New-York tribune., 1906-07-22

chased is paid for in cash; that is the bills are
all paid on the 10th of each month, which is the
date for settling accounts in vogue IN the CITY.
The city had a valuable plant for dispoSing OF
the sewage which was the occasion for oond
issue of about S3J0,O00, and 1t was so nearly
ruined that It practically was OF no use. IhlS
big plant has been cleaned, repaired and put in
shape TO perform the work for which 1t was
built.
The city lies in a soil which makes black mud
in rainy periods. and as only the business por-
tion has been paved as II should be, this mud
hauled on the paVements and there caked
causing the streets to have an untidy appear
ance, and the dirt generally found it's way into
the storm sewers, choking them There is now
not only perfect system of cleaning the streets
at a small expense, but the commission has
bought with cash from the revenues (all other
paving has been done by Issuing bonds) three
million brick with which to do lot Of additional
paving the coming year.
In the residence quarter a number Of men are
kept employed on the streets ditching them, so
that the water may not stand, and grading them
so that the water may flow into the bitches and
prevent the accumulation Of mud. Just as many
men were employed under the old system. but
they didn't do the work. being partisans of one
alderman or another. Now they are hired by the
day, and If they don't work they are turned off
at once.
Dividing the city is Buffalo Bayou. an arm of
Galveston Bay. A number of bridges span this
at different points, and under the old system
these bridges had fallen into such condition that
some Of them were actually unsafe. 1t was no
ones business to see that they were repaired and
kept in order, and there wasn't any money to
spare with which TO do the work. Under the
system of the commissioners is in
charge Of the streets and bridges The commits
sioners have spent $4,000 on the bridges all OF
them have been repaired and repainted and are
adjudged safe by the inspector. Such sum as
$4,000 would not under the old system have
done one-third the work or done 1t one-third as
we'll
For the last several years there has been a
crying need for more schoolhouses. A number
OF them have been built at considerable expense,
but they were no more than completed than
another was needed. The old Council was frank
IN saying that If any more schOolhouses were
Dul4L there would have to be more bond issues.
The commission has promised to spend 100000
on three new school buildings the coming year.
ana Is already advertising for bids for the first
one That sum would have built two schools
under the old system, and there would have
been bonds to pay per cent per annum on for
forty years. The commission will get the
money out Of the general revenue
Under the old system there was much prop-
erty that escaped taxation altogether some OF II
commission has instituted a system whereby
every bit of the land within the city's limits
has been listed and put on the rolls. A general
raising Of the assessment values has been made
(thOugh there is lack OF system 10 this which
amounts to inJustice), the tax rate has been
slightly reduced and the revenues OF the city
will be considerably increased another year
The Tax Department for the first time in the
history OF the city is being run on a business
basis.
The greatest reform which has been instituted
lies in the fact that aside from the Mayor and
the four aldermen. there is no employe Of the
city who has a term" The Chief OF Police. the
Chief OF the Fire Department the Tax Assessor