Valdez daily prospector., 1918-03-11
CITY COUNCIL HAS
 TAKEN INITIATIVE
Committees appointed to build Break water for Small Boats-Fresh
 Fish Will be Bought

The City Council held a postponed meeting Saturday night at the City Hall, at which many affairs of great importance to the city were discuss ed and acted upon.
 A motion was made and carried that the city take up another thous- and dollars of its old indebtedness, leaving the municipality but $4OOO in debt, and with ample funds to pay off all warrants.
 \ A committee was appointed to look after the proposition of building an efficient breakwater and float between the city dock and the Valdez dock for the protection of small boats. For many years boatmen of the sound have importuned the city to make some provision for the mosquito fleet, the west winds playing havoc with vessels tied to the present wharves. While Valdez has one of the best har- bors on the coast it is nearly nlnc miles long and six wide, allowing a heavy swell to break on the city front in a west wind. This will be remedied by driving piling and making break water with float of ample size be- hind it to afford landing facilities and protection to visitors and boats work ing out of this port.
 The council is going after the down. sound business in earnest and it's ac- tion is meeting with universal con- mendation of the business men and citizens
 Another meritorious proposition was the appointment of committee to look after the interests of any firm desiring to enter into business in the city. Suitable sites will be selected for proposed industries and every means known will be used to induce capital to invest in business enterprises, es- pecially along the lines of canneries, salteries and factories dependent up- on the fishing business.
 The city council also voted to take the initiative in Investigating the pos abilities of working up a good mar ket for fresh fish from this city. Any fresh fish brought to the city from now on will be paid cash for at the market valuation, and placed in cold storage and shipped outside. The city council has no intention of entering into the fish business, but is looking up the possibilities and will gladly turn it over to private concerns when it's success is assured. Captains of launches plying down sound can buy fish along their routes and bringing the catch to Valdez can secure lucra- tive prices for them. This will enable settlers down sound to put in part of their time fishing at good profit, and with the assurance that the city guar antees the money for their catch. The possibilities arising from this action of the council are unlimited and are bound to accrue advantageously to the city. The idea is to induce cold storage plant or saltery to locate in the city, and every concession will be made to secure these enterprises.
 The matter of going after school of mines and the proposed industrial school was also discussed and every means will be employed by the coun- cil to secure one of these government al enterprises for the city.
 This is one of the most momentous meetings of the council for some time, and is a step in the right direction. Every member is live wire, working to advance the city's interests and call, attention to our unrecognized natural resources. That great good will be ac- complished by the councils action is assured.
 When the present council took of flee the city was many thousands of dollars in debt, with hundreds of out standing warrants issued by previous councils unpaid. Without raising taxes this debt has been reduced to a minimum, which speaks volumes for the business capacity of the present members.
 The present council is composed of James Patterson, mayor, Wm. Meals, clerk, B. c. Ames, treasurer, Willard Scott, marshal; Dr. J. A. Silverman. health officer; and Councilmen T. c. Quinn. c. B. Smith. Ed. Wood. An tone Carlson. A. J. Dimond and Chas. Crawford. All are successful business men, who 6fe running the city's busi- ness as they would their own.
 Advertise in the Prospector.