The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-05-18
Mayors Annual Report
TO the City Council With Recommendation on
the Work of the Di IF e r ent ID D t m g n Is

tn Recommendations on
ent Departm m 6 ents
SIDEWALKS AND CROSSINGS.
During the last year q large mum,
Der OF crossings were built by the city
OF as good and substantial q chsrai.
ter as were ever built in the city @ =
saving of practically one-fourth o1
the cost thereof. have felt all alone
that previous to last year the city
paid too much for its crossings, and
while the amount last year was posi-.
bly, little lower than the contr actors
could build them with any profit 70
themselves, at the same time the city
should not pay very much In exceeo
OF last years prices. understand
that cement Is fifty cents per barrel
higher this year than last, which
would make little difference, but L.
Dor is practically the same. There
was also substantial reduction and
| saving to our people in the matter OF
cement sidewalks, which is equally
gratifying, and but little, II any, ID.
vance In price should be allowed the
coming year, and while sidewalks arc
paid for by property owners, at the
same time 1t is the duty of the city
council to see to it that reasonable
prices are secured by private owners,
In letting contra acts for the city work.
the council should reserve the right TO
reject any and all bids that may b.
made. l do not deem it wise for tho
city to construct it's own walks, Il
reasonable prices are bid for the work.
but unless the bids, especially for
crossings, are reasonable, the city
should build them.
TRADE CONDITIONS
Conditions during the last year
have. as l understand, been satisfac.
tory on the whole. Our merchants
have not done the volume of business
they should have done perhaps, which
is due In q large degree to the inys.
sion OF the catalog and supply houses.
The prosperity Of the city of Milbank
will be no greater than that made b.
our merchants and business men. Up.
on our business men depends the ft,.
ture welfare and upbuildlng of our
city. Hence, it is the duty of Tho
council, and of everyone who believes
that our city has future, and that Il
can be made Q greater and better city
than it is at the present time, to do
everything possible to encourage our
own people and those who live In ter
ritory adjacent to the city to patron
lze our own merchants, who pay the
bulk OF our taxes and make the exis.
tence OF our city possible. II is4 our
business men who support the schools.
the churches, and who contribute %
all charitable enterprises and UNDER
takings, and unless we cO-operate
with them it will be impossible for
them to stand the burdens to which
they are subjected. My information
is that goods can be secured cheaper
here at home than from the catalO9
houses, while Inequality is far superior
TO those that are shipped in, and
those who buy here have chance 10
examine the goods and know just what
they are buying. It also occurs 10
me that if our merchants advertiae6
their wares some what more than they
do, and advertised special sales nov
and then, they would in that way ac.
quaint people with the wares they are
carrying and the prices thereof, which
would be greatly to their advantage.
In my judgmCnb, the large sales of the
catalOg houses are in very great
measure due to the systematic and
persistent advertising done by these
concerns.
GRANT COUNTY TELEPHONE COMPANY.
1t is matter of much satisfaction
to the city council and to myself q
know thatthe Grant County Telephone
company organized something over :
year ago, has in successful operation
about four hundred miles Of telephone
line and about fiYe.hundred telephones
and has established successful ex-
change in our city. It is local en-.
terprlse and deserves the support of
our people.
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
The last year has been one where
the private city improvements have
exceeded 10000 Several business
blocks have been erec ed which would
be credit to any town much larger
than this, while many, largesub bstantial
privste residences have been erected.
The indications are that many SUBJ
stantial improvements of like character
will be made the coming year.
CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
Under the direction of our city H.
brary board the Carnegie library has
been substantially completed. It is .
very neat and tasty building, we'll ad-
apted to the use for which ii is intend.
ed, and it is certainly credit to tho
city and to those who are instrument
al in building and securing tho same.
DEPARTMENTS.
The same excellent police service
that have had occasion TO refer to IN
former reports, we have hsd during
the past year. Burglarfes and hold
uws are unknown ia our city. We
! may feel that our persons ana pro-
perties are safe with the service thaf
we are new having. The board az
health, the fire departments, and all
other boards and departments IN tho
city have performed the duties reouir.
cd of them under the law and ordin.
ances to our satisfaction. They -
certainly entitled to our thanks and
praise for their services.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
The increasing vote In favor Of tho
sale OF intoxicating LIQUORS ot the ln1n