The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-05-17
Mayor Rickert's Report /.

To THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF s1ssEToN.
| beg leave to submit herewith my report
relating to city affairs.
ON the first day OF May 1905 there was in
the city treasury S5619,16. AT the date of this
report there is in the treasury Ss059.46 made
up as follows:
General fund S3lO2 Is
Water works fund 2t2.la
Interest fund 1858
Sinking fund 22O9.9 81
Sinking fund invested in warrants 1885. so
Amt. of warrants drawing Z per cent 2497. "a
The assessed va uation OF the city of Sisse-
ton as equalized by the city board of Equali-
cation for the year 1905 was S3ls,5 on. This
does not include the telegraph nor telephone
lines whose value is fixed by the state, max
ing an increase in valuation since 1905 of
about S30500. The total amount of levy for
1906 was 5000.
In making the assessment for 1907 would
recommend that all real estate and personal
property be assessed proportionately, the
same as to its true value. 1t is a mistake to
assess personal property higher than real
estate. A non resident property owner
ought to pay his just proportion Of the taxes.
but DIS he never has any personal property to
SNN'' ~ '"' 'C'> 'S'A' -,
high as the actual resident with more or less
personal property.
WATER WORKS.
Our water system continues to be "A source
of much pride and comfort to our city Sis
seton's water works is without any doubt one
OF the very best in the state. The tower
needs repainting ard some othe repairs at
once. AS superintendent of water works.
H. l.. Corteiyou fills the bill and / will be
pleased to see the incoming Council retain
him in that position
SEWERAGE.
The city is in crying need of a good sewer
age system. and as soon as She has somewhat
recovered from her years of needful expendi-
lures, She should take steps to establish
Il systemthruout The cityiuand to put such
parts of it!nto operation from time to time
as seems most necessary. Sewerage for the
schools and u court house at this time
are an absol lie necessity. and ought to
command the Immediate attention of the
patrons OF theschool, much less the board of
county commissioners who are maintaining
an annoying cess pool on the court house
grounds at u cost bordering on something
like S35o. 90 to. S40O.U % "a year.
CITY POLICE.
At times our police force has been some
what out of commission. not because we
wished it SO. but because the appetites of
men are often beyond the control of the
city's administration AS often as could
better these conditions | did so. Because of
the aggressiveness of the lawless element.
the "knockers'' called us Il wide open
town. So long have this element been in
control that Il rigid reinforcement of law at
this time by our police force. is Il task of no
small proportion. The police. force and the
have been stubbornly resis t
ed by this element and their sympathizers
We have Kept at work however undoubted
and the various nests of ~iniquity are fast be
ing scented and baniShed. we hope never to
return.
Give your police officers the. working tools
of their profession and assist and advise
them in their work and when a criminal has
been taken before your courts. insist on a
fine and punishment in. accordance with the
crime committed. Police officers and courts
of Justice are created for the benefit OF this
class and they ought to pay ,he costs.
SALARIES N APPOINTMENTS.
The office of city attorney is a very i'm
portant one, its to him the Council looks for
sensible legal advice. Mr.. Ed. Turner has
been your legal adviser. for the past two
y Sthh' AA> iAab WI tkiie ohOLk llS Ii
his work, has been active in the preparation
of the many necessary ordinances and
great amount of work belonging to the city
and for its good. and L take great pleasure in
recommending him for your further con-
sideration.
l DEPARTMENT
| am indeed very proud of the high stand
AID of Sisseton's fire department. ltiS we'll
organized and very efficient. There are men
in this department who would do credit to a
salaried fire department in some much larger
city.
CITY COUNCIL.
Our city has been very fortunate indeed in
having such Il competent and unselisb city
council. In its Deliberations there has been
no selfshness. no strife, NJ discord, no par
tisan feeling has crept in anywhere. Each
member has worked faithfully for the best
interests of Sisseton. each official act has
been the result of the most careful considera-
ton of the whole body.
May 1st, 1907.
ia. RiCKERT,
Retiring Mayor.