Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1903-08-19
PROGRESSIVE MACON
A MISSOURI TOWN RUN ON ST $50
a YEAR.

Some Results of Municipal Owner
ship of Public yvorlxs--LarSe PROFIT
Made ON the Towns Light and
Water Plants.
Macon, Mo-, town of 5000 inhab-
itants, has proved the advantages Of
municipal ownership of public works,
says the st. Louis Post Dispatch It
has paid 100000 for public improve
ments. Last year the city made over
$4,000 on it's light and water plants.
The salaries of the leading municipal
officers of Macon are only 800 year
each, yet during the time they have
been serving they have encountered
and mastered problems that would
worry expert promoters OF course
they have not built any stone faced
houses nor invested heavily in railroad
stock, but they have given the town
the very best Of their business ability
and have guided it safely across some
obstacles that seriously jeopardized its
interests.
During their administration all the
heavy improvements of the Burlington
were made, involving some 100000
worth of excavation through the heart
Of the town, and the harassed officers
had the railroad company on one side
and complaining citizens on the other
to listen to and mollify. Most of the
street paving has been done under the
supervision of these Ill paid officers,
and the waterworks, sewer system
and electric lighting plant have been
looked after by them, because Macon.
Is municipal ownership town. The
plants referred to have been improved
and extended and today are paying
their way.
The combined water and electric sys-
tenn is worth about $4,000, and the
sewerage plant cost $4,000. There are
gorty-one arc lights ON the streets
which, Of course, produce no city rev.
enue-and 1900 sixteen candle power
fncandescents in stores and offices.
The city attorney, N. M. Lacy, gets
salary of $500 year and fee of $1.5o
for every defendant convicted or that
pleads guilty.
w. w. Cox, the police judge, gets $40
q month and is on duty in the police
court every legal working day in the
year He gets no fees or other per-
quisites from the city. He is happily
married and seems to be able to make
both ends meet despite the city's eco
nomical way Of reWarding him.
Charles L. Farrer gets 500 year as
city clerk and SD month as electric
light and water commissioner. In fix
ing his salary the council reasoned that
the latter title ought to be worth some
thing, and SO Charles takes part of his
pay in glory. He has been city clerk
since 1886 and can't recall the time
when he had opposition
The most extravaganza salary paid to
any of the towns officers goes to James
Woods, chief of police. Mr.. Woods is
a Democrat. The town Is Republican.
but the party voted for Mr.. Woods at
the last election because 1t thought him
the best man. He gets $40 a month and
lives well His office excites a fiercer
contest at election time than any other
the city has to give out. He has made
it hot for the gamblers and toughs and
has won the approval Of the members
Of both parties who supported him.
Mayor ]. J. Davis and the councilmen,
who draw $50 a year each, make their
living, of course, at other pursuits. A
man has to have pretty good bank ac-
count before he can afford to hold
job that pays practically nothing.
Macon has 5000 population and free
mail delivery. When the debt con-
tracted for improvements is extin-
guished it will begin to reward its
faithful servants. The gross receipts
from the electric light and water plant
for the year ending March l, 1903, were
$8,163.74, operating expenses for the
same period, $3,s43.75, leaving a profit
of $4,319.9O ito apply on bond debt.