Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-07
Contentious Upheld
by Supreme Court.

the commission plan rushed throug an
other bill, providing for an elective COM
mission, and clearing such defects in the
original bill as time had demonstrated 70
exist. Before the drayman.s case vas
decided the new charter was passed
and Galveston was ready to so for
ward in the solution of it's problems.
That these problems were many and
troublesome may he inferred from tIe
fact that sea wall had to be built
containing as much material as hNc
pyramids of the dimensions OF theops-
The grade of the entire city had 10
be raised to Il higher level. varying
from one to eight feet: people had TO
live in houses lacked up on stills while
seas of mud were being pumped under
them and millions had to h" spent by
individuals in repairing the damage
done by the storm
Yet the people of the city were SO
filled with public spirit that when the
bonds were issued for the rehablilta-
ton of the community in spite or the
ErievouS losses personally suS'aine"'
they bought more than mliiioh
dollars of the city's bonds. In many
cases even laboring men and washer
women invested their mites in bonds o.
small denominations. hlEinT them OF
the commission at par. "hen tneH
might have bought them at 30 III tne
II
as this there is little wonder that
every obstacle was laid low and every
difficulty pushed out of the way by the
courageous people of the city.
When the commission began us lanoTs
there was "A total debt of S;.n0,'H'. 500
go OF a floating debt. Within two years
the latter was wiped out. Since the
| flood S2,17J.nU of bonds were issued. ana
SlO1:j.NpO WAS spent in permanent I'M
provements out of current revenues. with
additional other cNDcnSpS
growing directly out of the food. Today
tho outstanding bonds OF Galveston
amount to S., 10000. II follows that val
weston has been able to pay out total
OF nearly $.:0noHn in nine wears, over
and above the ordinary current expenses
| Add to tho public improvements the eN-
| penditures of the individual citizens. with
| the amounts contributed by the county
! of Galveston. and tn" total is approx
| matcly $1,000 per capita With all its
| splendid showing Galveston has been able
| to make it on tax rate of SlC3 on the
| 500 of valuation.
| X X
| The Galveston system has none Of the
innovations that have been added by
/ cities which
Galveston Plan nave more re,
| Gently ado pied
Without Innovations. the commits
| sion plan. IL mas HCltlfi 'i''
the referendum. the recall. the civil serr-
| ice. nor the non-par'lsan c'cctloh piap
II simplv wipes out the old ward lines,
| makes the city the unit OF Representations
and nuts its affairs in the hands of five
commissioners. who are elected nS the
neon,e at large. One of these Is chair
man of the board with the title of mayor
president The other four arc placed at
| - al. fo,i roma 6pn2 =
ments the mayor president heading the
| fifth. IT is generally understood before
| hand which department each commission
| err will head. The board possesses all
the authority Of the usual city council.
Galveston. like many other commissions
| governed cities. does not require its COM
missioners to give. their whole time to
the work Of the city. They are required