Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1921-01-12
NEW BLOOD OF
COUNCIL IN CONTROL.
MAYOR SHOWS BENEFIT OF
ELECTRIC LIGHT METERS TO
CITIZENS IN ANNUAL ADDRESS
COMMITTEES AND OFFICIALS
APPOINTED.

November election were sworn into
office at the first meeting of the
new year last night. The meeting
was called by the former council, at
which time the new board took the
oath of office and accepted their
seats, which were vacated by the re-
firing councilmen. Only two mem
bers of the council succeed them
selves. These are F.. j. Shinn, who
has served in that capacity for sew
eral years, and G. NJ Frost. Mayor
Lamkln also succeeds himself. The
new members of the board are d..
W. +. Blake, j. l.. Harner A. {. Joy
and c. II. Pierce. Miss Gertrude
Biede, as city recorder, VISA also re-
elected
The mayor on assuming his chair
gave his annual address to the coun-
Gil IS follows
To the Honorable Council of the
Cit. of Ashland, Oregon, particularly,
and the people of Ashland in general !;
Gentlemen of the Council The
people of the most beautiful city in
Oregon have chosen YOU to take
charge of the financial interests OF
their municipality. You are follow,
ing Il council OF more than average
ability, who have done splendid work
and sacrificed their. own interests
many times for the common welfare
OF our people
appreciate very much the inter
est You have shown by attending sew
eral meetings with the retiring cOun-
Gil and | am expecting Just as effici-
ent service from the new members as
we have had from those who are re-
firing. The salary YOU receive is
practically nothing. when compared
with the amount of work that you
have to do. But every good citizen
should be ready and willing to give
certain amount of his time and
ability for the upbuilding OF the
community in which he lives
You no doubt will make some mis-
takes, but the people are willing to
overlook mistakes il they are salts
fled we are making an honest effort
to serve them to the hest OF our
ability.
We are proud of the fact that oul
Indebtedness is only about four hun
dred and forty thousand dollars, and
we are paying off these bonds every
year. This is done largely from thu
net income from the revenues of the
water and electric light departments.
The putting in of electric light me-
ters has proved Prand success. The
city paid the California Power Co.
for the month of December 1916,
S1699.30. This was before meters
we're installed. Taking the same
month for the next four years, we
get the following results:
For the month of December. 1917,
we paid $922.61; for December, 1918,
$SS3.O2; for December, 1919. $601.
and for December 1920, 5000.
We have many more people in town
now to supply with light than we
had before we installed the meters,
yet we have reduced the light bill
to the California Power Co. over one
half. This is not only financial
benefit to the cfty, but has done away
with great deal of trouble which
naturally came from the old system.
would recommend the purchasing
of tractor for street work. II gets
dry so quickly in the spring we are
unable to get over the streets and
do good, thorough job. Many of
our streets need a good heavy grad
ing. The use of horses does not give
the power and does not accomplish
half what an engine would. Horses
have to stop and rest, while u trac-
tor is able to go constantly Man
power is too valuable to he waiting
for horses TO rest.
would also recommend the put
ting in of settling tank of two
compartments up Ashland creek next
spring as soon as weather and water
will permit. We have water second
to none on the coast, and yet it IL
many times muddy during the year,
which can easily be remedied for q
very reasonable expenditure of mon
ey. This can be taken from the wa
ter fund, without voting bonds. Tho
water department brought in last
year about Sl5, 900 net, above all ex-
penses.
We are curtailing expenses every
where we can and not interfere with
the efficiency OF the different de-
partmenis.
We have taken one man out OF the
recorders office; one man off the
mineral springs pipe line; one man
off the police force; also one man
out of the city electric light plant.
This is considerable saving to the
city. and yet these departments were
never better cared for than they are
now.
wish TO thank the people for the
confidence they have placed in me
by electing me mayor for three terms
in succession My only hope is that
I may be given wisdom and prove
worthy of the position that you have
given me.