The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-30
Says City Is Confronted With Sc
rious Financial Obstacles Which
Must Be Overcome.
HARPs ON POLICE INCREASE.
Attempts to Shift Responsibility
for Waste of City Funds
Necessity for Charter
Amendments Shown.

The Mayors annual message was submit-
ted to and read in both branches of the Mu-
nicipal Assembly Friday afternoon.
After referring to Police Department mat
.ers prior to which he states municipal In
debtedness had decreased. attention ls
drawn to the necessity for Charter amend
ments in order to pursue public improve
ments on a comprehensive scale and to pi
pare for the Louisiana Purchase Centennial
Exposition. Paragraphs are devoted 10 the
proposed new City Hospital and to the
burial in subway conduits in the heart OF
the city of heavily charged wires.
The message concludes with 4 short par
agraph lauding the Worlds Fair project and
expressing confidence that 1t Will suoerin-
duce an era OF prosperity unequaled i'll the
city's history The communication in iull
follows:
Mayors Office St Louis; March e ls9ibe of tho
City of St Louis: Genilemen-ln compliance
with the Charter and ordinance proyis;Sns. VISIONS an
nual message TO Your honorable body. tosetn.s
with the reports OF the yari1ns & city departments
in each OF my previous messages l referred
with pleasure to the steady REDUCTION of our mu-
nicpal Indebtedness. in spite OF adverse hnan-
cia conditions. In my last previous eommuniea-
s9 S 9sf a ad nSnief he Ms s:a
as favorable a showing will be possible hereafter
is matter of uncertainty Inc city Is non com
cially than II has ever had to face before Ihe
last session Of the General Assemnly ot sour
income has increased its annual opligations-the
half million dollars. These charges must be
met. No option and no voice is given the city.
creased by nearly 4vc and n general increase was
also made in the pay OF both officers and men
city was also increased. with attending increase
in deputies and clerks. though no public need
, stationery and other items of expense the city
must also provide How tn this o.sr is to be accom- d
partments of the local government it is difficult
TO determine"
What 1 then feared and then referred TO- has
now become an existing fact act The IIs nssensed 's,
proven to be nearer million The cost OF MAIN faa1o
a deficit of s25.eo0 per year to somewhat over
! $4,000 during the past fiscal year Notwith-
he fae ,at ni1e justices OF the Peaee With
| their clerks and Constables and deputies were
same aans' assembly which enlarged the Police be
partment added additional Justices. constables.
ei incidental ' cos, ~ Of providing them with quarte
stationery. fuel and other incidental expenses es:
pede several Of the city departments in the per per
situation Is not due to any fault Of the mnnci-
| with With submitted. R in the following language:
s in s nSs nr S
eral wastetulness. but mainly by the growth OF
he shf OF the c
and other expenses piled upon the city by @ the
he s Of Ge snS
The Board Of Police Commissioners is !. a law
else. Neither the Mayor. aiunieipal Assembly or
| ment can demur to their demands All that any
city officer can do Is at at their & 70 stand
no control of expenditures in this department
sse S M a he
| Of tho Board of Police Commissioners on the
paTe and submit to Your body an estimate Of the
amount of money which 1t may require Tor the
Without Without any any action @ Whatever on Your part.
on my part or on the part of any city ortcai ia
e h s1 hs f for 'es the e us Of e
Department the amount so certified. This est. est
be presented within the next two days, Under
Existing sta t s to 5e hoped bs that hs sas
have the right to seqnestrate out OF the public
as a. as Ey Gw as as they ea and deal with
i am pleased to 5s able to savls. YOU tina. tina
hs y s st yce Of s hs
+; begun upon the pavilion plan recommended in
S p4ees m al hs naa
with due regard for the public good 49,.
work Of iprsSisg RafTi our stree, sSsssms
| hammered by OF existing Charter
| provisions and that change in this organic law
| could be prosecuted with the proper vigor. In
| that same connection more than two years ago l
| also added that the celebration OF the Louis
| lana Purchase by great Worlds Fair IN our
city seemed to be settled fact. and that II was
| most desirable that the streets and sewers be
| views have come to be generally recognized ana
1 have no doubt that the prevailing public senti-
| ment will soon bring about the necessary amend,
| ments TO our city Charter. as well as needful
! changes in the Constitution Of the state. now re-
stricting the city's right Of taxation and or m
| ments so that public work can be resumed in the
| direction which have referred. ms wen as IN
! the enlargement the renovation and the repiac-
| ing OF many Of public institutions which we
| have far olltgrown. And in this connection
| again call special attention TO the 3vercrowded
| .sThe placing of heavily charged wires under,
| ground In the heart Of the city has psosressed
| In n very satisfactory way. and hundreds OF un-
| slightly poles and miles of wire have been re-
moved adding greatly to the appearance OF Una, ma.
| led The only poles and wires still to ne found
above the surface in the territory bounded by me
! river Twenty-second street. Wash street ana
Spruce street are those belonging 70 the teIe-
| eraph and telephone companies. carrying low
fo he enacted not only affording these companies
| an cpnortunIty Of following the example OF the
| lighting companies. but compe,l'ng them 20 90 So
! 1.-THE certainty OF the WoIlds Falr ceieptatinm
u,I,I hiring about beyond all doubt. an activity
| In business such we have not known oeIore'
and II is to be hoped will create an era OF pres
nerity In this city unparalleled in her history Re-
fpee'iuiiS Thy. ZIEGENHEIN. Mayor"