Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-29
COMMISSION FORM

tlcle on the workings of the commits sion form of government in Colum- bia, South Carolina.
 It seems that when Columbia was founded, the original idea was that the city should have a government like that provided for Washington by congress, as it was to be the cap- ital of the state and exclusively under state control The town was laid out and the land necessary for tle streets was bought by the state, which, curiously enough, still holds title, though subsequent acts by the legislature have given the municipal ity use of and control over the same. The Record says that the first of ficials of the municipality were ap- pointed by the state, and they con- ducted the city under the commission form of government until 1865, when the legislature enacted laws empow- ering the residents of the place to manage their own affairs This con- tinued until constructions days be- gan.
 The Manufacturers Record says that following the regain of control of the municipal government, after the reconstruction era, by those who had the welfare of the city at heart, Columbia struggled along under a cumbersome and unwieldly govern ment of the old style, until a large governing body, made up of alder men and commissioners of one kind or another, so divided duties and re- responsibilities that both economy and But from the time when the people of Columbia adopted the commission form of government two years ago, and placed their municipal affairs in the hands of five men, mayor, and four councilmen, all salaried officials employed to make the management of the city's affairs their busine ss, each With his special duties and un- escaped responsibilities, economy and efficiency in. administration have taken their place in every part of the city's fife.
 The'staff correspondent of the Man. ufacturers Record, Mir. George Byrne, gives this account of the city's pro- gress since commission form of gov ernment was instituted two years ago:
 Without increasing bonds, rais- ing the tax rate or increasing
 property assessments, the con- mission has inaugurated and is
 carrying on system of street
 paving and other Improvements
 of permanent character that
 will soon put Columbia abreast of
 the most up-to-date cities of the
 country. There is now being
 spent in these improvements
 from $150.000 to $200,00O year
 more than has ever been spent
 in that manner under the old sys-
 tenn. A curious feature of the
 matter is that some of the men
 now controlling city affairs were
 members of the governing body
 under the old system, and were then just as honest, as earnest
 and as sincere as now, yet they
 were unable to get such results
 as are now easily obtainable. AS
 an illustration of the difference
 in accomplishment then ard now
 1t is pointed out that during the
 last year of the old cumbersome
 government streets were improv-
 ed for 39 blocks-shaped up and 1 surfaced with sand and clay
 at cost of $13,vS9, while under
 the new regime 166 blocks were
 given the same treatment for
 $17,406. In the neighborhood Of | S4OO a block under the old,
 little more than $100 block un- 1 der the new.
 The commission is now having
 done large amount of paving of
 the very highest class. vitrified
 brick, creosoted wood block and
 bitulithic are the kinds being laid, and each upon foundation of five inches of concrete. TWO
 miles or more of this pavement I will be laid this year. Meantime f the fire department has been im- proved, other department are kept at the top notch of efficiency and in the interest of health a city abattoir is being erected at cost of $3O.00O. which sum has
 been provided.
 The $850.0oO bonded indebted,