The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-21
Doings in the City Hall.

Things astir in the city building The ole
atmosphere of stagnancy and private bossism
has been conducted out of the windows, and
healthy currents of activity have put new flow
of blood into the city administration. If the
reader will pass in review but few of the
Idertakings which the various departments
now at work, he will gain the impression (and
it will be true impression) that considerable
vim and vigor have been injected into the veins
of our city government.
The board of works accomplished good bust
ness stroke in deciding the purchase of
street flusher. AS things have been, our almost
five miles of paved streets have been costing the
city 500 a week for cleaning. This cleaning was
OF such dainty, epheneral character few citi-
cents were able to tell whether that job had or
bad not been done. 1t is now proposed, instead
of pattng the street here and there with an old
broom, to give it a good scrubbing with clean
water twice week. This will really clean it, as
those who have watched the flushers at work
know, and yet will cost the city less than half
"a smuch the ancient method heretofore used.
The board is also making some careful in
vestigations of street oiling. True to the stand
ard set by it at the beginning of the year. it is
learning its facts and acting afterward. But,
however the work may be done, it is very prob
able it will be done in the very best possible way
under the circumstances
Happily, this same busy department has also
undertaken the solutions of our shade tree prob
lem. Having realized what it at stake in our
trees, it has set about to hit upon some effective
method for properly caring for them The meth
cd is ready to be turned over to the council,
which body, it may be expected, will approve the
boards recommendations
The city health department is preparing to
make the fly and garbage ordinance reality as
we'll as name. That ordinance, passed last fall
is exceptionally good piece of city legislation
and will do the town great deal of good when
enforced.
The citys legal department has it's hands
full, and more. 1t has undertaken to re-adiust
the electric light rates 1t has placed before the
public service commission the proposal to lower
water rates, and it has been kept busy trying to
| keep up with the frenzied finance of the Light,
Heat and Power company.
| The city officials, as a whole, are honestly
endeavoring to fill their offices efficiently They
have already made many savings by the use of
more business-like methods, and will, unless the
unexpected occurs, be able to make other saw
| ing in other directions. But what the admins
tration is more in need of just now, and what any
administration must have to be wholly efficient,
! is heartier cooperation of the public
The citizens of the town seem to be so apa-
thetc and so indifferent that their representa-
tives find it very difficult to ascertain the pub
lie will. If the people will discover some means
such for instance the social CENTER for getting
together and for discussing various public prob
lens and policies there is no reason why we
can not have here of the most efficient city
administrations in the state.