The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-01-29
hAYORDEDMAH MAKES
RECOMMENDATIONS TO
BOARD Of ALDERMEN
ABLE MESSAGE FROM CHIEF Elk
EcUTIVE UPON THE CITYS
NEEDS.
MAKES MANY SUGGESTIONS
Says That in Past Ten Years City
Has Spent $4,000 on Streets and
They Are No Better Now Than
Then.


evening presented his message tc
the board Of aldermen at the begin
ming of the second var of his SECOND
term. He not only made recon
mendation of work that he though
should be done the coming year, bu
reviewed the work Of the past year.
The most vital part Of the mes
sage was in regard to the city
streets. The mayor stated that
within the past ten years the city
had spent upon its streets the sun
of 100000, and that they were in
practically no better condition than
they were at the beginning of tha
period. For this reason he urge(
very earnestly that the city begin a
once the paving of a few blocks ii
the business district with some per
manent kind Of paving, SO that the
city would be saved this constant
drain for patched streets. He advis
ed that this be done under the abut
ting property law by which the city
pays one-third of the cost Of thu
paving and the PROPERTY owners on
each side the other two-thirds. He
also suggested that as the system O
oiling the streets had been used will
great success three years ago, the
same be tried now under the abut
ting property plan.
He recommended that in the future
the city make it's own assessment o.
property.
He also requested the most serious
consideration of the board to the
erection of city abattoir, which he
thought could be made a source o.
revenue to the city as we'll as pre-
serving much better the health of the
lcitizens of the community.
The mayor recommended that the
loffice of building and fire inspector Of
1.-THE city be created and that T. r
iFriel be appointed thereto. He stat
ed that he could easily discharge the
duties of this Office along with those
of his present position as street over
eer, and with proper diligence on
his part the fire loss in the city could
be much diminished.
Regarding more sewerage, his hon
or recommended that the board give
It's earnest consideration to the mat.
ter of further facilities along this
line. The city engineer has prepared
a rough estimate Of the cost Of this
work, and thinks that it can be done
for $4,000. He urged that some
steps be taken to alleviate this ne.
cessity If ways and means can be pro
vided.
He went on record as being unal
terably opposed to the expenditure OF
more money by any department than
is appropriated to that department in
the making up of the budget.
Regarding the city's finances, he
said that under the charter of the
city the board has the right to an
icipate the revenues to be receiv-
ed for any year and borrow 1919 of
the same in order to meet the cur
rent expenses of that year. The
banks of the city have been making
loans for this purpose. These loans
are paid off when the city taxes are
collected, and when paid the city
treasury is depleted. This system
has been in vogue since 1904. In this
way the city has floating indebted
ness He suggests that the city issue
notes of l, 2, 8, 4, and years to be
paid off annually In this way he
thinks that the city will have sutfi-
cient funds to meet current expenses
and in the end effect a saving In the
payment of interest.
Recognizing that the people of the
city have right to know how their
affairs are being managed, the mayor
requested the board to ask the Board
of Trade to appoint committee of
business men to examine the manner
! in which the affairs of the city are
being managed, special reference and
attention being made to the handling
Of the citys finances. He stated
hat such an investigation would
! show that the affairs of the city had
been more economically administered
by the present board than by former
boards
He congratulated the board that 1t
had made it possible for the children
of the city Of Columbia to have school
ABILITIES which are unsurpassed in
any city in the state
Attention was called to the efficient
work Of the city police. He attnbut-
ed this 70 the new jury law, under
which Il had been possible for the
city 10 Be rid Ct al bliaa tiaern. This