Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-12-23

The commissioner IN Galveston
prepared plans for raising the grade
Of the city and the building of the
great sea wall. The city hall and
water worksstation we're rebuilt and
the fire stations repaired. All float
ing indebtedness inherited from the
old city government was paid and
the city placed on cash basis. The
improvements made from September
1S, 1901, the date when the commits
sion was inaugurated, up to January
1, 1911, totaled SO, 1892. S51.08.
The first worthy accomplishment
in Des Moines was the introduction
of modern business methods n o
municipal affairs. Work done by the
employees Of the city has been well
done and contract work has been
held strictly up to specifications. The
streets and alleys have been effective
| Iy cleaned. A beautiful civic center
was established. The city's relations
with its public utilities were i'm
proved. The city for the first time
| in years lived within its income.
The commission plan has accomp-
Iished in Des Moines something like
the following: Directness, simplici-
ty and therefore efficiency and econ
omy in administration; very much
greater responsiveness to the city
government of public opinion, in
other words, a more thoroughly DEM
ocratic city government; very much
lgreater civic interest and civic pride;
| a great stimulation to the public to
the undertaking of general public
Improvements; the general unifica-
ton of the city, making out of seven
contending wards one unified citvi
a general cleaning up of the city
political y, morally and physically.
4 The plan in Grand Junction, Col
orado, has encouraged extensions by
J all the public service corporation
because the city does business in ;
i more business-like way. The stree
railway, gas, electric light and tele
| phone companies at once improves
! and extended their equipment. Tn
. commissioners have given the cit.
better drinking water, cleaner street
and better parks. The police fore
has been improved. The annual COS
of maintaining the commission gov
eminent is less than the cost of tn
, former government.
In Austin, Texas. the commission
er in two years paid off overdraft
amounting to S31 500, redeemed 500,
GOO of its bonds, reduced the tax rat
twenty-four cents on the hundred
dollars. and at the end of the yea
had on hand a surplus of 1913, 492.
In Berkeley, CAL, the municipal
courts were improved, the health de
partment reorganized, the city,
water and light supply has been i'm
proved upon, the police and fire de
partments have been made NOR,
efficient.
In Kansas City, Kansas, the cos
of public work was reduced, bricl
paving that had cost $1,70 per yarC
was done for 81 so, asphalt paving
was reduced from $2.lO to S1.S5. Tn
park and boulevard systems had beef
extended, Fairgrounds have been in
stalled and utilities have been i'm
! proved and extended.
Houston has made great strides il
public improvements and yet reduce,
the tax rate thirty cents on the dol
lar. In lola, Kansas, the commission
: in its first year increased government
! efficiency, increased street expendi
t lures by Topping off the old ineffi
cent methods. and yet ran the gov
| eminent for $32. TAI less than the oil,
) system had ever run it under. Ii
Dallas, Texas, the commissioner il
twoyears wiped out adeficit of S2CC
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