Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-04-05
MAYORS MESSAGE ]

REVIEWS PAST YEARS ACCOM-
PIIsH1dENTs-WANTs BETTR
POLICE PROTECTION
Mayor Bergheim delivered his annual
message to the council at the orgamz-
ing meeting Wednesday evening. In
his message he touched on what had
been accomplished the past year and
what should be done the coming year.
His principal recommendation was for
the addition of another patrolman to
the police force, saying that the in
crease in traffic and the fact that Lit
tie Falls is on the border-line Of big
dry territory will naturally cause much
more work for the police. -.
The mayors message is given here
with in full: 3
Gentlemen: H. =.
am glad to be with you again for
another years work, for the people
of Little Falls and for the nation at
large. My message at this time will
be brief, as l believe in doing rather
than in talking. However, think It
is right and proper that the admins.
tration at this time gives an account
of what has been accomplished by
the city during the past year and an
outline of what it expects to do dur:
ing the coming year. ~ =. -.
The council and mayor have work
ed in perfect harmony, cooperating
in all important matters coming be-
fore them for adjustment. We have
not only tried to do our duty from
day to day but have attempted to
look ahead and provide for the, .fu-
ture needs of our city. -.rEg,.
In speaking of what we have &C
compltshed, will just mention: q
few things to which we may point
with just pride: : -.
THE. POLICE DEPARTMENT has
been re-organized and in spite Of the
fact that the number of policemen
has not been increased and the fact
that we have attempted to enforce
the Traffic ordinance and all other
ordinances and the fact that we have
had larger crowds of people to han.
die in Little Falls from time to time
during the past year than we ever
had before, there have been no seri.
Gus accidents, no deliberate or ,seri.
GUS law violations. The people have
been very fair and law-abiding. It
must be ,.rembemered that our city ID
on the border-line af large dry ter.
ritory and that a large number of
people come in here from that terri
tory for the purpose of visiting our
80, .r1a vc10~o and <hAan nfR n
are the people that cause the most
disorders and cause our police Do
'partme -rt a great deal of trouble.
Generally speaking, I must say that
the men engaged in the liquor traf
f1c have complied with the regula
tions of the police department and
the law very fairly. There have been
some cases of violation Of the rules
prohibiting the sale Of Intoxicating
liquor to persons who have beer
posted, to minors and to persons al
ready intoxicated, but while these
places are permitted to run It will
probably be impossible to wholly
eliminate these features, II the may
or should find, however, any serious
trouble in enforcing the liquor laWt
during the coming year the Mime
sofa Commission of Public Safety
will be asked to prohibit the sale o.
Intoxicating liquor in bulk in thil
Fcity. This would prevent the prae
tice of furnishing liquor to postet
men through sales to persons wh<
carry It to them.
The ordinance that has given th,
policemen, however, the larges
amount of work is the Traffic ordin
ance, and If this ordinance is to b,
strictly enforced I shall have to asl
the council to furnish me with on,
more regular policeman at least TO
the summer months. The automo
bile traffic has increased over go
per cent during the last two or thre'
years, yet the number of men on tn
police force has remained the same
It will also be necessary to increas
the compensation of the men on tn
force, otherwise it will be impossfbl
for me to get competent men to serv
because Of the great demand for Ia
Dor everywhere. Even with the in
crease that the council was gene1
GUS enough to make last year our pc
licemen are not getting more thai
$3.50 per day for practically a "a
hour day. q 1.,
| II. ST
In cooperation with the city at
SCISSOR we have made q good begh
ming in an attempt to raise the ta1
able value Of our city property an
to equalize the burden Of taxes g
that every person pay his just pr
portion Of the taxes based upon tn
actual cash value of his property.
r# - = III. = -
We have made valuable and PEI
manent improvements in our publi
library and thereby made that inst
tuition more efficient and useful t
our citizens. =
! ". Is
We have done our bit in maintai1
Ing the spirit of patriotism and th
j support of our government in th
[prosecution Of the war. We. 1iav
made substantial donations to IA
Red Cross War fund and bougt
!$25,000.00 of Liberty bands, probabl
&1n0 1oxa,ouk =,