The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-05-09

The Following is the Report Of the
Retiring Mayor

Retiring Mayor
To The Honorable City Council of
the City of Milbank:
| have the honor to submit my
annual and final report, as May
or OF yourcity, relating to city
affairs:
} FINANCES
1t affords me much pleasure to
report the city finances to be
in most satisfactory condition.
On the first day of May, 1912,
there was S412S.65 in the city
treasury At this date there is
S5l3o.l4, made up as follows:
General fund S3O69.3S, water :
wOrksfund S1042. 46, interest fund
| S3O5. 10. library fund S159.12, sew
er fund S532 26, and sinking fund
S29.82.
In 1907, when | assumed the
office of mayor, there wasS46S7. A
in the city treasury, making a
difference Of $3.50. 20 more at this
time than six years ago. Out
Of the money in the treasury du
ring the years from 1907 to 1913,
the city has paid off 100000 in
bonded Indebtedness, thereby
reducing the interest charges to
quite an appreciable extent, be-
sides making many public i'm
prcvements, such as building
bridges, installing an electrical
pumping outfit, putting in the
park system of lighting on Main
street, and many other perman-
ent improvements which might
be mentioned.
TAXATION
| In the year 1907 the assessed
valuation of all city property was
$400, ,424O0 and in 1912 it was
S444, $50 90. Each assessment du-
ring the six years has been made
practically on the same basis of
values. which shows that there
has been an increase of valuation
and an abundance Of prosperity in
our city duringthis period of time.
The tax levy has been slightly in
creased during the past three
years for the purpose of provid-
ing a sinking fund for the pay
ment of bonded Indebtedness of
the city, but stu | think | can
safely say that, SO far as city tax
es are concerned, you are still
among the lowest of any of the
cities of the state of equal size
and having the same number of
public improvements.
| would suggest that before the
next assessment is made, that the
council meet with assessor and
90 over all the schedules with
him, SO that he may have the ben
eft of the experience and good
Judgment Of the council to the end
that an equitable assessment of
all property may be made and
that no person will escape his just
share of taxation. This would
seem to be of vastly greater i'm
portance this year than in any
previous year, from the fact that
at the last session of the legisla-
ture of this state, a law was pass
ed creating tax commission
which is now demanding radical
changes in the methods of assess
ment Of all property, which will
necessarily require some instruc:
tion to and much study by the
assessor before entering upon
his duties.
STREETS AND BRIDGES
In the matter of streets, | am
very much gratitied to report
them in excellent condition all
over the city, and it is my iudg-
ment, taken from our own expert
ence and also from the experience
of other cities, that the road drag
is not only the most economical,
bu talsO the most satisfactory road
implement ever devised for the
maintenance of roads and streets,
and it's continued and intelligent
use will make the streets better
each year. During the past year
quite a large sum has been ex-
pended for graveling Main street
and other streets, together with
the approaches to all crossings,
and the present condition of our
Main street is a matter of pride
to the council, as it is to every
citizen, and | think | am safe in
saying that no city in the north
| west has a better street except
these which are paved, than we
now have.
, In the matter of bridges | have
to report them in fairly good con-
ditiOn and safe for passage, al.
/. l A.