Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-10-22
What Was Accomplished.

WndC was accomplished.
What the present board has accom-.
: plished for the city. under the most
adverse circumstances, has indeed
, been wonderful. The total floating
, debt of the city has been entirely
! paid. They secured and paid for the
, services of a board of three eminent
: engineers which resulted in devising
, plans for the great seawall and rails
ing the grade of the city, which have
been completed at total cost to the
city and county jointly of more than
$4,000,000; they rebuilt the city
hall; rebuilt the water works pump
ing station; extended the water
system; built three engine houses
} repaired the different engine houses
over the city damaged by the storm !;
repaved with brick the streets
throughout the entire business sec
tion at cost to the city of $1S3,-
02707; built rock and shell roads at
a cost of $1S1, ,O64.04; provided a
large amount of drainage at cost
of $245, ,664.4i; extended the sewer
system and adjusted the question of
interest on the bonded debt by OBJ
tanning a reduction in the rate for a
period of five years. Altogether
$609. 9.755.5S has been expended out
of the general fund for paving, shell
roads and drains, with the exception
Of $4S,0SS.07 which was obtained
from sale of bonds. The city has
also paid off a number of old iudg-
ments, inherited from former admin
istrations. aggregating $1S,026.65
and retired $462,0O.00 of the bonded
debt; has purchased new fire en-
gines and other equipment. The city
employees have been paid promptly in
cash and the summer seasons passed
through without borrowing a dollar.
All this has been accomplished with
out bond issue or dollar of in
creased taxation, excepting the bonds
issued for protective purposes.
The city collects interest on bank
balances from bonded repositories. I
Collects a special vehicle tax, which |
goes TO the street improvement fund, /
enforces sewer connections, has
metered the city's water service, has :
cleared the sidewalks of fruit stands
and other distractions, which have
occupied them for years has prose-
cuted to finish all outstanding law
suits, collects taxes promptly, has
destroyed the policy evil and public
gambling and adopted an ordinance
districting barrooms out of the resi-
dence section.
In securing the services of heads
of departments and employees the
commissioners have completely ig-
nored political influence. Capacity
and fitness alone have been consid-
cred. Each commissioner has taken
a deep personal interest and pride
in the success of his department.
Government Ownership.
This city owns its own waterworks.
costing more than million and a
half dollars, also owns its own sewer
plant. as well as electric light plant.
All three give general .sataisfaction.
The city also maintains a very ef-
fioient ind well equipped fire depart
ment.
Galveston Plan with improvements
Added.
There can be no question about the
wisdom and the propriety of cities In
adopting the commission plan to
frame their charters to suit local
conditions.
There are some so-called improve
ments, however, which the writer be-
lieves decidedly Injurious. the most
serious of which is the proviso re-
quiring that the mayor and commits
sioners must give their entire time
TO the busines of the city. This
sounds well and at first is catchy,
but serious reflection will show II TO
be very unwise. A successful busi-
ness man, the kind We should place
In charge of the business OF our city,
will at once lose his identity and
in the business world. when
he accepts office upon such terms.
and this fact will prevent men OF
breadth and personal success from
being secured; in fact, their services
win be actually prohibited by such 4
provision being placed in the city
charter. 10 apply such provision 70
The Galveston charter would absolute