The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-27
Mayor Carter Harrison of Chi
cagO Talks Plainly.
Tells Commercial Club the City
Is Bankrupt.
DOESN'T PAY ITS WAY.
And Hasn't Done So For a Gen
Grafton He Says.
Only Way Out Is to Issue Mu-
nieipaI Bonds.

told the Commercial club Saturday
night that the city of Chicago was
bankrupt. He said unless some new
plan of raising revenue was evolved
public improvements must cease, half
the bridges must be closed, street clean
ing abolished, and all branches Of the
city government seriously curtailed.
The mayor and Comptroller Kerfoot
were the guests of the Commercial club
at its dinner in the banquet hall of the
Auditorium hotel. They had been in
Vited to tell the members OF the cOndl-
ton and needs of Chicago financially
and to suggest remedies necessary TO
place the city on a sound basis Inc
remedy they suggested was the enact
ment OF laws designed to increase the
city's bonded Indebtedness. Until this
action is taken the speakers declared
no permanent relief can be afforded.
President Cyrus H. Mccormick, of
the club, was in the chair In intrOduc-
ing the speakers, he stated that no
municipality was great architecturalIy,-
intellectually, or commercially Whlle
its bridges were in ruins, its streets
We're clouds of dust or mires of mud,
and a pail of smoke hung in the air
and penetrated to the houses of rich
and poor. He said the mayor and the
comptroller, who were the two men
best able to discuss the situation, would
address the club. SeVenty-five mem
bers of the club listened to the speak
ers.
Mr. Harrison said the income of Chi
cagO for current expenses was so ridic-
ulOusly small that no administration
could care for the wants of the citizens
from it. No department, he said, was
given the money absolutely demand
ed in the annual estimates, but were
cut to One-half and one-tenth of the
requisite sum. and the city was too
poor to even buy the paint to preserve
the iron on the bridges. He hoped the
new revenue system might improve
this to a degree. Passing to permanent
inprOvem ents, he said the city should
have its charter amended so as to per-
nit it to issue bonds necessary to re-
build the bridges, establish a garbage
plant, a street cleaning plant, lower the
tunnels, put in more electric lights, and
provide suitable Office room for the
branches of the municipal government.
His address was full of figures, and
was merely plain recital of what he
said were the facts.
The situation was summed up by Mr..
KerfOot in the words: The city is try
ing to do too large a. business on too
small a capital" He went over Chi
Cages dilemma with the same cOnclu-
sion reached by the mayor, that the
current income was inadequate, and
the charter too archaic. recommending
changes in both.
Mayor Harrison in discussing the
city's finances, said:
1T is unnecessary for me to say to
you gentlemen, probably you all know
it only too well, that Chicago has not
the money to even care for the ordinary
running expenses of the city govern
ment. 1t has not the money today. 1t
has not had the money probably in
generation. To give you an idea of the
condition of ChicagO's finances, I have
had a statement tabulated by the comp
trOlIer's Office, which shows that in 1873
the tax levy for corporate purposes was
50 $50, 991.57 and the total apprOpTiat
for corporate purposes was 81, 2SS, 006. Y.
The revenue of Chicago from he tax
levy decreased steadily, until 1889, " hen
it struck the bottom figure of $780,,
975.O4 From that time until 1892 it was
increased, when it struck the top figure
of So, 109 $1,000 Since then 1t has been
OF the decrease again, until last year
III the year 1S99-the closing year of the
century-the revenue Of the city of
Chicago from taxation was 81 419, 1884,
not quite 100000 more than it was in
the year 1873.
Now, gentlemen, stop to consider
that in 1873 Chicago had population
of probably 100000 people; that since
then the city has grown until today 1t
is estimated that we have from 1,S00,OOO
to 1000 600. Consider also that il that
time Chicago has taken in the town of
Jefferson, the town of Lake View-a
substantial portion of the community
today-the town of Hyde Park, with
all of its magnificent residences; = good
share of the town of Cicero, and all of
the town of Lake with the tremendous
stock yards interests. And Yer, in that
time the revenue from taxation of Chi
cagO, our tax levy, has advanced less
than 100000 and yet the question IS
often asked, Why can't the city OF Chi
cagO maintain itself2
In that same length of time it is
true that our receipts from TpIscellan-
eOus sources have advanced from $347,-
600 to "a, 0o0 This brings the income
of Chicago, which was $4,298,3O0 in 1873,
to SO 039. 000-juSt dOubIe-in 1899. But,
Y hen you consider the greater demands
that are made upon the city today;
when you consider the greater munich
pality that we have to take care Of,
a city growing from $4,000 to approx
mately 1000, 900 people, spreading from
a. territory of about thirty square miles
to 1856 square miles, you VIII see that
the sum is absolutely ridiculous. if YOU
expect this administration, or any 9TH
er administration, to give the citizens
of Chicago what they have right to
expect from their municipal govern
.'The matter has been estimated by the
department and it is found it would re
~qJire to take care Of the public improve
paving $4,000 coo; for sidewalks, $1,000 .O00;-
cleaning plant, yards, sweeper, carts, etc,
The condition of bridges and viaducts
shows that unless something IS done com
the river win be practically cut off. You
viii have to do what is being done today
on the north side-by ferrying across the
river in a row boat -
Mayor Harrison also said s.. 900 600 was
deem judgments S25O6,000 for a new city
hall, and a large sum for small parks. In
These gentlemen, are some Of the
things when believe necessary for the
city of Chicago TO provide, and which
think is only fair should be left-the ex-
ton. I think the present generation has
stood enough. These Improvements are
of a. permanent character. They VIII be
good for years and years to come. and
feel. especially in the present crippled
citizens OF Chicago Should unanimously
petition the legislature TO grant Us auth
Comptroller Kerfoot explained the rev
q a of