Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-01

1911 :. ........... 13,649.97 1912 :. ...............-.. IA 4,332.lS 1913 . ....................... 12,109.11 ' 1914 .- .............- 16,S34 .09 1915 . ......... 13,6S9.44 The jump in the amount expended for the department in 1914 is ex- plained by the fact that the new fire bose was purchased at a cost of $2,-
 Gil. The range in other years is
 small.
 Permanent Improvements Cost. Not many people stop to consider
 that the reason Pine Bluff is today
 ir debt, is that in the fiat years" Of
 the past, large sums were expended
 in permanent improvements, which
 the residents of the city are enjoying
 today. Concrete viaducts were built,
 cash assistance was given toward
 paving streets, storm sewers were
 laid, sanitary sewers were maintain
 ca, a considerable area of valuable
 land was purchased, other such ex-
 nenses were incurred-all of which
 are now paying returns.
 Few people stop to consider also tiat the city is today paying for
 much of this permanent improvement
 work. When the work was done, city
 warrants were issued, to fall due q year or two years later. Necessari
 ly in these later years, other war rants were issued for current ex- penses, the city's money being used
 to retire the older warrants. These things. therefore, are responsible for the city's Financial condition now, although they are not altogether to blame, because that decrease of about $20,O0O in income is having it's full effect.
 The city is on a cash basis now, which is working to the financial ad- vantage of the city, and to it's resi- dents. A continuance of this cash system will within a very few years put the city on a clean page, and if that less of $20,0O0 income can b. made up somewhere, virtually hho whole amount can be expended al- most every year for permanent inn proven; nts. If the means can be found to regain that $20,O00 per year and Mayor Bloom believes he
 knows the method. although he is keeping it 8 secret-the city will be II SC HUH dl1 luuODlOuItOoo III c SSAS few years, will be operating on a strictly cash basis, and will be able te expend large sums for permanent improvements each year.
 Some Valuable Work. Over and above the sums above listed as expended for the street de- partment, some of the large Sums expended for permanent improve
 ments are as fellows:
 In 1910, culverts and storm sewers
 costing over $4,00O were built. In 1911, about $21,573 was expend-
 e,l in the erection of culyerts in West
 Second avenue, at State street and
 Tenth avenue, at the cemetery, and
 iu other such work and also in con siderable grading.
 In 1912. $S,190 was expended for storm sewers; an approprlatlon or
 $2,5OO was made toward the pave
 ment of West Fifth avenue, about $2,-
 eco was expended for grading West
 Fifth avenue; sanitary sewers re-
 pairs cost $1,157; new .ears and ap-
 paratus for the street department
 ecst $2,735; and other permanent
 work ran the total up to $16,S76. In 1913, $7,000 was expended for storm sewers: for culverts, culvert i iron. etc, $1,550 was expended; $1.O22 was spent to pave the culverts in East second avenue, and ether smaller expenditures of ;hs same general nature were made.
 i In 1914, there were no special ap- propriations or permanent improvs- l ments of extent. The city built a
 culvert in East Fifth avenue, at acost
 of about s2,500, and did big work ill filling Sta.e street, all this being
 done by the regular street force. In 1915, $4,0O0 to $5,000 was ex- pended for permanent improvements among the items being $629 for fill 1 ing and grading west Tenth ave nue between Pine and Main street. ! in addition to three weeks work by the entire street department; $S50 was expended for new bridges in Tennessee and Linden strests; more than $SO0 in cash was expended in grading Ms souri street and East Twelfth ave nue. in addition to about six weeks work by the entire street force; and grading at Bellwoad cemetery cost
 nearly $650.
 Money Brings Results All of which makes it plain tnal
 with the money to spend, much good
 work can be- done. It shows also that despite tho decrease in the receipts.
 the city has been making progress, inl be tsrment, of physical conditions.