Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-18
CITY COMMISSION GOVERNMENT
One of the Days Best Cartoons
NI.-FItI:DERIG j. HasI<rN

BATTLE CREEK. MICH. January IL.
This is probably the only city in the
! United States the streets Of which are
decorated with growing flowers ON
every lamp post ia the business dis
irlct Just under the globe is metal
box where plants are kept growing
, from carly spring "n,ii The first frost
y should think u would he awfuiiy
haid !" keep people from stealing
those flowers" remarks the stranger
j 10 the policeman un tic corner.
Amy ono who lives in Battle creek
you'll no more modest them thau inc
would Kick . baby of the sidewalk"
is III. reply.
Thcs" street boxes are no, main
tanned by the city government They
wcr" Installed by an association Of
private citizens which maintains then,
with the cooperation aud appreciation
Of all the other citizens. Battle Creek
IS one ~ the prcttiest and hes, kept
towns III the country. and ono reason
Tor the fact is that tho people take
enough pride in their town 10 decorate
tho streets with flowers.
People Wanted Public Parks.
desire 10 make their city more
beautiful brought about the change to
commission government in Battle
that they would have parks There
UPON Ill the candidates for Mayor and
Councilman began making speeches
ABOUT parks, and most OF them were
elected On the strength Of their prom
Uses Eut no parks rnatcrializcd Every
time that amy one said park" in the
city Council. each Of the Aldermen IN
turn leapcd 10 his feet and raised his
arm and his voice in c,nphatic dcclara-
ton that parks were his only object
in life. that he was pledged 10 create
parks. that The great and glorious city
or Baitle Creek should have the fines,
parks in tho world, but II owe my first
allegiance 10 the sovereign voters Of
the Umpteenth Ward. and shall OPP
pos" with every ounce Of energy
possess the purchase Of amy park That
does not give first consideration To the
deserving citizens of my baiiiw!ck"
For tim. this made Mr.. Alderman
very popular in his own ward. hut the
people finally awokc to the fact that
il Was not producing any parks. To
the Amusement of tho town hall pa
triots. they voted for commission gov
eminent. Battle creek now has an
exceptionally fine system OF parks and
bouleVards.
Battle Greek is governed by q Mayor
and four commissioners. The last com
mission elected includes skilled mo
chanic cigar manufactures. bust
ness man and lumber and coal dealer.
The initiative. referendum and recall
are in tho charter. The recall has
never been used.
Dealing With Traffic Problem.
Like all other cities in the United
States, Battle Creek has had tn deal
with traffic problems resulting from the
| Increased use OF the automobile. In n
city where 20 per cent Of the people
own their own homes. and where the
10 S+Si per capita. automobiles are
likely to he numerous That's the stu-
alton in Battle Creek. When congcs-
| ton reached "a point where you couldn't
| cross the street without stumbling
over half Il dozen autos, the cha mber
| Of commerce evolved Il set OF parking
| regulations. ON regular meeting
| night of the commission the chambers
| committee appeared with its proposed
| ordinance. 1t required just one hour
| and twenty minutes for tho commission
| Ia decide upon and promulrate set
of parking regulations based upon the
committees request. Merchants of
Battle Creek say that under the old
form of government IL would have
! taken six months
y uniform feature Of Battle Creek Is
| its waterways. Two rivers meander
| through the town. cutting il up into
| all sorts Of shapes and sizes. Under the
| old form of government there We're
| twenty wooden bridges over these
! rivers. and bridges like paving, were
traded In ward politics. To-day all Of
| the bridges but one concrete, and
! that one Will he turned into concrete
f! this year. The city has built the
| bridges itself
Gas Monopoly Conquered.
What the old-timc politicians called
the dangerous autocratic power vested
| in The commission" was exerci ;ed in
| one ease for the oppression OF a sacred
institution. to-wit the gas company.
This monopoly had been accommodating
financial adiposc At the expense Of the
pconlc for many years. The commits
| sion asked for IL reduction Of tho rates.
! Ii was refused The referendum was
call0d into action by the commission
III: people we're asked to vote whether
OF not they would like to have the
commission build and operate n n'i-
nicipal gas plant. Gazing. upon Their
parks. their bridges. their paving and
their traffic regulations. the people
said, go to IT"
What the gas company said isn't ut
to print: but the gas rate was cut from
81 to 80 cents. and the