The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-01-18
MAYOR WRIGHT'S
MESSAGE TO COUNCIL
Hood, River Ore. Jan. i, 1912.
To the Common Council,
City of Hood River.

3 ANeo u as ANau eAN k1tASAaA AAAiA'
about $40. COO, which shows that oul
city debt has been reduced since Jan
/ /, last year, about $500. However
/ you will please bear IN mind that w
have only about $500 available for the
next three months expenses. Thi:
amount will no doubt be replenished by
money collected from fines, licenses,
etc, during the next three months, at
which time We will begin TO realize from
our 1871 tax levy. Having so little o.
draw from for these three months. II
is necessary that you hold the expenses
down as close as possible, as we have
no authority to issue warrants against
the general and road funds TO eXcee a
$4,000 debt, except for actual emergen-
{ cies.
Receipts for the year amounted 10
about SIS, $50. Warrants have been
issued against these funds 10 about
50, 600 since Jan. l, 1911. Our tax
money and other receipts this year ac-
cOrding TO our December levy will be
about SIS, 600. During the years 1909
and 1910 about $4,000 of general fund
money was used for the purchase of
the Tucker Spring and sites, rights-of-
way, etc. This money will be returned
to the general fund as soon as the
$50. 600 issue of bonds has been sold,
which will in all probability be sold
within the next four or five months.
This will give Us a total Of about
S26, 600 available for general use this
year.
| would recommend that a sufficient
amount of this money be used on the
East Side Grade to make a safe double
track roadway This work is badly
needed for the safety and convenience
Of our citizens, in town and in the
country.
There has been a great deal said re-
Gently about changing the East line of
the City limits to the Hood river, leav-
ing the East side grade for the County
to improve. This | do not believe
would be good policy. If we are per
mitted to proceed we are amply able
to take care of our improvements, and
will do it,
We have a greater work before us
this year, than at any time in the
history of our town. If the Fire and
Water Committees work is continued
with the same effective diligence as of
the past year, the City will very suon
be able to claim its water system clear
of litigation and without competition.
We should then surely have no
trouble in disposing of the $50, 600 bond
issue, and proceed at once with the
construction OF the new water works
system. This will open the way for
the long-sought and badly-needod i'm
provements of our streets, street
lights, and a closer cooperation be-
tween the citizens of Hood River.
Street paving in the fire limits has
been provided for by ordinance and
should be taken up in early spring and
pushed vigorously to completion. |
would suggest also that the following
named streets be added by either hard
surface paving or macadam: State
st. from the east line of Front st. to
ninth; Ninth from Oak to Eugene
Eugene from Ninth to Twelfth; Oak
from Ninth to Fifth; all of which
should be provided with concrete side
walks where not already in place.
Sherman and Cascade Avenue should
be improved this year. This will
divide the west side traffic which is
now thrown entirely on State st.
There are numerous other streets
which should be provided with CON
crete sidewalks, more especially those
leading to the school buildings.
1t is an embarrassing fact that it is
necessary to 90 into the country to find
a road which is in proper condition for
traffic, and If we are not held up too
often this year with injunctlons, let US
improve this condition, especially
those streets leading to the surround
ing country.
] believe we are all agreed that if
the price of lights should be reduced to
a rate within our means we will pro-
vide a few lights along our streets.
The proposition Of lighting the streets
by power from the City spring might
be worth consideration by the Commit
tee in charge of that work.
Shall the wires within the fire limits
be ordered under ground? This is a
question which should be settled imme-
diately, as it would be a very difficult
and expensive job after the hard sur
face paving is done. Personally, |
think that the heavy expense of max
ing this change is too great for the
small benefits to be derived from it.
would recommend, however, the pas
sage of an ordinance requiring all
electric light wires to be placed on the
same line of poles, and that all tele-
phone lines the same, but on opposite
sides of the streets
A few months ago a committee was
appointed for the purpose of revising
our City Charter. This committee so
far has failed to report. | would sug-
gest that d new committee be APP
pointed and that this work te taken up
at once. The charter under which we
are working was approved by the
Governor of the State on February 2S,
1901, when the population Of the town
was about 500 people. 1t is now nearly
1000, and the conditions of the town
have undergone a decided change. 1t
is necessary, therefore, that the Char
ter be brought up to date, and to the
demands of the present conditions.
The problem of how we are to handle
the old water system, as well as the
hSW ouCt 10 OllG WHICH SnOulu nave
careful attention. To continue the
of the old system as has
been arranged by the Council of the
past year should prove satisfactory.
There has been considerable discussion
during the past year as to the feast
bility of constructing the new system
according to the plans and specifca-
tions prepared by the firm of Newell,
Gossett & Walsh. or should we secure
the services of an expert water works
engineer. Having given the matter
thought | have reached
the conclusion that while the best is
none too good. we may spend a great
deal more money for the expert and
get no better services in the end than
to use the plans drawn by Mr.. Newell.
There has been a warrant drawn in
favor of Mr.. Newell for $500 for his
services as consulting engineer which
will be sacrificed if these plans are not
used A good practical man employed
to superintend the construction of the
system will cost probably $500, includ-
ing such help as he would renuire