The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-04-20
STRONG ON LIGHTING FIGHT
Declares That the City Went Forward
by Rapid Strides During the Past
Twelve Months and is Hopeful of
the Future.

Council.
Gentlemen:
It is customary, at this time, to
briefly state some of the things that
have been accomplished by this ad-
ministration, in the past year; that
the taxpayers of the city may know
whether we have expended their money
judiciously and economically.
We have secured for the city the
soocalled "Y. M. G. A. Park the
value of which is at least forty
thousand dollars.
, We have caused the Chicago and
Northwestern Railway company to place
cement sidewalks on all of it's proper
ty, for the use and benefit of the
people.
We have improved the city poor
farm and have taken care of the poor
of our city wisely and economically.
In accordance. with the will of the
people, as expressed by 5heir vote, we
have bonded the city for forty-fve
thousand dollars and have erected this
magnificent building, a monument to
our city, of which every citizen may
be justly proud.
We have also, in accordance with
the expressed will of the people, bond
ed our city for fifty thousand dollars,
and passed an ordinance, giving to the
people q great trunk sewer, which
when completed, will be of such great
benefit to the city, that its value at
this time, can hardly be estimated, and
in the end, this great sewer will not
cost the city one dollar, but by reason
of another ordinance, duly passed, es-
tablishing a new sewer dictrict HB"
a surplus will be produced, which may
be used for improving the sewer sys-
tenn in other parts of the city.
We have done our best to promote
the cause of education, although, we
have not given as much as was our de-
sire to give, we have, nevertheless, ap-
propriated the sum of ffty-fve thous-
and, three hundred sixty-fve dollars
for school purposes.
We have improved our police and
fire system and for such purposes it
was necessary to expend large sums
of money.
1t will be remembered that for many
years past, certain companies have
been undermining our beach, especially
on the north side of the city, by
means of removing the sand and gravel
from the lake by the so-called "sand
suckers endangering the lives of
bathers and causing great hardship to
the people owning property along the
lake shore, Notwithstanding, it was
claimed by many lawyers as we'll as
laymen, that the city could not pre-
vent this--having nc authority over
the waters of Lake Michigan. You
have passed an ordinance, protecting
this beach and that ordinance has been
maintained thus far by the courts, and
may / say by the secretary of war, at
Washington, whom I personally called
upon, in reference to this matter.
We have constructed great NUM-
Der of cement, cross-walks, all over
the city, and have done large amount
of paving, and have constructed many
sewers, especially, on the west side, all
of this at considerable expenses to the
city, but of great and lasting benefit
to the people.
The most important achievement.
which this administration has accom-
plished, by far, in the past year, I
consider the securing to the people of
Kenosha, competition in lighting and
heating their stores, factories and
homes. This was not accomplished,
however, without great effort. Few
Of you are aware of how stubbornlv
these great public service corporations
fought us to prevent this competition.
The ablest lawyers that could be Sc
cured, appeared for these corporations,
before every committee of the legisIa-
ture and before the state railway COM
mission and tried by every known
means to answer our arguments, but
we routed them at every turn, not
because of our ability, but because we
were clothed in an armor of riphte-
Gus cause, and were, therefore, bound
| to win.
Notwithstanding, however, what we
have done, in the past, we must not
consider that our work is finished. and
although we have accomplished much
in the past year, we also should strive
to do our very best this coming year.
that at the end, we may look back
with pride on our work, conscious at
all times that we have done our best
to please the people that have en-
trusted us with the management of
their affairs.
Every member of this councs. IS en-
titled TO his own opinion on all of
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