The Alaska daily empire., 1914-02-18
City Council Gives
 Account of Stewardship

The Juneau city council has caused to be prepared and today issues a re- port covering in detail the financial con- dition of the City of Juneau and the record of the transactions that have occurred during the iucumbency of the present administration. The council has also issued statement ,explana- tory of the report, which sets forth the reasons which have actuated the council in all that 1t has done.
 It is the purpose of the council in the near future to hold a public meet. ing. which all of the citizens of Ju- neau are invited to attend, and at that time the city administration will be glad to answer all questions regarding any items in the accounts, or with re- spect to the administration of the city's affairs in any particular.
 Councils Statement.
 The city councils statement follows;
 "what We desire is that every trans action of the administration which may not be clearly understood, be made as plain to any citizen, seeking information as is possible. While, as in all human undertakings, we have no doubt fallen short of the highest possible efficiency. and may in some respects be subject to criticism for cur acts. we are conscious of having acted with the sole purpose of accom- plishing the greatest good for the peo- pie of Juneau. and We do not shrink from any just criticism.
 we add here some comments re- garding certain of our expenditures. not with the hope that they will meet with universal approval, but merely to explain our motives. No doubt some readers will conclude that We have placed the most favorable con- struction upon what We have done. but we believe that such construction is neither more nor less than fair.
 New City Hall.
 The building of the new city hall has been fully justified. The building furnishes school facilities to 9S pupils. There was no suitable building nor, in fact. was there a building of any kind available where these children might have been housed and instruct ed. Even with the increased accom- modations in the city hall, the old school building is still overcrowded. We were confronted with the necessity of building the city hall or building a cheap structure (discreditable to a prosperous and progressive con- munity) on the school house block. A building which would have accom- modated the same number of pupils as now receive instruction in the city hall. and having equal floor space. would have cost not less than S5,OOO, even if constructed in the cheapest possible manner. and if so constructed it would be necessary to remove it in a few years, and it would not have been a permanent addition to the city improvements. The practical effect of putting the money into the city hall has been to decrease the cost of that building by $5,OOO, and the money so expended is a permanent asset of the city. When the second floor of the city hall is no longer needed for school purposes. it is planned to de- vote part of it to a dormitory and club rooms for members of the fire department. and the remaining part to a city library and reading room. A representative of the Federal govern ment has made inquiries of the city looking towards leasing the second floor of the city hall for certain of its departments. and a handsome revenue cOulQ Ut ODldlAcN AAOl4A AAAo oOuANCs O1N if the space were not required for school purposes we believe that the eff fciency of the fire department and the general welfare of the city would be better subserved by using the space as above outlined rather than convert ing it into a source of revenue in dol lars and cents.
 The total cost of the city hall, S26.. O7O.3S. including the cement sidewalk around the lot. is approximately less than any building of similar character in the City of Juneau.
 School House Site.
 As is generally known. 1t was the intention of the School Board to raise funds to construct a new school build ing on the present school block, based upon a guarantee by the citizens of Juneau to be taken care of afterwards by bond issue whenever the authority