The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-08-17
THE SALEM REFORMS
ARE ATTRACTING ATTENTION EvERR.
WHERE.
A. W. Prescott Interviewed In Astoria About
the Capital City's System Of Redue-
ing Interest and Running Expentes.

astoria is having the same expert.
ence with the street lighting question
that Salem had two years ago." said A.
w. Prescott, of the Capital City, last
evening, in conversation with an Asto.
rian representative.
The people of Salem had been paying
$40 per month, per light, for 1000 can
die power street lamps and the people
] thought that this was too much. They
were working under a 10-year contract
with the electric light company and
were using 45 lamps at an annual ex-
pense of IS, 400 per year. In the city
elections the issues were drawn upon
retrenchment and reform, with the re-
suit that the candidates pledged to re
duction of expenses were elected. One
of the chief items in which a reduction
of expenses was demanded, was that of
street lighting, When the street light
ing contract expired in June the reform
council and the electric light company
were unable to agree upon terms and all
lights were shut off.
The city remained in darkness over
three months, when the light company
acceded to the city's demands and
agreed to furnish 80 lights at 1896 per
light per month. The company is using
the 2,000candle power lamps yet and
we have reduced the annual expendi-
ture on account of street lights from
81, 400 to 81, 800 per year, or saving OF
81, 900 per year. After the first few
nights Of darkness no great inconvenience
was experienced, and although we now
have 10 less lights than formerly, no one
complains.
"Our reform city council inaugurated
several measures which have materially
reduced our current expenses and thus
lightened the burdens of taxpayers. One
OF these measures was the making of a
popular 4 per cent loan for the purpose
of refunding an outstanding Indebtedness
of S65 900, drawing s per cent interest.
This loan was so successful that it at
tracted wide attention and was given IA
vorable comment in several leading pa
pers Of the United States. The bonds
issued were in small amounts and we're
payable on call. For this reason they
we're practically all taken by small i'm
vestors who reside in Salem and the in
terest will consequently remain at home
instead Of going to Eastern bondholders.
It was predicted by able fnanciers
that the popular loan could not be sue
cessfully made but the results were so
satisfactory that the Salem school board
has recently made a similar loan Of $780,
600.
"The council also made a reduction of
81 900 per year in the salary account aud
reduced the police force to two men
the chief Of police aud a night watch
man. The peace and dignity Of the city
has never been better maintained than
during the time in which but one man
has be,n guarding the city at night.
This is accounted for in part by the fact
Salem has pretty nice class OF saloon
keepers, who take pride in the good order
Of the city and in maintaining it by
observation-disclosures and saloon rows.
I'm connection with the reduction OF
salaries, the chief Of police and city re-
corder agreed to turn into the city treas
ury all the fees that they might receive
in criminal cases. The reduction in
fees has been about $1,000 per
annum, of which the city Of Salem saves
about one.third, and the rest of the
county the balance.
"These reforms, beginning with a re.
duction in street lighting expenses, have