Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-24
ORGANIZATION COMP EIED
tayee'r sy Names the the GGelnc Committees the Auditor
Submits Two Reports, Committee to Locate Lights
IS Named and Mayor Presents Inaugural


Patterson and A. r. Marquette
Printing!. J. Mccormick, e. G. IS.
Patterson and NJ. p. Slattery. sSs
Trees and ParksP f. Wilcox. P.
A. Peterson and E. G. Patterson.
Public Buildings and Grounds p. f.
Wilcox, P. "A. Peterson and F. g. Nc
Cormick
Water WorksH. Z. Reade. A. F.
Marquette and J. Horner.
Public Lighting E. G.. Patterson, F.
J. Mccormick and Ne. j. Mckenzie.
Board of Health. Horner, M. J.
Slattery and Fl. L. Reade.
Mayor Smyth then read his first in
augural address, which was as fol
lows:
Mayor Smiths Address.
The members of the city council Of
the city of Bismarck Gentlemen:
The law imposes upon the mayor the
duty of informing the council as to
the condition of the affairs of the city
and to recommend such measures as
he. sees fit, and custom DEGREES that
such information be given at the be-
ginning Of the aldermanic year..
Public Health.
The highest duty that devolves upon
this or any similar body is the care of
the public health as that is matter
affecting the comfort, health and lives
of our citizens and far transcends in
Importance the administration Of laws
or framing of regulations to protect
their monetary interests. Our city is
situated, fortunately, from a sanitary
point of view, and with abundance of
| pure water, pure air and good natural
drainage ought to be the hea1thiest
land have the lowest death rate of any
community in our state or even in the
whole country. Unfortunately from
a variety of causes our death rate is
not only unusually high but is rapidly
increasing. In the past six years the
number of deaths, per annum, have
more than doubled and our yearly
| death rate has increased over SO per
cent, allowing for present population
| of $500. The high mortality which is
alike discreditable to the medical pro-
fession and detrimental to the welfare
and commercial interests Of the city
is entirely unnecessary and it will be
the duty of the board of, health to
make a thorough investigation into the
causes leading to this abnormal con-
dition and endeavor to remedy the
conditions to which it is due. Ere
quent and thorough examination of the
water supply and supervision of the
milk supply will tend to improve the
public health and especially reduce
A thorough cleaning of the alleys,
streets, vacant lots and private prop
erty lis urgently needed for the same
purpose, and citizens are urged to CO
operate with the city officials in
general spring cleaning. The custom
Einaugurated by Mayor Webb of hay-
ing special day appointed for citi-
zens to clean and beautify their
premises should be continued and the
civic pride of our citizens appealed
to to make our city the fairest in the
land ~@t -
Water Supply. q
| No city in the state is more favor
ably situated as regards an abundant
and easily accessible supply of pure
and wholesome water but this advan-
tage has to a great extent been Offset
| by the arbitrary methods of the water
company, which for many years has
been heavy and almost unbearable
burden on our community.
/ Whilst there may be some difference
| of opinion about the merits of Bis
1 marck owning it's own water works
/ there is no doubt but that the time
has arrived when the Bismarck Water
4 Supply Company should not own the
4 city of Bismarck nor even its city
council. A corporation which, not
satisfied with unjust determinations
in its favor in the way of assessments,
by very questionable methods eyades
the payment of just taxes and presents
and receives payment of fictitious
claims against the city. is not deserV-
ing of much consideration but notwith-
standing if, after investigation, the
lpresent franchise and contract OF the
4 city with the water company is found
1 to be legal and binding it should be
1 lived up to by the city and a strict
/ compliance with its provisions re
! quired Of the water company. at least
| until such time as the company shows
! a disposition to respect the rights of
citizens and do business in a fair and
| Legitimate manner. a