Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-01

lecture anu tne material Is stone me
platforms are go feet long and 80 feet
wide. with tracks to accommodate 146
cars. The general waiting room. which
occupies the center of the building. Is
l3o feet long and, 50 feet wide and. Is
surrounded by restrooms for women.
smoking rooms. waiting rooms for COL
ored people. restaurant and dining
room. the latter being q by % feet in
size. and other apartments. The upper
part of the building Is reserved for Of
fees and the foundations will permit OF
the addition Of three more stories as they
are needed.
The terminal facilities for handling
freight are admirable. with plenty Of
Encourage Transportation Companies
The station is very nearly in the center
of the city. and in this case the people OF
Houston have set an example for ether
cities by giving encoura cement to the
transportation companies in recognition
Of what they have done to build up the
town.
Isl building a. lniliOn-dollar post Of
flee. which will be completed in a few
weeks: a modern fireproof hotel OF ten
stories is in course of erection, and what
is claimed to be the finest apartment
house in the south. called the Rossonian,
was opened for tenants March G.
Houston claims the finest churches oil
any city in the south. and, while it is
difficult to establish such assertions, sew
eral of the houses of worship are of inn
posing proportions and admirable design.
During the year 1910 there were 1919
new residences erected in Houston at a
cost of 81. 123, coo, and most of them are
substantial and attractive.
The people attribute a considerable part
of their prosperity and progress to the
commission system of government, which
was adopted here in 1905 and has proven
very satisfactory. At that time the
treasury was empty. the bonded debt
had reached the constitutional limit there
was a floating debt of S4OO.OCO and the
city government was in demoralized and
dsgraceful condition. 1t was. however,
only a fair type of the ordinary Amer
lean municipality controlled by pOliti-
clans and ward bosses.
The people determined upon a perma-
nent reform. The commission plan hav-
ing worked so we'll in Galveston. which
is only an hours ride from Houston, the
leaders of public opinion decided to try
it here, and organized for that purpose
a new charter was obtained from the
in good government united in support of
an exceptional ticket. II. 3. Rice,
merchant who had served as mayor for
two years under the old system, was
who had distinguished themselves for eff
ficiency as aldermen under the old re-
gime were elected commissioners. They
Immediately reorganiZed the municipal
government, selecting the best men that
could be found, without regard to their
political associations. and began to ap-
ply practical business methods to the adj
ministration without fear or favor.
The result has been gratifying to every
patriotic citizen, and although Houston
does not claim to have attained perfec-
ton in municipal administration, her peo-
pie congratulate themselves upon having
q government that is beyond criticism
from business standpoint Mr.. Gard,
secretary of the chamber of commerce,
enumerated some of the things that have
been accomplished:
Wiped Out Indebtedness.
I'm less than one year our new admin
istration wiped out a floating indebted
ness Of about $500. co., said Mr.. Gard.
land paid all current expenses promptly
from month to month. This was done
simply by applying economies made posi-
BILE by a Capitalization Of control. This
has created confidence at home and
abroad and has given the municipality
credit it never had before. During the
same time the tax levy had been re-
duced from So to $1.10. and 1t is the in
tentiOn of the administration to continue
that reduction 10 per cent annually until
a permanent rate of 1 per cent has been
reached.
.At the same time the city has built
eleven public school buildings, thus doub- !
ling the capacity. We have paved thirty
eight miles of streets; we have expended |
$3.50 900 for public parks; We have doubled |
our sewerage system, and have built one |
sewer eighteen feet in diameter and two
miles in length to carry off the storm
water; we have purchased the water |
works and cut the rate from 30 cents |
TO 10 cents per one thousand gallons: we |
nave drilled ten news arteSian wells, which |
extends the supply of water 30 per cent;
The price of gas has been reduced from |
81. 30 to 81 and the street railway, tele- !
graph and electric light companies now |
pay / per cent of their gross earnings |
into the city treasury. |
I'VE have just voted S.OO.OCO for the |
Of a reinforced concrete via |
duct; we have just erected a new court |
house at q cost of half million dollars, |
the handsomest building of the kind In |
Texas, and we have built the finest audi |
forum in the south. an absolutely nre-
proof building of concrete and steel, with |
out any wood in the construction except |
the seats. Eleven thousand of our citi- |
zens gathered there the other day to
hear Theodore Roosevelt speak on civic
Advantages of Commission Form.
1.-THE auditorium cost little more than
100000 and was paid for from the cur
rent revenues of the city without the is
sue of bonds or any other obligations 1t
is the most conspicuous object lesson in
America of the financial advantages of
the commission form of government, and
we believe that it will prove a great ad-
to the city as an inducement for
and other assemblies to come
here. The commissioners have authority
to charge rent for it's use, or offer 1t
free, according to their judgment.
"Our new administration has cleaned
out all the gambling houses in Houston;
it has abolished the pOolrooms, the va
riety theaters and other disreputable re-
sorts: it has closed all saloons after mid
night and all day Sunday, and the re-
suit is apparent in the number of arrests |
and the business of the police courts.
The harmony with which the new sys-
tenn has worked may be Judged by the |
fact that since it was adopted there has |
not been single speech delivered at any |
meeting of the council. which consists of
the MAYOR and the four commissioners; |
there has not been dissenting vote on
any question; there has not been veto |
by the mayor, and the average length OF |
the sessions of the council, which take |
place at o'clock each Monday afternoon, |
has been less than ten minutes"
DEATH Of 0T70R RINGING, |
uChn M DIP nIDnIIe CIDkh