Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-12-02
City Bulge, This Year Is Q
Good One
Continued from Page One)

Confined from Page One)
city assumes, more and more, its f.
ting metropolitan appearance.
Large as the total SUI expended IN
municipal accounts may seem to those
who have not given such matters
thought. Bismarck's Budget is by no
means a large one, when it is consid.
cred that it represents practically the
running expenses of a $4,000, 900 O
poration, assuming the assessed val.
uatiOn to be one-third Of actual value,
and when it is considered that no in.
considerable proportion of the amount
is composed of debts handed down to
the present administration for sera
vices rendered or goods furnished
nearly a quarter Of a century ago anG
for certain fixed charges imposed by
franchises granted at the same time.
Thus. water, light, sinking and inter.
est funds on funded debt are all heir
looms and practically beyond the pow.
er of the commission to reduce, espe.
cially when it is remembered that
the natural growth of the city is con.
stantly calling for extension of the
two first named public utilities. 9th
Ell bonded obligations also come with
in the category of fixed charges pro-
vision for the payment of which is
mandatory upon the commissioners.
That $3.50 dtem.
The item Of 1882 for Judgment Sc
cured against the city is one which is
also required by law to be made. In
early days-prior to 1SS6-When the
first Bismarck Water company COM
menced operations, there were prac-
tically no grades of streets establish
ed beyond the downtown section.
Citizens were clamoring for water
and even urging prosecution of the
company to which the franchise had
been granted and which, because of
lack Of grades and other reasons be-
yOnd its control, had not completed
its work within the time specified in
the first franchise. Finally the pipes
were permitted to be laid at depths
then considered to be the right ones
for present and prospective needs O.
the city. Time passed and for years
the grades were unchallenged.
Then came the period of recon-
struction formerly mentioned and Ii
forcibly apparent that either
the contour Of II new streets would
be permanently disfigured or, other,
wise, the grades would have to be
changed so that the water company's
mains would be exposed to frost. ]:
was deemed best to correct the grades
and assume such cost as might be
imposed by a friendly action in the
courts. This was had and the liza.
bility fixed as above noted by the SUI
preme court of this state. No one
can be blamed for the condition thai
existed, at least no n who is now
responsible. The lapse if any, occur.
red years ago. The water company
was we'll within it's rights and those
in authority would certainly have fail
ed in their duty if they had not rectl-
fled the error in street grades that
they found to exist. ,.aE
Sire IS of the City.
OF the streets our citizens are just
ly proud. They now present a smooth,
we'll drained and evenly graded APP
pearance that renders travel speedy
and SAFE as we'll as enabling our
merchants and visiting farmers 10
move their heavy freightage at a min
imum of cost in wear, tear and re-
pairs. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, that a standard has been estab.
lished in compliance with the de-
mands of the public that ca1no: be
without considerable ex-
for maintenance. Nearly
200 automobiles are now owned and
operated within the city limits. Auto
travel is VIGOROUSLY hard on road
SURFACES. Street grading is going on
apace, calling for still more extended
on the part Of the street
maintenance department. At the
nominal cost Of only $40 per lot some
1900 lots have been added to this
area within the last month and work
has actually been commenced on the
contract, which will bring to a SPLEEN
did grade that rapidly growing part
of the city lying north Of Broadway
and south of the Boulevard and east
of Ninth street. These improve.
~ III .. . a.~a. i