The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-11

last night in the mayors office. The
meeting was of more han usual in
terest and was attended by Mayor
WaddelI and Aldermen Worth, Taylor,
Littleton, WoOlard, Handy, Spencer,
West, Parker and Springer. Absent,
Alderman MacRae.
Mayor WaddelI, upon calling the
body ia order, sal he would suspend
the usual order. and instead read his
annual message, covering the work of
the present municipal adminls-Aatioh'
He then read his message as follows:
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.
TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
1t seems appropriate that, as the
chief executive officer of this city. L
should lay before you and the public a
a brief statement of the present condl-
= ton of the affairs of this Municipality,
and of the progress that has been made
in the two years of my service as Mayor
and l therefore respectfully submit the
following:
On the 10th day of November, 1898,
when the change of Administrator &C
curred-With the exception or the de-
Hartment of finance which had by wise
legislation been placed in the N OF
an honest and intelligent board, COM
posed of responsible taX-payerS-eVery
department of the city government was
in a condition of ineffeciency and de-
moralizatiOn. This condition OF affalrs
was one of the chief causes of he rev.
olution which was forced upon the peo-
pie of this city at that time. 1t is un-
necessary to refer in detail to the other
causes which produced that revolution.
Suffice it to say that crime unpunlshed
official venality and corruption undls-
~@- fnnffnI0nnU an6
moral cowardice practically acknowl-
edged, produced the natural and newt
able result in a community of freemen.
The people rose in their might and as
serted their right to good government
by removing their incompetent ana un-
faithful servants, and substituting for
them others in whom they had conf
dence. These substituted servants
= have been in Cargo of the AFFAIRS or the
city for two years past. How they nave
discharged the duties imposed upon
them during that time their const1tu-
ents have a right to know, fully and in
detail. and it is the purpose of this pa
per to give them the desired informa-
ton.
The necessity for a radical change in
the administration of every department
of the municipal government was ap-
parent and pressing, but the reSour-
ces were, it was feared. inadequate to
the accomplishment of the desired end.
By an honest collection and a judicious
appropriation and distribution of the
however, and an ones eff
fort on the part of the Board of Alder
men to apply them intelligently to the
public needs, results which have been
as gratifying as they were unexpected
have been accomplished. The results,
/ confidently assert, have hardly been
\ paralleled in the history of munic1pal
. government in this country. They
amount to a complete ranformation.
Capital, which had, with characteris-
tic caution, avoided the dangers sur
rounding investment in a city so mis-
governed, and so threatened with still
greater evils as this was, Immediately
upon the change OF administration, be-
gan to manifest it's presence by the
construction of larger and more commo-
diouS buildings in our leading thorough
fares, and the erection of new manu-
featuring enterprises on a larger scale
than ever before attempted; and this
spirit has grown steadily for the past
two years in every sphere of legi-
innate business. Confidence has taken
the place Of despair in the minds OF
our people, and this has attracted the
attention and the capital of outsiders
who have come in larger numbers than
ever before TO cast in their lot with
US. Wilmington is 10 longer consider
ed, or called, a lead town. as it used
to be, but has been ~quickened into new
life Dy the events OF the last TWO years
and now, with bouyant hope, and cheer
full confidence, faces the future. The
realization of her hopes depends il
large degree upon the wise and righ-
teouS administration OF her municipal
1 take pride and pleasure
in pointing to the achievements of the
present administration in that direc'
ton
When 1t took charge of the cit,
there was a large number of idle, vicf
Gus, and troublesome negroes who in
tested the streets and public places, anC
were a source of constant annoyance
and danger to good citizens, especial.
ladies'. This element of the population
= under the wholesome influence of an eff
ficient police. supplemented by the &C
ton of the Mayors court, has practf
eally disappeared. n now the bur
glaries, robberies, assaults, and dfsor
derby conduct once SO common are o
very rare occurrence A similar i'm
provement in regard to disreputabl
resorts in the city is very plainly to b
perceived. No one but a fanatic woulC
expect that absolute from
these and similar social evils could b
attained by the best possible municipa
government, but no just n fnte1ligen
person will deny that the improvement
in this respect in this city has beel
unprecedented n phenomenal. 1t i
not claimed that we have an ideal gov
eminent I'm any department., III it /
an ~undeniable fact that there is les
disorder and crime, greater securft
for persons and property, and a NOR
general spirit of confidence and hope
fulness for the future, as evidenced b
the expansion Of business enterprises O
various kinds, than has existed at an
time since the war between the States
and this change has Immediately fol
lowed the most demoralized conditio
of public affairs that has ever been ex
perienced in our history
CITY FINANCES.
1 first invite your attention to tn
financial condition of the city. TIL
bonded debt of the city is 1855, 10000 dis
tributed as follows:
Consolidated 5 per cents due in
lJZZ .Soo1,1
c. F. & Y. V. r. R. 5 per cents