The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-03
ATLANTA HAS HAD PROSPEROUS YEAR Change in City Government
 Occurred This Week OFFICIALS SWORN IN Some Interesting Facts About Atlan- ta Are Gathered From Mayor
 Winn's Annual Message
 to the City Council
OFFICIALS SWORN IN

Atlanta, January 2.-(Special) )-Atlanta change of city government this week the coming in of 10 new eounciimen and three new aldermen-was marked by nc unusual or significant incidents. The GUS fomary routine transfer took place with out disturbing anyone's tranquility. The city has had good year, and 1t has some ambitious projects before it, but outside of the futile attempt to change to com mission government last year there has been nothing to disturb its even tenor nor is there anything in prospect.
 Some interesting facts about the city are gathered from Mayor Courtland Winn's annual message to council. The new sewer system .or rather an addition to the old system, costing $15O0,0o0. is nearing completion, and will probably be ready for use early in the summer.
 Atlanta's total bonded debt, including $615,O00 of bonds, still unissued, is $6.645,- 800, leaving the city still a. borrowing ca pacity on basis of per cent of tax able values, of $2sS04.S3s.
 The waterworks system was widely ex- tended during the year, making 2493 new connections. The total income of the de- partment was s417, ,4OS .09, an increase of $37, ,992. .23 over 1910. The departments in- come is vastly in excess of its cost of maintenance. and it is a valuable city revenue producer.
 Atlanta's death rate increased slightly during the year, being S.75 per 1000, as against 17.7l in 1910. The birth rate also showed an increase from 1613 in 1910 to IS. b per 1000 in 1911. The extraordinary colored death rate is held responsible for keeping the total high. There were no epidemics during the year. and the death rate is attributable solely to ordinary causes.
 The city will probably put in number of automobile garbage trucks this year to facilitate the removal of garbage and In order to do away with garbage dump ing grounds within the city limits, so long considered menace to health.
 Atlanta will be called to make new electric lighting contract this year, and the mayor urges council to make as fav- orable terms as possible for current used by the public for lighting and power. The people are now paying 10 cents per kilo- watt hour for lights and 6 cents for power. This price was secured by the city when it made it's last contract some five years ago, and an effort will be made to scale it when the new contract is signed.
 The smoke nuisance problem is, too, of general interest. On account of the large amount of soft coal consumed here, At lanta is known as one of the dirtiest cities In the country. The soot is in the air. So far, however, no solution has been found, short of the very expensive one of requiring everybody to burn hard coal, and the city does not feel it can go to that extent. The mayor, however, urges council to take hold of the problem and seq if the evil cannot be abated. Other cities have mitiSated the nuisance, and it is believed Atlanta can do it, if it can not suppress it.
 Eighteen locker clubs where any sort of drink can be procured by members. and in some of which membership Is almost a farce, Mayor Wnn considers enough for Atlanta He urges council not to grant any more locker club permits, and earn estly recommends that the police com mittee and council go very slow in the matter of granting any further licenses for near beer saloons.
 If burglares and other crimes are to be suppressed, Mayor Vim says Atlanta must have a larger police force-another interesting problem for council to strug- gle with when it makes up the budget.
 Traffic problems come in for some at tention since the congestion at certain points in the business center is growing daily more serious. There is no question that council will have to wrestle with some of these at once.
 The mayor regards 60 per cent fair and equitable basis for tax assessments, but whatever. the figure, he urges that all property shall be assessed in accordance with it. There have been some complaints of discrimination but it is believed the as- sessors are now approaching the basis for all property nearer than ever before in the city's history.