Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-02
Municipality Has Big Debt and
Stands in Need of Municipal
Improvements
AND OTHER MATTERS
Mayor Wiley Points Out Needs of the
City and Estimates Probable Cost
More Lights, Street Paving, Larger
Police Force and Other Metropolitan
Necessities Contemplated.
Special to Tirnes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Grinnell, April 2.-The new city
council held it's first meeting last
night. Grinnell has many municipal
problems confronting it, and much in.
,terest was manifest in the message OF
the mayor, E. Fl, Wiley. The mayor
reported on financial and other prob
lens in part as follows:
''In coming before you this evening
for the first time as your presiding Of
fcer wish to present for your con-
sideration some of the things l should
like to see done for our city during the
next two years.
I'VE take up the reins of govern
ment for the city of Grinnell somewhat
Handicapped in regard to finances. The
city has a bonded Indebtedness of
$4,000, the inde pendent school district
has an Indebtedness of about $4,000,
making an Indebtedness of $4,000.
We have an unpaid judgment Of $4,000
and costs that must be paid; then the
outlet of our sewer must be fixed IN
some way to prevent judgments being
obtained in the future.
Il am told that the retiring council
has investigated the matter of sewer
outlet, and find that one way to fix
the same is to put in what is known
as filter beds. The estimated cost is
about $4,000, if we put in beds suffl-
Gent for fifteen or twenty years. Pos
sibIy beds could be put in for half the
price that would last for ore-half to
one third the time. Say it costs $10,-
600 to fix the sewer outlet and $4,000
to pay the judgment and costs, we
have a total Indebtedness of $10S,000.
There are other ways to fix the sewer
outlet that / want you to Investigate.
We now have in operation what is
known as a septic tank, but it does
not seem to do the work Now that is
either due to faulty construction or
the principle is at fault. I understand
these septic tanks, when properly con-
do the work. There is anoth-
er way to dispose of sewerage, that Is
by burning Possibly that is too ex-
pensive for city of this size, but it
should be Investigated. This matter
must and will be settled in the best
and most economical way. In addi-
ton to ollr $10S,000 Indebtedness we
have another item that / want to call
your attention to, that is that the OPP
ton on our water works lots will ex-
pire next year, 1908. That should be
paid then by all means.
"There are many improvements l
would like to see made soon. First, paw
ing our streets, but with a debt of
about $4,000 and a tax levy of "
mills it doesn't seem to me to be the
time for such a move. 1t must be re-
membered that when we pave, the
whole cost does not come out of the
AUDITING property owner. All inter-
sections of streets and alleys and
around the public park and public
buildings, such as school houses, water
works ard city hall, must be paid for by
the city. The cost to come out of the
city treasury will be about two-fifths
of the TRIAL cost, and in the first few
miles of paving that is done, it will be
much more than that, from the fact
that the first streets to be paved would
be Broa:l street and Third avenue to
the depot, Fourth avenue east to the
Baptist church and south on Park
street to the depot. The park ADULTS
on all tile streets on one side and on
the north side Of Fourth avenue we
have the school and Congregational
church, which is practically the same
as coming out of the city treasury.
CHI 1iIa q
few more electric lights and especially
one at the corner of Fourth avenue
and Main streets. That is a dark,
gloomy corner and I believe it would
greatly assist our police force in keep
ing order Nothing like light TO prevent
crime and accidents.
81 should like as soon as possible. to
see another policeman on our force.
This town is growing so large that one
man can hardly look after all of it. IT
we had three men we could have two
of them on duty all of the time.
IT should like to see the ordinance
against posting bills strictly enforced.
do NOT know whether or not we can
remove the bill boards that are on prl-
vate property. but the owners of them
should be reminded not to tear off the.
old bills or allow the wind to tear
them tiff and blow them around the
streets. They look very unsightly and
many horses are more afraid Of a large
piece Of paper blowing around than
they are of an automobile.
II want to call your attention to the
epidemic of typhoid fever that we have
had here since early last summer.
There have been about thirty cases,
several of these cases that we have
been unable to trace to bad water,
nv own little daughter for instance.
Mos. of the cases, however, lave
been traced to polluted we'll water.
This council is the local board OF
health and ask your earnest coop
Grafton in cleaning up the streets, al
leys. back yards, vacant lots, privy
vaults. and so forth We should make
more than the usual effort along this
line at present.
"In my Judgment all cities of this size
should have a stone or wood yard to
utilize the surplus energy of the hobo
and The drunk. Our city hall is To-
Gated on the railroad and high fence
could enclose the lot back of the hall
and stone or wood be purchased in car
load lots and worked up into proper
snaps, to be disposed of. / believe it
would make the city revenue.
Il want to suggest just one more
thins; to you gentlemen, and that is
this, TO have some blank orders printed.
then when anything is ordered the per-
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