, 1922-04-25

full public meetings that it has
Among the speakers who
B. B. Brooks, president of the
dweit upon 'Americanism and its re-
qufrements." L A. Reed. sport lover
and BASEBALL enthusiast varied the
speaking program by announcing the
plans that had been made for an or
ganization team here.
Mayor w. A. Biackmore gave an
accounting Of his stewardship as chief
executive for a period Of nearly our
months. Contending that the effort
OF his administration was to give the
utmost OF service by installing bust
ness principles and by enforcing laws
Mr.. Blackmore appealed for the sup
port of all good citizens.
Having had less than four months
experience in municipal government.
you can well appreciate my hestitancy
in speaking as an authority on the
subject. but in summing up four
months study and experience rs ma
yor of your city, I find tho great
temptation is TO appeal TO the pulse.
rather than to reason. OF our citizens
To choose what seems to be the lesser
evil as far as IL affects self. is strong
at times. and Is apt to make up be-
neve we are serving others in serving
ourselves. instead OF serving ourselves
by serving others.
Policies OF finance, safety and
health are, to my mind. dominant
factors for consideration and while
each of them is championed by those
interested solely in phase alone, none
of them should be disregarded to the
advantage Of the other. To consider
simply our finances to the neglect Of
public safety. good streets and gen
aTl health. IS no less wrong than TO
consider safety or health paramount
to n supplying necessary funds tc
operate the general needs of the other.
III, however. as cogs in the city ma
chinery. one o must require closer
attention than another. finances is first
TO be considered, as from the result Of
its policies comes h supply Of power
for the other cogs- Citizens and or
~ganizations should loan their assistance
to city administrations to cause the
cogs OF the municipal machinery TO
properly mesh thereby avoiding fric-
ton hat lessons the power.
The public improvements in Casper
have required lots OF hard work on n
part of city officials in years gone by,
who have received little salary and
less credit for their very best efforts.
/ will call your attention to some per
manent improvements done with the
money hat has been paid into the city
treasurer's office according to inven-
tory taken in January, 1929. Casper
has so miles of sidewalks. 30 miles of
sanitary Sewers. Two miles SO to 60
inch storm sewer. 500 manholes. IS
miles of paving, at a cost OF 81 $50. 800.
Real estate valued at s311 500. Fire
equipment at a cost Of $3.50. 900. Wa
ter works system s7o4.20o. Public
buildings and equipment s321. $50. Or
a total valuation of s3.455 GOO.
And still. gentlemen. you occasion
ally hear remarks made by taxpayers
that the city has nothing to show for
the money paid the city treasurer. and
usually the less taxes they pay the
louder they howl. OF course the pres
ent administration is beyond criticism.
But, unless the American Legion, the
chamber OF commerce. h church and
other organizations give us their moral
support. we may yet be criticised.
The present administration hopes
to reate a practical system Of real
street repairs and improvements. and
has purchased equipment for that pur-
pose. With the help of the good peo-
pie of Casper. we propose to enforce
the existing laws and ordinances. with
recall or amendment Of such as are
clearly obnoxious or which lack the
necessary results. The enforcement of
traffic regulations. creation Of a
new sane building ordinance. are also
included on tho program.
In the past month we a let con-
tracts for a sanitary sewer covering
the Sand Bar. a large reservoir to
control the flood waters Of Mckinley
draw. riprapping the Platte river
banks to protest HI pump house, also
about two miles of concrete, at a total
cost of SOS. ooo.
I'VE also plan extensive improve
ments in the different departments,
water. street and parks. We have IN
larged our clinic to care for the poor
unforunates who are unable to pay
for medical services. and the Welfare
club is about to add a tuberculosis
nurse. We hope to find a way of pro-
viding more play grounds for the chill
dren of Casper. We nave ordered
trees to beautify park.
I'VE had great hopes of a reduction
of our present tax rate for a time. but
after making provisions for a suffici-
ent sinking fund to take care of out.
standing bonds as they mature and a
proper contingent fund and cutting
each department to the minimum. We