population. valuation. tax
rate. revenue from other sources. system
Of making local improvements. price
paid for electric lights. cost Of obtaining
water per capita and the consumption:
the strength Of the police force and fire
departments. with the average cost: the
price per foot for sewering and the
death rate. are among the items Will
officers Of one city would Ike TO have
concerning others OF like population
and degree Of Importance.
Buffalo Is a very progressive city and
| in some respects It's methods might he
worth following hu, IL has not yet
| reached q condition % municipal per-
| feetion. The city IL growing very fas,
| and has now a population 81 AGO. 900, ha,
| the manual II silent on the subject of
| property valuation. II has total bond
| ed Indebtedness Of over S.. 90. eao. bat II
| 10 net altogether self supporting. since II
has been necessary 10 issue bends IN an
sieipation 81 the collert ton ~ taxes,
I Although II boasts Possessing TIE
| cheapest power In the world having the
ase OF Niagara falls, the cost ~ electric
| lighting Is s.es rsr lamp per year. which
| Is very little less than We pay in seat
sle. considering THE difference IN the coss
| 80 everything Buffalo owns is water
| plant, which has cost 8. oao oeo. ant. the
| claim is made that the city has the
/ cheapest water rate in fhs United
/ states. hat no detailed information is
| given % that acore
| Buffalo II sssii ceaterdIag wssh a h.
Sarnersl eeaacEL I, was s.os.si IN
! lss.. hss there - unique feature about
| D. TIVE popular seay !. tie bar. cs
! alderman which consists - shir4y.ev~
members enc frorn cath ward There il
/ another hady Known a. the Aoara AZ
| ecansilrssns made ~ Ct zine sgser eject