The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-09
ALEXANDER CITY'S NEW
 MAYOR ADDRESSES BOARD
A. p. FuouAY, IN DELIVERING HIS MESSAGE TO THE COUNCIL, AD- vANcEs SOME IDEAS WHICH. IF CARRIED OUT, WILL DO MUCH FOR THAT PROSPEROUS AND GROWING TOWN.

Alexander City. April s.-(Special. .)-At meeting of the new board of aldermen, Mayor A. P. Fuquay delivered his first message. It is regarded as one of the strongest arguments for advancement of municipal affairs heard for many years. The message follows:
 The Honorable Board of Aldermen of Alexander City, In Council
 Gentlemen:-In assuming the responsi- ble duties encumbent upon this office and before your honorable body shall have arrived at that stage in your care full deliberations to require my services as the executive deem it important and wise as well as a justice to your- selves, being my counsellors to call your attention to some important facts as an outline of the policy of this administra- ton touching the greatest needs of this city.
 The growth of our city and it's material and lasting development as an industrial and commercial center are mainly de- pendent upon five principles:
 First-Its moral credit before the eyes of the Christian world.
 Second-Its financial credit before the eyes of the business world.
 Third-Its public and industrial inn provements permanently established. Fourth-Its revenues, collected equita- bly, from every citizen alike and judi ciously expended
 Fifth-The enactment and the preserva- tion of wholesome laws and the mainten- ance of law and order.
 It Is a proof accepted without denial that the moral and social fabric of any city and the preservation and the main tenance thereof depend largely upon it's boys and girls through the proper culti- vation of their minds and their morals. And in view of the fact that the schools of our country are a strong arm to our moral and progressive institutions, we would therefore recommend to your careful consideration that such ordin- ances and laws be enacted regulating our city school, and wise appropriations be made consistent and conservative with our other much needed domestic Improvements, looking to the perpetua- tion of this worthy institution of learn ing.
 Revenues.
 The public faith and public credit, to- gether with the material upbuiding and the healthy growth of any city, are main- ly dependent upon two fundamental principles.
 First-Upon that genuine faith reposed by each private citizen in a citys suc- cessful achievements
 Second-Upon a well regulated and per-
  ically and impartially administered.
 We, therefore. recommend to your hon. orable body the establishment of board of revenue whose duty 1t shall be to look carefully into the true and correct mar ket valuation of all ta able properties within the corporate limits of this city. After ascers aiming the current needs of the city government, this board may then establish given percentage upon the market value of all property, as a rev enue valuation or tax basis. and from this capitalized basis the rate of taxation may be correctly and equitably estab- lished to every property owner. equal and alike to all, adequate to the citys needs. M
 Public improvements.
 The progressive spirit in the hearts of our citizenship is no longer content with unsanitary conditions and unimproyed streets. We should advise that steps of a careful nature be taken at the earliest practicable date to establish certain per- manent Improvements on our streets, also that the sanitary regulations of our city be kept rigidly enforced.
 Neither are the property owners of this city any longer contented to allow the vast amounts they have invested within the city to remain unprotected against the ravages of fire.
 For your consideration we recommend the establishment of a system of water works, and that a committee on water works be appointed whose duty it shall be to investigate and report to this coun- cl at the earliest possible date the cost of establishing and maintaining an ade- quate system of waterworks for fire pro- lection throughout this entire city.
 Enterprise.
 We commend the city and it's citizen ship for that spirit of domestic enter prise, both public and private, charac- teristic of it's past and it's present. there- by insuring its permanent development and its unparalleled successes as a city. We further commend our merchants, our bankers and our professional men, and each private citizen for their zeal and business energy in their private under takings.
 But one must never forget that heroic unity of purpose. always charact eristlc of our people, recently exhibited by every citizen alike, to meet and to suc- cessfully stem the tide Of the greatest disaster from fire which has ever be- fallen any city of like population, in which, during four hours of whitening flames, the last vestige of the business portion of our beautiful city was laid in ashes. consuming thirty-eght business houses with their stocks, together with many residences. aggregating a loss of
 
 In the face of this calamity our citizen ship with that same unity of purpose. and with one accord having an abiding and lasting faith in the future success of Alexander City and it's strategic location as 3 commercial and business center have liberally re-invested their money laid in their stocks, and rebuilt the city more beautiful and more permanent, to the enormous aggregate of nearly five hundred thousand dollars. Of such genuine faith reposed by every citizen alike in the city's future, one could not speak in terms too highly com mendable. And in this gigantic under taking successfully accomplished. every citizen alike has proven himself an heroic factor to our citys history and its per- manent and lasting success Much may also be said of the retiring mayor and council for their splendid services and their untiring efforts in time of such chaotic disaster. in the preserva- tion of law and order and rebuilding our public buildings, and in bringing this city safely through such a calamity with our public credit unimpaired. leaving the city government resting without a dol- lar of remembrance. Their successful ef- forts in this will ever be remembered by grateful citizenship.
 Invitation to Capital.
 This administration should not neglect to trx,ita and to prornote the fnveet m on