Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-05-08
MAYORS MESSAGE
Continued from First Page.

cleaning of the town should be
ordered. The following plan for
accomplishing this result is pre-
sented for your consideration: Let
it be known that all rubbish and
filth must be removed from private
premises and from thestreets abut-
ting thereon at once. Further let
It be known that if property owners
and tenants will collect all rubbish
and refuse and place the same in
boxes or barrels where it will be
easy Of access, the city will furnish
wagons and teams to remove it to
some point outside the city limits
where it can be burned. Let the
marshal accompany the wagon to
see that the cleaning has been
thoroughly done, and in case the
occupant of the premises refuses or
neglects to comply with the request
of the council, to promptly and
vigorously enforce the provisions
Of the nuisance ordinance upon the
delinquent. Let it be known that
after this work is done the people
will be expected to keep their
property clear of rubbish and filth
without any further help from the
city. The city should at the same
time show its good faith in the
matter by removing from the street
crossings all loose rock, old lumber,
limbs Of trees, waste paper, or other
trash that may have accumulated,
and also by ordering general
cleaning up Of the city hall lot. II
concerted move is made, it will
be an easy and not expensive
matter to make Dallas a clean city,
and after this result is once accom-
plished it will not be difficult to
keep it SO without further cost to
the city. Until such time as a
water and sewerage system is in
stalled, the clubhouse problem will
be perplexing one to the officers
to whom the work of making Dallas
a clean and healthful town is in
trusted, but a great improvement
over present conditions may be
made if proper regulations as to
cleaning and disinfecting are insist
ed upon. A clean town is a healthy
town, and those persons who have
not sufficient pride and enterprise
to keep their premises in a neat
and cleanly condition should be
compelled to do so. The Woodman
Street Carnival to be held here in
June will draw thousands of visitors
to Dallas. and the town should be
made as beautiful and inviting as
possible before that time. Pending
the building of the works,
we cannot show these guests beauti-
ful lawns and well-sprinkled streets,
but we can ut least show them
clean town.
NEEDED LAWS.
A multiplicity of laws is to be
avoided, and those that we have
should be strictly enforced. If,
however, new laws are needed at
any time, the Council should not
hesitate to enact them promptly.
The new criminal ordinance
is an especially comprehensive
measure and the City Marshal and
Police Judge join in testifying to
its effectiveness. 1t covers wide
range of offenses, and under its
provisions peace and good order
can be, and are, maintained. The
only amendment to the criminal
ordinance suggested by the officers
is one making it misdemeanor to
disturb any religious service or
public meeting, or to loiter about
any church building during services,
or about any school house during
school hours. Such an amendment
is needed, and should be enacted.
The nuisance ordinance should |
be so amended as to make it the
duty of all property owners to keep
the grass growing in the street in
front of their premises closely cut.
This amendment should be made
without delay. The nuisance ordi-
nance should also contain a pro-
vision requiring the proprietors of
fruit and confectionery stores to
place in front Of their places of
business neat boxes or baskets in.
to which all fruit rinds, nutshells,
and other waste matter may be
iArown.
CITY TREAsURER's SALARY,
| would recommend an amend
ment to the ordinance fixing the
compensation of the City Treasurer.
Under the terms of the present
ordinance, the Treasurer receives
for handling the city funds one-half
Of one per cent. of all moneys paid
into the treasury, and the same
compensation on all sums paid out.
1 would suggest that the law be so
amended as to allow the Treasurer
no compensation for handling
money derived from the sale of
bonds, where the same is paid into
his hands in large amounts and
Immediately paid out in like
manner. For example: The amount
of bonds proposed to be issued by
tl,a o;f,, fo,. ,x,otar ,.orlye ;s ok OOO |