The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-06-16
La, June IL, 1917

n.n.,dsouville, La, June IL, 1917
! yaonlar meeting of the commits
,.r council was held this day at 6:3(
~ - with Commissioners Walter LIE
p.ann mn C. Kline, and Frank Milant
present, .,o rox,,1ar x,oa+
~ Nav ID were read and adopted
y sThis being the last meeting of the
,,asent council, Mr.. Lemann present
Yb 4 M following report embodying g
s,,r,nary = m Of the results and achieve.
.snta r,,., Of four years of commission ad
.A;n;atration for the city of Donald.
soVille:
Donaldsonville. La, June IL. l9lT
4. .hs Commission Council. City OF Donald
r.say m the eve of the termination ci
1T. as4ss rsars OF commission government fol
,nsansIdsonyille, 1t is our duty as administra-
~ N the city affairs to present TO the
s.srayars and citizens an accounting OF oul
stewardship.
rwr;ng this period, the commission ha.: met
..ruisrly every month, and in order to take
u " .atters recurring immediate attention a
sssp.hay oY special sessions have been held
Tha .ennsYnission form of government has
s1ssc.ed The attention of the officials charged
sth the administration Of municipal govern
ranf to the Importance OF making changea
Il INA ordinances then in force. Whiie
thirty-six ordinances have been enactea py
All administration. number of these dealt
In the irnposition of taxes and licenses, SO
,h,s tha number Of new laws placed upon
~ etatuta books have been comparatively
ssw. A complete list of these ordinances.
sronarly indexed, has been prepared by the
sty auditor for future reference.
Legislation.
Taxing up the subject of new legisla-
tan among the new ordinances passed might
n mentioned the following: Forbidding OBJ
atYuction Of streets and sidewalks with build
Ings boxes, kegs, etc; repeating the law
compelling property owners to fence in their
uyoperties. and substituting therefor an or
dnsnee requiring high weeds to be kept
doWn making more effective the law against
The straying at large OF animals by sn69ect-
I'M the owners thereof TO fines In addition
u Inc impounding fee; forbdding the use Of
wooden shingles on any buildings within the
corporate limits; Sorbidding the placarding of
buildings and fences with posters; requiring
permit from the city engineer for erection
IL new buildings; regulating the size OF bill
hcards; forbidding the discharge of firearms
II INV kind: regulating the use Of the Streets
By automobiles and other vehicles; protect
lid the owners of gardens against depreda-
Hons.
Administration.
The general appearance of the city has
bean greatly improved. A number Of electric
lights have been added TO the street lighting
System; safety devices have been installed
Ia Railroad avenue, thereby minimizing the
danger from accidents. The old system OF
ecnstrueting wooden bridges has been aban-
doned, and In it's stead iron cu1verts have
been installed. After constant efforts we
have apavged&d iii having the eye5ore and
menace 70 health conditions in Churchyille,
consisting Of the open barrow pits on the
right oil way of the Texas & Pacific Rail-
way Company, filed In by that company
Ruggards. which formerly were found in
large numbers. have been practically elirnln-
ated, and each year an active campaign is
made against stray dogs. The garbage is
taken up more regularly than formerly, and
et present. the garbage Is being gathered
under contract, thereby reducing the cost
10 the city, and at the same time resulting,
we believe. in more efficiency in that line
Realizing that the deserving poor should
receive aid directly from the city. and that
she public in general should not be harassed
by lists asking FOR personal aid, the circuia-
ton of these lists has been prohibited, and,
after investigation, wherever the case has
been found one where the party was deserv-
ing and In need. help has been given.
Through the efforts of the Woman's Civic
e
bsr Of streets, and palms have been placed
at d number Of the street intersections. 1t
70 10 be hoped this can be continued this fall
until every street In the city is lined with
trees.
Light and Water Plant.
Since 1918 the operation and management
Vt the electric light and water plant has been
under the direction of commission of Ave
citizens who have been serving the city
without compensation. While the plant, due
v extraordinary expenses and difficulties
arising from an ever making bank in front
q the plant, has not been able to make the
showing 1t ought to have made. the erection
" the new plant has been justified by the re-
suits attained The records will show that
sAs annual fuel consumption has been reduced
from $4,000 to $4,000. Since the erection
u the plant. the indebtedness of s50,691.0
Aas been reduced to s45,523.36. With ca
pAsstS to provide light and water for much
asEar number. the plant can be made more
productive by an increase in consumers.