Morris tribune., 1915-04-02
STORM GAVE CITY
6 CORDS OF WOOD
CITY AGENT TELLS WHAT
HAPPENED IN 1914
Makes First Annual Report to
Mayor and Commissioners on
Affairs in Morris Under New
Form of Government

Morris completed its first years ex.-
perience under city manager yester-
day and City Manager Siverts is ready
to submit full report to the mayor
and the commissioners. 1t is full OF
facts and figures and contains many
items of interest to the people Of the
city. Among other matters Mr.. Siv-
erts will tell the people how storm
which visited Morris. the queen city
of the prairie, in June last year left
the city administration with a little
over six cords of wood as token Of
the wind that blew i'll to property
owners elsewhere. He makes an ex-N
haustive report on the water and sew
er systems and explains what became
of the money received by the city
during the year. The report will go
to the commissioners at an early
meeting.
In less than nine months, the re-
port says, Morris has received thou
sands of dollars worth Of advertising
from the fact that it was one of first
dozen cities in the United States
which adopted commissioner man.
ager form of municipal government.
In nine months the manager has re-
ceived one hundred and fifty inquiries
from cities, institutions Of learning.
libraries, etc., for information re-
garding the workings of the present
plan. The demand for copies of the
charter has been so great that the
supply has been exhausted. About
forty cities in all sections Of the coun-
try have adopted the Morris plans
among them being Buffalo, N. Y.
According to the report there
were sixteen new or almost wholly
remodelled dwellings erected at an
approximate cost Of $40, Three
new business houses and an addition
were built at cost of $14. 600.
The completion of the $35. 900 Catho.
lie school and about $40, 900 worth
of work Oh the new public school
swells the grand total to almost
$10O, 900 as the building record for
the year.
The assessed valuation of the city
was increased nine percent over the
previous year. "The tax levy for
city purposes in 1913 amounted to
$40, O,OOO," says the report, cor at
the rate of 16 5 mills. Of this levy
$500. or g mills went into the sink
ing fund leaving 1877 mills for city
expenses. The levy in 1914 amounted
to $12. 900. or 1872. of which 81, =
900, or 1.5 mills. goes into the sink
ing fund and $4,000, or 80 mills.
to establish fund to pay for. the
city's share in the eventual paving
of the business section. Hence the
actual levy for city expenses is 1877
mills compared with 1877 the year
previous. The rate of taxation for
school, purposes in 1914 amounts to
1S.5 mills"
From April 9 to Dec. II the fire
company responded to eleven calls to
fires which did damage to the extent
of ST, $50. In 1913 19 fires occurred
with loss of about .$26, 900. The
fire department has had no expense
| for equipment the past year.
The efficiency of the police depart
ment is atrested by the fact that no
} serious crimes were committed the
} past year. A few petty burglaries
} and some plain drunks are recorded.
} This year the cost of maintaining po-
lice protection amounted to only
eighty cents per inhabitant while in
1913 it was $1.O6.
The bonded Indebtedness of the city
is given at $40, 800. So. 800 of which
is city bonds and $35. 600 water
works bonds.
The report also takes notice Of the
cleanup work accomplished by the
ladies' of the Civic Association. $50
loads of rubbish were removed from
, the streets and alleys and dumped in
!, to low places and GOV cred with ashes
, The work cost $3.50.