The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-29
SEVENTH ANNUAL
REPORT OF CITY
Yearly Publication Containing State
ments OF All City Officials,
is Due In Few
Days.
MUNICIPAL ACTIVITIES
Members Of City Government Briefly
Review Work Accomplished In
past and Hopes for
Future.
MUNICIPAL ACTIVITIES

the latter part of this week or the
early part of next. AS usual, inc
booklet will contain the annual re-
ports of the mayor, council, city So
licitor, city engineer, police and IRE
departments, the statement OF city
accounts kept by the city clerk and
examined by the state municipal &C
countant, and other information per-
tanning to the affairs of the city.
The Gate City has already publish
ed the annual reports of the fire de-
partment and police department. FOL
lowing are the reports of the mayor
and council and city solicitor:
Mayors Report.
j herewith submit the following
general report of activities of the
city government for the year 1916.
During the past fiscal year the
city council has been hampered for
funds, on account of the deficit which
they assumed and on account OF the
loss of the mulct tax.
We have by different economies
saved the amount which was former
" received from the mulct tax, have
kept up the usual overhead expense
of the city government, including po-
lice and fire departments, and have
made the following special improve
ments:
Brick paving: Bridge street from
Main street to Keokuk and Hamilton
bridge.
Concrete paving: Eighth street
from johnson to Palean.
Tenth street from Johnson to Pal
can.
Sixteenth street from Main to Elk
change.
Sixteenth street from Main to High.
Eighteenth street from Main TO
Carroll.
intersections Main and Bridge.
Storm. sewers. Catch basins in
connection with street improvements.
"a inch pipe sewer in North Tenth
street and Morgan street
80 inch pipe sewer in Morgan street
from Sixth to Fourth streets, as well
as repaired other streets throughout
the city.
Soon after the organization Of the
city council the question OF rates for
both gas and electricity were taken
u2 and with the assistance Of the
Keokuk Industrial association, we
were given on July 1, 1916, the follow
ing rates:
Gas was reduced from s125 to $1.15
per thousand C. f.
Electricity from 10c to SC per XVIII.
We feel that the progress made
during the year has been satisfactory
under the circumstances and that
we have conducted the governmen t as
economically as we could without
stopping entirely it's progress.
Tba andod hau hpan a Efrpn-
uous one on account Of the financial
standing, but the most arduous task
and duty has been comparatively
easy and in the end pleasant to
perform with the cooperation and
support that has been accorded me at
all times by my fellow councilmen
and the public.
I recognize in the fullest degree,
the value of the faithful services
rendered by my assistants and the
harmonious, painstaking cooperation
of all employees, for all Of which / am
duly grateful.
Very respectfully,
ED. s. LOTION,
Mayor.
Mr.. HiIpert's Report.
To the Honorable Mayor and City
Council of the City of Keokuk:
I have the honor to report briefly
on my years work:
The different fire and police sta
tons in the city of Keokuk have been
overhauIed and placed in first class
condition.
During the past year we have paid
off the outstanding Indebtedness on
the fire truck. Part of this was paid
before due, thus saving interest.
The state of Iowa having passed
prohibitive enactments, the police de-
2artment has been endeavoring to
suppress the wave of bootlegging,
which seems to be inevitable in a
border city While we have not been
wholly successful, still we have man.
aged to curb the evil and keep it to
a large extent out of sight. This
has incurred additional expense i'll
this department and has been one Of
the items which has made 1t almost
impossible for us to reduce the out
standing indebtedness Of the city.
The prohibition laws have taken
away from the city S23, 500 in mulct
tax, which amount has had to be sup
is another item which has held US
down.
We personally feel very well salts
fled that we have been able to reduce
the Indebtedness slightly In spite Of
these handicaps.
l do not like to close this report
without calling attention to the eff
ficiency, loyalty and earnest cooper
alton of the fire and police depart
ments of the city of Keokuk
Resnpctful1y submitted
FRED HILBERT, JR.,
Superintendent of the Department
of Finance and Public Safety
Public Works
To the Honorable Mayor and City
Council of the City of Keokuk:
During the past year the depart