The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-04-14
THE MESSAGE OF
MAYOR DAVIS
Urges Paving Tax and Sewer
Extension.
Wants Case of McGregor Estate VS..
City of Palatka Brought to Trial.

City of Palatka Brought to Trial.
The following is the very interesting
message of Mayor Howell A. Davis TO
the city council, and which the mayor
personally read at the council meeting
last Tuesday night:
To the Honorable City Council
Gentlemen:
For the third time the citizens OF
Palatka have honored me as their Chief
Executive and in accepting this reSpon-
sibility, deem il incumbent on me 10
call your attention TO few matters and
TO offer suggestions which may aid you
in providing wise and needful legislation
for the betterment of our city.
note with pleasure that the board OF
bond trustees and the city council have
worked harmoniously together during
the past few months with the result that
a contract has been let for considerable
amount of paving. which, when COM
pleted will absorb all the funds in the
hands of the board of bond trustees
A large majority of our citizens are
anxious, able and willing to pay their
proportion for paving in front of their
premises, but the financial condition oi
the city is such that il cam OF pay its pro.
portion without another bond issue,
which at present, do not believe is ad-
viSable.
The council of 1909 and 1910 deemed
il wise to set aside a one mill tax for
paving purposes and this fund now
amounts to $2,S77.OO; but paving has
been authorized for certain streets, and
the city'S proportion for same, amount
ing TO approximately $2,O5O.OO is to be
paid out of this fund, which will leave
very little available for any more paving
purposes. Therefore | would recon
mend that in making this years tax levy,
two mill tax be set aside for paving
purposes, and if such course was pur
sued for several years, all of the streets
could be paved, without reSorting TO any
bond issue.
desire to call your attention TO the
fact that there are several very bad de
presSionS in the pavementS, especially on
Lemon, Water, Second and Eleventh
Streets. After rain the water stands in
these depreSsions, which by the con
slant traffic, are being made deeper.
Therefore, would recommend that the
engineering department be authorized tc
remedy these defects al once.
The sewer system has recently been
thoroughly cleaned and is in fine
condition, but unfortunately does moi
cover the entire city. | believe same
should be extended little every yeal
until il completely covers the city.
I ..,,lI ,,,np1 fhat n linz
be put in on Twelfth from Lemon TO
Reid, Reid from 18th to 18th, and 18th
from Reid 10 Lemon and by so doing
twelve or more houses can be connec-
ted.
desire to call your attention 10 the
good work the Woman'S Club has done
and is trying TO do towards the beauty
fying of our city. The City Hall parl
one of the handSomeSt spots in our cit!
has been under the direct charge oI
these good women for the past three
wears and il is remarkable how this park
has been maintained on the small appro
pration they have received. There i:
no better advertisement for city thai
plenty of paved and we'll cleaned street
and beautiful parks. The women ar
anxious to continue this good work AM
to make park of the grounds surround
ing the waterworkS plant. Therefore
would recommend that an appropri
alton of $40. 90 or $50. 90 per month b
made, payable TO the Woman's Club t.
be expended for park purposes.
cannot close without calling your al
tention TO the necessity of revision Q
| n L1o1yc oa1 tho nINricn hi Iii
ty of having correct survey made Q
the city. These matters were brough
TO the attention OF the 1909 and l9l
council, but for some unknown reason
no action was taken.
Both of these matters are OF vital in
portance. The ordinances have nc
been codified since 1895 and so man
ordinances have been enacted sine
then, that ii is almost impossible to te
what laws are in effect, and as for a Su
vey of the city, if this council did notl
ing else than to have correct Surve
made of the city, permanent monumen
placed every third or fourth interSe'
tion, and map made of the city show
ing The location of these monument
the angle and width of every street an
block, they would receive the thanks
all intelligent citizens and tax payers.
In conclusion, it is very gratifying I
note the difference in spirit of tn
property owners in the northwesteI
part of the city where sidewalks are no
being constructed, compared TO oth'
property owners in other parts OF Il
city. In the northwestern part, a larG
majority of the fences and quite nun
Der houses were out in the streets an
these patriotic citizens readily remove
same at their own expense, TO make W;
for the sidewalks. Whereas, for ov'
three years one of the property owne
on our principal street has refused TO T
move an old dilapidated building so tn
a sidewalk could be constructed and h
carried the matter into court, and +
some unknown reason the matter h
never come TO tiial.
would recommend that the city q
torney be instructed to bring 10 tri
without further delay The suit OF Il
McGregor estate VS.. City of Palatkaa, al
thus relieve our citizens of not only
inconvenience, but an eye-Sorc.
Respectfully submitted,
Howell A. Davis,