Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-01

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lished by law was opened 20 the public
IN one Of the large rooms on the MAR
noof OF the city hall on January I. 1888
with appropriate ceremonies. whici
were participated IN by many proml.
nent citizens. Al the opening the II.
brary contained 1851 volumes. Since
thcn there has been added by purchase
and donation about 1900 volumes.
Cost q Malntcnnncc-The expense
| OF the library for the year for pur.
thiis. 81 books. nnps, papers. binding
nalntieY, etc. has been about 5000
The large number Of citizens who pat
ronixe The library and use the reading
roam daily indlcatcs how highly these
privileges are appreciated.
ILLLEoAL COLLECTION OF FEES.
In my annual message last year I
called attention 10 the article Of the
state Constitution which prohibits the
collection Of fees as compensation for
Official services. While the city Coun.
GU has partially fcmfdled this Illegal
practice there are atlli some officers
Tor whose compensation no salaries
nave been liked. notably the building
inspector. the scnlcr ~ weights and
measures and the dnu.tnx collector.
outside OF the constitutional prohibl-
tion ] am ~ the opinion that II any
ohcefh were paid naed salaries and
rendered Independent ~ fees, the city
would secure mora effective service
and the public welfare be- better sub
served. The injustice not 10 say nb.
aufdity ~ the Zee system can be Illus
unttd by requiring the building In
spcctor to condemn q building and then
demand that the owner shall pay his
zee Tot the prOcepdinr. I again recon.
mend that salaries be- nNed for all Of
hcefs mud all ft.s collected be covered
into the city treasury.
STREET sPRfNKLiNG.
had contemplated making some cx-
tended suggestions upon tho Important
subject u street sprinkllng but having
learned that your committee ON street
fptinkllng has the mattur under con.
sidefntion I only refer To u bricny.
The contract system under which We
have operated Tor a number u years
has proved not only very expensive but
very far from satisfactory. That there
IL room for great Improvement ~ the
Work ana greater economy IN the cx-
pondlturc admits u no argument.
We have expended for street nprlnk-
lng during the year past i22.02t.sQ of
this large amount 1890 or $3.50
per month Tor the entire year has been
paid 90 J. n. Grlnin under a con-
tract entered Into by the previous city
Council. The balance uf the amount
was expended under tho provisions ~
special contracts Tor aprinkiing during
the nupner months ! am ~ the opin-
lon thu better service can be secured
for much icaa money BY the perform
ance 81 the work under the direction
or the nprinkling committee and under
the immediate supervision OF the
street department.
CITY AND COUNTY OF SALT LAKE
bcg TO call your attention to the
fact that the business 81 the county |
~ sait Lake and the business uf tho |
city Of Salt Lake arr by the nature |
of things TO "a large extent almost In |
HspufAhly connected and Htill We have |
TWO separate ana distinct governments
with full fcta of officers employed TO |
carry ON the affairs 81 the respective
government. This. u seems tu me. n
a most unnecessary expense. aud works
great hardlhips upon the taxpayers 90
TIE city. The citizens % this city are
forced TO pay a very largo proportion
M the taxes OF the county. about 20
per cont, amounting this year 20 over
100000. and receive In return but
trlilng advantages when compared
with tho large amount u taxes coll
ccted.
IN some Other places consolidation OF
lily and county governments has
been made with mutual benefit TO both.
ind other CitiCa ana counties are NOV
M In the direction Of consolidation
Why can II not be done hcreg l offcr
his thought merely NJ suggestion
or the mcmbcrA Of the Council. and
'thcr citizens 10 consider. with the
lope that In the near future conclu-
Ion may b. reached and "a plan ciabo-
nted through which n consolidation
nay be effected that would be mutual.
y beneficial. under the title OF the
ny and county ~ Salt Lake. II this
uEgcrilon meets your approval II may
" possible that the work can be 70
ar maturcd "a TO Justify asking the
assistance Of the Legislature 10 nu-
horize the consolidation. TO take effect
shcn the tormA OF the present county
Ulcers shall expire.
The annual reports for the year 1895
Z the heads ~ the several depart
tents OF the city government are here
iith rubmitted. which show IN detail
h. working OF their respective officers.
I respectfully recommend that these
q printed for the benefit ~ those who
eslro more particulars than are given
! this necessarily condensed state.
tent. Respectfully submitted.
JOHN CLARK. Mayor.
D