The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1908-12-22

bed and cars, and is probably the equal
of any similar system in the United
States. So long az present conditions
prevail, there will be no popular de-
mand for municipal ownership of other
public utilities.
As a further ilIustration of the eff
feet of applying business principles in
municipal administration, attention IS
called to the following figures taken
from the Controller S books:
The cost of operating a certain de-
partment of the city for the year end
ing 1902 was $I5,98660, while the rev.
enue therefrom was $15,172.00, show
ing net loss of $S1400.
For the wear ending 1905, the last
wear under the old system, the expenses
were $15,445.40, while the gross re-
eeipts were $16,7GL50, showing net
earnings amounting to $1316.10.
The operation of the same depart
ment with greater efficiency, during the
wear ending 1907. cost the city $1l,074.-
81. while the gross earnings We're
6.69275, showing a net earnings OF
$5601.19.
II is worthy of note that the result
Of the last wear was accomplished by
the same officer who had charge during
the former wears. and is due solely to
the operation of a better system, and
NOT TO the better operation of the same
system.
As illustrating the same proposltln"
attention is called to results IN Jne
health department, where small stock
of drugs has been installed at a nomi-
nal cost. and the expense to the city OF
prescriptions thereby reduced from 30
cents to cents per prescription.
simple and inexpensive method of milk
inspection has been adopted which has
resulted in the sale of milk, shown by
actual test, to be the purest IN the
State.
The operation of a garbage crema-
tory. under the old system, costing the
city $8,0OO00 resulted in failure. I'm
der the present plan, simple appara-
tus was fitted up at cost of $3.50
which is thoroughly efficient, the cost
of operation being but trifie.
A business system has reduced cam
paign promises to basis of perform
ance and the result is that the en-
gineer's department prepares plans and
specifications for work actually to be
done. instead of ten times as much as
the city could possibly pay for; and
the result is a more efficient department
at greatly diminished cost.
The legal department has found the
tendency to institute damage suits
against the city greatly lessened and
a corresponding disposition on the part
of Jurors to protect the city against un-
reasonable demands for losses on the
part of citizens.
Nor has the city in her effort to pro-
mote her material growth and financial
prosperity. neglected her esthetic, in
tellectual and moral development. BY
the expenditure of 100000 she has laid
the basis for an extended system of
public parks, and paid for same out of
her current revenues. Besides build
ing three excellent modern school build
ings, she has very wisely increased the
pay of her teachers; introduced manual
training and domestic science into her
curriculum of study, and is preparing
to open within her gates the Rice In
stitute, a university of the highest
grade, having an endowment second to
none in the South.
The infusion of new life into the
body polite has eliminated number
of excrescences. The variety theater,
the pool room and the gambling dens
have been closed every night at l
o clock and remain closed all day on
Sunday These results have been ae-
eomplished step by step without bitter
ness or strife, and would have been
impossible under the old system of
ward politics.
These radical changes have produced
new energy and prosperity in almost
every phase of the city's life. and. as
a result, $1O.0O0.0OO are being expended
in the city in public improvements. the
erection of great warehouses, depots
office buildings, trade emporiums,
churches and educational institutions.