The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-22
THE MAYOR SENDS MESSAGE 7.
 TO THE NEW CITY COUNCIL
Chief Executive of Montgomery Reviews Work Of the Past and Makes Recommendations
 for the Future.

l recommendations made by him. At th' time of the adoption of the presen slaughter house system. it was though doubtful as to the legal right Of the city to build and operate a plant for. thu purpose. 1t was therefore left to private | enterprise under regulations established by the City Council. My information i' | that under laws now existing the city | has right to build and operate same While the owners of the present plant | have done all in their power to comply with the ordinances and requirement.! | of the executive officers .of the city, there are several defects as pointed out by tho | City Physician, which should be reme' | died, but can only be done by changes IT the plans of the buildings and others | that are incident to private ownership: l suggest that you investigate the practicability of the city acquiring the plant and operating 1t. If this should be done, there would probably be no neces- sity for increasing inspection fees as heretofore suggested by me.
 On account of the failure of the adoption of the new charter by the last legislature. the defect which has heretofore prevented the enforcement of house connections with sanitary sewerage system. still exists. It is to be hoped this will be remedied under general municipal laws by the next legislature. The sanitary sewerage system IS prac- tically completed. The additions neces. sary to make it So would probably cost 8. GOO leaving about 5000 of the proceeds or DOnQS TOT SdIllldIl StsWCio uhopNiis' I think that the act authorizing these bonds provides that the City Council can by ordinances use proceeds for other pup lie improvements if they see proper After making full provision for comple- tion of the sanitary work, l would rec ommend that the balance be used for storm water sewers. which are badly needed in several places of the city. The Water Department.
 The report of the Superintendent shows this Department to be In excellent shape, I concur in his recommendation as to new duplicate pumping engine. Of the two old pumps, one is practically useless. and the other of inadequate capacity in the event of having to depend upon It. In my opinion, it is important that action be taken on the matter as early as possi- ble. With this done you will have first class. up-to-date system unexcelled any where. The repeal of an ordinance allowing | g, ,0O0 per annum for water for sprinkling streets will reduce the income to that ex- l tent and if you should see proper to adopt my suggestion as to nre hyorant re ntal, 1t would be further reduced about | $4. GOO. this would still leave net income of about sl5,O00, which Is ample for all l purposes. and will be increased as new connections are made.
 Schools.
 The large increase in school population | has increased the expense of this most | important department over 5000 the past | year and will continue to increase from i year to year..
 Police Department. I refer you to several recommendations made by the Chief of Police. Financial conditions will not permit the carrying out by you of them all, but again urge the necessity of police patrol wagon. In the event of the purchase of a gravel deposit by the city, number Of the l city prisoners could be- used thereon to advantage and profit. thus getting rid to some extent of the evils of working them on the public thoroughfares.
 Fire Department.
 The report of the Chief of the Depart ment will show that, with the exception of needed additional apparatus, this De- During the year all of the old and dis abled horses were disposed of and the Department is now equipped with the very best stock
 Several years ago an aerial truck was purchased by the city, which has proven failure so far as general use Is con cerned. There are comparatively lew places in the city where such an appa- ratus would be needed in case of fire. AS it is it responds to every alarm, even for small shanties. and sometimes miles rom its quarters. It is cumbersome ana heavy machine and will wear out more horses in a few years than 1t Is worth. recommend that it's use, except in cases where that class of apparatus be needed, be abandoned. The Chief thinks that at a comparative small expense the truck purchased from the old Department can be put in first class shape for use and I recommend that this be done.
 Judiciary Department
 The report of the City Attorney shows that the important litigation as to paving assessments Is still unsettled. It is to be sincerely hoped that the Supreme Court at it's new term will finally settle the | matter.
 The revision of the City Code as reQulr- | ed by the charter has not been complet- | cd the City Attorney deeming 1t best to | await the action of the people on the new | Constitution, SO as to conform to certain | changes therein. If it should be adopted. | The work should be authorized as soon as possible, as many amendments and new ordinances relative to paid Fire De- partment. Sanitary Department Water Works etc, makes the present code practically useless
 The alterations in the Market Building proposed by the last Council should he made at once The annual increase from stall and store rent in my opinion after the change will equal the entire cost of
 Electrical Control.
 The placing of telephone wires un- derground in large portions of the city is being rapidly done. In this connection. | I think it would be wise to consider the question of requiring all other wires to | take the same course.
 The prevent the continual tearing up of ] streets, plans for same should be carefRl- l ly considered so as to minimize this evil as much as possible.
 | The contract for electric street lighting expires January l. 1902 and I suggest the propriety of your taking up the mat ter at any carly day, so as to give every | opportunity for competition and investi- gaton of the question of the advisabiltv of the city building it's own plant for street lighting.
 The cheapness of water pcwer soon to | he nut in operation hv the Light Con- pany. should enable them to very much lessen the price of lights, to such an oN- tent that it would be unnecessary to nut
 In a city plant for the time being. But the city should protect itself by early ac- l tinN.
 The City Council has the authority to build and operate a light plant and to is- sue bonds therefor. if they see proper to | do so.
 The beauty and attractiveness of Oak | Park Is increasing its popularity The making of good driveway thereto is necessary to Complete it's benefits.
 The last Council adopted an ordinance l appropriatng the income from sale oe lots and from fees as a fund for perr'a- nent improvements to the cemetery. The l temporary tying up of city funds. to- | gether with the financial condition of the | general fund has prevented this being