St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1910-05-06

causes. But the Chief cause IS the
lack of technical knowledge on the
part of the past heads Of the board
of public works. Your attention is
called to chapter s of the Milwau-
kee city charter supplement of
1908. I recommend that this law
be approved by the common coun-
Gil as provided in section 40 Of said
act. This will enable the admins
tration to take up the task of reor-
ganizing this department on the
basis OF efficiency and competency.
"The street car systems Of the
city of Milwaukee, though con-
trolled by private individuals, are
yetquasi-pubiic corporations. While
we realize that IL the city owned its
own street railway that we could at
once proceed to the making Of the
many radical changes essential to
perfect service, yet we also realize
that In the fact of the street rail-
ways constituting public service
corporation, II Is subject to certain
police regulation.
"It Is a known fact that often
the power plant breaks down and
reliable information Is at hand that
these breakdowns are due in part
to the fact that the men at the
power house are overworked. These
men work In twelve hour shifts and
their exhaustion is frequently direct
ly concerned with breakdowns that
block traffic an hour or more at a
time. Reliable Information is also
at hand indicating that many street
car accidents are caused, not only
by incompetent men, because
through lack Of proper pay the
best men cannot be retained, but
also because street car men are over
worked, exhausted, and not In con-
dition to give the effort asked OF
them. The convenience of the
public and the lives OF our citizens
must take precedence.
II would suggest that an ordi-
nance be passed compelling the
vestibules OF all cars in which mot
ormen are stationed while at work
to be closed and protected from
storm, wind and inclemency of
weather during the winter months
Of the year.
II would also suggest thar rigid
enforcement Of cleansing Of street
cars be made to prevent the spread
of contagious disease, known to be
connected with street car filth, dust
and sputum.
81 would also recommend that
necessary action be taken to compel
the street car company to install air
brakes. lifting, jacks, and other APP
paratus essential to lifesaving, and
also that the schedule OF street cars
be so changed as during the certain
hours OF the day, when men aud
women are coming from and going
TO work. 10 have an increased mum
Der OF street cars to accommodate
them.
''The overcrowding Of cars is a
menace to health and decency, and
as Its regulation comes within the
police powers Of the city Of Milwau-
kee. steps should at once be taken
to remedy this evil.
'The question Of the saloon is
one that has been and is extensively
agitated. In our city the saloon is
regulated under the license system.
The saloon keeper who conducts a
clean and respectable place should
be protected. No trickery to en-
tice him into traps should be con-
doned. While the law prohibits
the sale Of intoxicating drinks to
minors, and this law should be en-
forced, at the same time II should
be made a misdemeanor for any one
to induce minor to obtain liquor
under false pretenses.
ION the other hand. the issuance
of license to sell liquor cannot
carry with II the permission to
maintain house of i'll fame or in
any way to abet licentiousncss. |
have been informed that in many
instances in which licenses to sell
liquor have been refused TO keepers
of houses OF i'll fame intoxicants are
nevertheless dispensed, This infor-
nation also states that the practice
prevails in assignation houses to in
clude in exchange for the price of
room supply of liquor. Your at
tention is called to the subversion
of the law in this matter.
1T appears that in the past there
have been offices created chiefly TO
supply salaried positions to the in
cumbents thereof. II happens that
often one man covers the same
ground and does the same class of
work as another man, and each
under different titles draws sepa-
rate salaries.
'"rhus we find that city chemis-
try work is being done by two men.
The chemistry work of the city
health department is not done by
an exclusively professional chemist,
but by practicing physician, whose
salary for city work is ", 400 an-
nually. The gas inspector core
lates his service to the city and its
salary Of VI, 500 per annum. with
the maintenance OF laboratory OF
his own and his daily duties as
tutor in local university. These
two Offices should be placed under