The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-05-13

Amount received from licenses 100
Amount received from munich
pal court fines and fees -. 240O
Amount received from water
rents and taps ......... 5000
Amount received from dog tax 100
Amount received from sewer
Taps ...e 800
Amount received from street
department collection $3.50. ops
Amount received from city
hall rents .............. $50
Amount received from land
rents ...... ........... 100
Amount of annual taxes. .64,766.6S
Arc lights from Milwaukee and
Omaha railways .......... $50
iOtdl $685.. .....
Amount of appropriation $%8G,54O.50
Deficit owing to cutting of
saloon licenses due July 1.
1915 49,. ..... ....$ 5.20S.32
Economy Is Necessary.
1.-THE law of the state governing
the city administration requires that
the expenditures for the year does
not exceed the annual appropriation.
There are four months remaining of
the fiscal year, and as will he learned
from the monthly report of the aud
itor utmost economy must be practic-
ed in order to maintain the financial
balance. Each department will be
called upon to look forward to the
expenses and recommend expend-
lures only within the limit approp-
rated.
at appears to the mayor that it is
highly appropriate and a business ne
cessity that the finance committee
take Immediate steps towards making
a thorough accounting of the finan-
cial affairs Of the various officers of
the city and make a written report
to the council. This report should
contain a statement of the work of
proper accounting has been made and
also will contain any recommends
ton which the committee may choose
relating to improvements in the form
of transacting the business of the
officer.
1.-THE mayor desires to repeat what
has been presented heretofore that
one of the greatest needs at this time
in the cityato increase the comforts
of home life is the improvement of
the streets OF the city to such an eN-
tent as will eliminate as far as pos
|sible the dust nuisance which is in
cident of our climate during the sum
mer months. This improvement can
be brought about either by paving
the streets or by putting on the
streets a layer of gravel.
Have Ample Hire Protection.
ssVNh1 r,rrornr,nntc n6 nnn
year ago for the protection OF the city
by adding a supply of water have
been practically completed. The water
pipes have been extended, the wells
fitted with pumping appliances and
the concrete reservoir of 100000
gallons capacity will be ready for
use in about 60 days. AS near as
can be estimated these improvements
will give for the present the city am
pie fire protection and a supply OF
water for domestic purposes as far
as the quality of the water will per-
init.
LAS there are members of the city
council who have not been intimately
acquainted with the controversy arts
ing between the City OF Mitchell and
the Dakota Central Telephone COM
pany it will be profitable to briefly
outline the. history of the case. Re
petition necessarily will be made OF
reports and recommendations which
have been made from. time to time
to the members Of the council.
ION May IL. 1898, the city coun-
ell passed an ordinance IN favor OF
F.. B. Elce known as Ordinance No.
= or -so.A.y. fropphicn fnr the
erection and operation Of q telephone
system. This franchise provided that
after three years from the date OF
its approval 10 per cent of the gross
receipts of the telephone system IN
excess of $4,000 should be paid to
the city. This per centum has been
known as a gross earnings tax against
the telephone company. Mr.. Elce I'M
der this franchise erected a telephone
system anu operated the same for a
number of years meeting the condi-
lions Of this franchise. Subsequently
he transferred the telephone plant
to the Dakota Central Telephone
company, or its predecessors under
other M The Dakota Central
Telephone company paid his tax Tor
two years and then declined to make
further payments, This was the sit
uation when the present administra-
ton came into Office May, 1908.
First of Phone Cases.
"Action was brought in the circuit
court of Dawson county. The action
was taken to the supreme court. OF
the state and after being thoroughly
discussed the final decision was rem
dered supporting the city of Mitchell
in it's contentious regarding the law
governing the relation OF a telephone
company to the city.
rThe supreme court in its decision
decided that the telephone company
was operating under Ordinance No.
1876, inso far as a local exchange was
concerned, and that Ordinance NO.
$50 was for the purpose of permitting
a long distance telephone to operate
within and. without the city. Under
this Judgment the telephone company
paid amounts as follows: March 9th,
1919. s%2516.73; April goth. 1912.
2703.04, The company then refused