The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-16
Mayor EIy's Message TO Common Council

+
PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF Com
MON CoUNCIL:-
Once more we commence Il New
Year all through which careful
watch should be constantly kept on
expenditures of the taxpayers money.
No unnecessary work should be taken
up and only positively necessary re-
| pairs should be made until the tinan-
cial condition of our city is greatly
improved.
The matchmaking of the remainder
of York street from Franklin to the
county line. to connect with the new
macadam road now extending u
Ringoes, and which this coming sum
mer will be completed from Ringoes
to Pennington, is i'll my opinion
necessary and should be completed.
This work, however, should be done
by contract, for which plans and
specifications should be drawn, the
Job advertised for and given to the
lowest bidder, if responsible; the
work to be done under the superyi-
sion and to the entire satisfaction of
the Street Committee, the Street
! Commissioner being the inspector
and personal representative of the
Street Committee, and To stay on the
work and see that same is done as
per contract. This work should be
done and such material used as to
conform favorablv with tue new
county road. and no such material
used IA was used on the piece of road
lately completed on York street, from
the corner of Main to the corner OF
Franklin street.
In the suit of the city against the
! Atlantic and Pacific Ecu Company,
the court decided that the city ordi-
nance regulating the licensing and
| timing of lleddlers was illegn'. NJ it
provided IL slidiug scale III dlas.
| THIS is matter think which should
he taken up, and our City Solicitor
draw an ordinance which will be legal
| under which II license can be collected
and fines imposed from the different
classes of peddlers. as 1t is not fair
| that outside aud nonresident parties
can come here peddling truck, crock
eryware. beer, soft drinks etc. with
| out any payment whatever, while our
citizens who do this pay taxes and
licenses and are residents and good
citizens.
Our street lights ARE not up to the
standard aud there are entirely too
many lights ont ut different times and
| places. Hardly II night passes that
there are not lights ont somewhere
some part Of the evening, and the
complaints are too numerous. There
should not be n light ont anywhere,
only at very rare intervals. ] am we'll
aware that in the electric business the
unforeseen will happen mt the power
honse, but the greater part of the
trouble Is not there, 80 much as il is
the lights themselves, as the lights ON
the same circuit burn Mt one corner
and on the next are ont aud looks as
if care enough was not taken with the
lights themselves. For the amount
of money paid we should have ant
demand service of the very best.
wish to compliment the city on
their present body of city officials
both elective and appointive, and
know Of no city better in this respect
than our OWL
la closing, wish to call your at
tention to the low salary paid to the
Mayor. The chief executive Of til,
city ls the lowest paid official outside
of the City Reporter and Pound Keep
made demands for charity, and
worthy demands many of them, that
will take the largest part of his salary.
| OF course it may be said that he is not
compelled to listen, not alone give,
| but if he doesn't he is the meanest
man ever elected TO that HONORABLE
Office BESIDES these demands Of
| charity. he IL called from his family
| and business all hours of the day and
night, and must bear the burdens and
| listen to all complaints of the hum
bIest citizens. He should also he Civ
en- more power to deal with law break
ers, especially III the way of commit
ting them to the county inii. His
powers are now limited to IL sentence
| Of seven days III the city Jail or u fine,
or both, which are generally consid
cred easy by most prisoners. Also he
wards for the detection and convic-
ton of thieves or mnrderers, such rs
we had in our city lately, without the
necessity Of calling Council together
This ! think, could easily be arrang
ed for, by the passing of II new ordin-
ance, and trust it will be taken up by
your honorable body very soon. In
reference to the salary question OF
Mayor, trust it may be increased
during the year so TINT the FORTUNATE
gentleman that is elected in Noveiu-
Der, 1907, for two years, will have
something substantial to look for
ward to for the duties he is called
upon to perform.
Very respectfully,
ALFRED +. ELY, Mayor.
Under the pure food law, which be-
came effective January lst, the De
| e