The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-30

At end of year had 500, 432.57 SUR
plus funds in the city treasury and
NO DEBT.
| Reduced tax rate "a cents ON each
| 500. of valuation.
Collected interest on city's money,
| which was never done before, getting
in nine months $6,272.15 interest.
Commissioners do not spend less,
but make money 60 further.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
Has not initiative, and referendum
| only on franchises.
that commission was in power were
reduced $94,534 per year without re-
ducing efficiency of the city govern
! ment.
Bought at ONE TINE 16 motor
fire engines and trucks displacing all
horse-drawn apparatus. Think what
we could do this.
HOUSTON, TEX.
Commission form in force five and
one-half years.
In July commissioners took over
city with a floating debt of over
! 100000 and an empty treasury and
no credit.
! In less than one year had wiped
out the 100000 debt besides paying
cash for everything. In five and one
half years the commission form has
wiped out all debts and given the
city improvements valued at $2,179,-
| 585.S7, distributed over the fire de-
partment, parks, asphalt plant for lay
Ing asphalt pavements, wharves, slips,
school buildings, law library for city
attorney, streets, bridges, etc.
| At the same time the tax rate was
reduced 80 cents on each 500 OF
valuation.
| Under old form Of government one
department cost S15,9S6 to operate
with revenue Of $15,172, a loss of
1914.
! Under the commission form of
| government the same department cost
| $1.O74.81 to operate and earned &c.,
! 692.75, leaving a net earning of
$5.601.1s.
In two years the government was
! transformed from one threatened
| with receivership to one on a cash
| basis with half million dollars to
spend annually for improvements
! First commissioners were H. Bald
win Rice, mayor, and rich business
man.
J. A. Thompson, printer.
! Mr.. CASTOR, a machinist and for
| merly owner of a small store.
| James Appleby, an auditor and
bookkeeper
James MarmiOn, blacksmith, and
called the best horseshoer in Houston.
The second commission consisted
of H. Baldwin Rice, mayor.
! Jack Kennedy, railroad contractor.
w. ]. Kohlhoff, printer.
Robert L. Jones, politician and
former alderman.
BERKELEY, CAL.
Reduced taxes. slightly
! Personnel of police and fire depart
ments not changed, but greatly inn
proved efficiency brought about under
same chiefs and with same men.
Cost of street lights reduced 25 per
cent, and arrests from petty crimes
and misdemeanors reduced by over
so per cent.
HUNTINGTON, W. VA.
In force for two years.
Tax rate the same, but the citys
debt has been entirely wiped out.
Police and fire department has been
doubled, new apparatus bought and
new buildings built. More streets ex-
| tended and repaired, and more sew
ers and other improvements built
than ever before. All with the same
amount Of money.
EMPORIA, KAN.
Population 9,05S. Old salary Of
mayor and councilmen was 800 per
year.
! Now the mayor receives $1,000 and
councilmen or commissioners 5000.
City has saved about $1,000 The
first year in spite of the raise in
| salaries.
GRAND JUNCTION, COLO.
Adopted charter Sept. IA, 1909.
Suffered, like Duluth by reason Of
the impure water supply furnished
by privately owned water company.
Took Is years under old form of city
government for the city to acquire it's
own plant. The street railway COM
| pany practically owned the city and
controlled the city council, doing as
it pleased in all cases.
After the commission form, was
adopted the street railway company
l S~>SN l.
, street, where an irrigation ditch
owned by private parties, had prior
right of way. The street railway
|, company filed this ditch up without
consent of it's owners, and the farm.
ers who owned the ditch protested.
On Sunday, when the courts were
, not open the street railway company
, began constructing a new ditch at the
, side of their track thus destroying the
use of that half of the street. The
: commissioners, with a full force Of
I. police back of them, went AT ONCE
to the scene, placed the street rail-
way officials under arrest, and filled
!. up the ditch. That ended the trou-
: bic, and the street railway company,
: without showing any further fight.
proceeded to construct proper Gov
cred tile conduit large enough to
carry the water of the irrigation COM
pany underground, thus leaving the
Il street unobstructed. Contrast this
with conditions in Duluth, where tile