The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-04-20
CITY treasury.

er project AZ not 90 pe mAde AZ pilce or
at ons time. but will. on the other
nand. be spread over a period Of per-
haps several months aud IL is also trne
that the city will probably derive
several thousand dollars in the month
OF May from licenses b dealers IN
spirituous and other liquors. II the
revenue arising from this source should
amount to as much as may be reason
ably expected, 10 is safe 20 say that
this. together with the money now IN
the treasury, will more than suffice TO
finance the sewer work Main in Sewer
District Number Two. What the sur
plus. if any, will be can not be es-
timated with sufficient accuracy 10
Justify the attempt. but II IL should be
enough TO defray the ordinary current
expenses Of the city during the present
year and to pay the bond Of five
thousand dollars which will mature on
the first day Of next August. | believe
this is the utmost tnat can be fairly
expected
This brings us TO the question of the
present condition of the municipal
waterworks and electric lighting sys-
TENS and the means whereby the adj
ditions and improvements now deemed
absolutely essential can be paid for.
The present plant at the time IL was
installed some five years ago was con-
sidered large enough TO meet all re-
quirements for many years TO come,
but the large subsequent increase In
our population which was not, and
could not. at that time have been for
seen OF reasonably expected has rem
dered the plant 30 inadequate that en-
largement thereof was urgently de-
manded and can not wisely or safely be
deferred IL would serve no useful pur-
pose for me TO point out wherein the
present plant fails us. but ! can not
refrain from reminding you that we
are entirely without adequate fire pro-
lection and that this Is matter which
Is, and ought 10 be- source OF deep
anxiety TO all who understand this as
pect OF the situation IL is condition
which ought not 10 be tolerated a
moment longer than such time as is
absolutely required 10 correct IL. 1t
concerns not only the owners of pro-
perty subject 10 destruction by fire but
also all other members Of the com
munity whose welfare depends upon
the prosperity and wellbeing OF the
community. II affects property
directly and Immediately, il does so
none the less certainly, and all are or
should be, interested in having the
proper remedy applied at the earliest
time when 10 can be done.
! believe some preliminary plans
have recently been prepared for the
amplitcation and improvement Of the
power plant and its equipment and
that the council has caused some In.
quiry 10 be made regarding prices OF
waterwheels, pumps, generators and
other necessary or desirable 10 carry
out the proposed enlargement. ana also
regarding the cost Of making the ne
cessary changes in the dam, building
an addition 10 the power-house and
doing other work in that connection
and believe 10 has been estimated
that the accomplishment Of the desired
Improvements will cost about twenty
thousand dollars
see no means by which the city
can finance such an undertaking other
than further issue Of bonds. The
city now has outstanding waterworks
and electric light bonds 10 the amount
of forty-six thousand dollars OF princi-
pal, upon which interest Il being paid
at the rate of five per centum per
annum, and 1t is therefore particularly
unfortunate that any increase of the
bonded indebtedness has TO be- suggest
ed at this time but If we consider the
facts Of the situation with which we
are confronted aud with which we are
compelled 10 deal. and calculate onr
available resources on the one hand
ana the demands which will be made
upon them on the other, it seems that
a further issue Of bonds can be avoided
only by foregoing these necessary i'm.
provments ! should be most happy II
a way could be devised by which these
improvements could be obtained with.
out bond issue.
The streets of the city. aside from
the usual spring cleaning, will need
much. attention in the near future.
None OF them. as far a. ] am aware, Is
In condition dangerous 10 public
travel but there are some places where
repair work seems very desirable and
especially Is this true OF many OF the
crosswalks and sidewalks La regard
10 the latter, IL will be my policy TO
hold the property owners to a strict
responsibility for the condition Of
their sidewalks and If the cooperation
OF the council shall become necessary,
IA IL undoubtedly will. You will be-