The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-05-18


the Work Of the Diffe
To THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL. OF
THE CITY OF MILBANK.
l beg leave to submit my annua
report relating to the city affairs
FINANCES.
On the first day of May, 1905, there
the date of this reportthere is Sl362. Al
made up as follows: General fund
1907 Al; waterworks fund, S1O9. IS: in.
terst fund &2l7. IL; library fund S169. 81
sewer fund, 1858 II. There has been col.
lected for the general fund for the
year, S1O.5O2.5O, made up of S393O. OF
of taxes collected, and S6572. 40 for
licenses and miscellaneous items. The
collections for the interest fund have
been $2004. 43; for the library fund S491..
SO. The total amount paid into the
city treasury being S12.998. 86. The
reports of the city auditor and the
city treasurer show the disbursements
in detail.
TAXATION.
The assessed valuation of the city as
equalized by the state and county
boards for the year of 1905 was $374,-
41S. 90, aside from telephone and tele-
graph lines and lands attached for
school purposes, an increase of $780,
$1,000 over the previous year on prac-
tically the same basis of assessment,
Taxation has been increased some
what during the past year, which we
all knew would follow as q conse-
quence OF the public improvements
made by the city. believe. however,
that the city has received dollar for
dollar in value for everything expend-
ed, and that all monies have been we'll
expended, and | see no reason why
taxation should not be decreased to
an appreciable extent during the CON-
ing year. In my last annual report,
among others, l made the folio Ning
recommendation: SIN making the
next assessment, I would suggest that
real and personal property be assess
cd proportlonately the same as to it's
true value. Heretofore, personal
property has been assessed higher
than real; which think is q mistake.
dent property owner should not pay
will never be done where the personal
non-residents never pay any personal
taxes" I again repeat this recon-
mend alton and especially recommend
that stocks of goods and real proper
ty be assessed in the same proportion.
Our merchants are pay ing more taxes
than they should and it is our duty to
SO adjust these matters that the bur-
dens of taxation shall be equal for all
of our people. l would also recon-
mend that the city council and the
assessor do their full duty as
to the assessment of monies
and credits. Last year the sum of
$lOO was all that was returned for the
entire county of Grant for monies and
credits, and as q result of the failure
of the assessors to do their duty, the
taxes of merchants have been raised
higher than they should have been to
realize revenues required for our city,
county and state. If we all do our
duty under the law, taxation will be
equalized and the burdens of those
who have their property in sight will
be greatly decreased.
SEWERAGE.
There seems to be at this time but one
opinion asto the benefits received by our
city from the sewerage stem that has
been planned and installed during the
past three years. The work was first
class in every way and there has been
practically no expense for keeping the
same in repair. The first cost of our
system seemed high to many of our
people, but system was installed
that will last for all time, which will
ultimately be far cheaper than systems
that have been installed in other
places, where in few years it was
necessary to do the work over again
hope that that the proposed extern
sion on Sixth street and on Fifth av-
enue may be built the present year.
and also that the Third street sewer
may be built at once. The plan of
issuing sewer certificates, as adopted
and worked out by the council has
made il possible to install what we
already have, and every effort should
be made to negotiate such sewer cer-
tificates as the council may be Obliged
to issue for unpaid assessments The
work certainly cannot go on until we
know where we can place the certif.
Gates.
WATERWORKS.
Our waterworks system has been
satisfactory in every way except as to
the city we'll. About $4,000. 90 was ex.
pended in digging and attempting to
repair and clean out the city well
that was dug in 1904, but the well
proved to be "a failure and the city lost
the money. This has been q matter
OF serious regret on the part of the
city council and mayor, but no one
seemed to be to blame for it. The
we'll appeared to be all right when il
was accepted and those who accepted
it could not have done otherwise at
the time. Since then the city has con-
structed two other wells, one inches
and the other inches in diameter,
which it is hoped will prove to be
successful. The water is of the finest
duality. The receipts from the sale
of city water now amount practically
$50 per month, which has brought an
average profit of about $40 month to
the city over the amount paid to the
Railway company for the supply, and
il our wells stand the test, feel that
4 c<%< mn tor v,y06uOod the re-.