Year: 1867




! lating showmen be amended so as to increase
the maximum amount that may be taken for
such licenses from $25, as it now is to $50
1t further appears from said statement, that
the amount collected last year into the dog fund
was S5i 2: against which orders have been drawn
for sheep killed to the amount of Sll2, leaving
S40O which, as the law stands goes to the
school fund.- to which it ought to be Immediately
transferred by resolution. AS the sum collected
for dog licenses was much less than that assessed
upon that species of property; and the school
fund has thereby been detrauded of part of its
legitimate revenue, | would suggest to you the
passage of an ordinance preventing the running
at large of any dog unless the tax has been paid
upon it, which can be indicated by mark or
Stamp and number made by the Treasurer upon
the collar OF the rerpectye dog, and that any dog
found running at large without said mark, be
caught up and put for reasonable time into
the city pound within which time it may be
there redeemed by the owuer paying the taxes
ana charges; aud If not redeemed that it may
be then destroyed A measure Of this kind
would not be oppressive to the owners of valua
bic dogs, protect the interests of the sheep own
ers and of the school fund, and do away with a
great many worthless ours now infesting our
streets. sf~


l would also direct your attention to the pro-
priety of carrying into effect by ordinance, the
provisions of the charter in regard of the regua
ting aud licensing OF hacks, cabs, drays and
carts. and the charges of the persons running
the same within the city; also to provide for the


licensing of Peddlers and agents of Commercial
Houses from abroad selling goods bv samples
| would also suggest that the present manner
OF holding public autions, is neither satisfactory
to our business public nor renumerative to our
revenues.


Further I would recommend that an ordi
nance be passed without delay providing for
standard of weights and measures and for the
punishment of false weights and measures, and
for disappointment of some competent person
as sealer of weights and measures.


1t also seems necessary to me, that YOU do
not delay or. hesitate any longer to make use
of the power delegated to you by the Charter
to prevent the erection of any frame buildings
in and upo3 Rock river and to prevent the re
pairing of any such building now erected in or
upon said river within the limits of the CITY,


IN regard 10 such ordinances, as relate to
police and sanitary regulations, it appears to
me, that having been passed during the last
thirteen Years and under charters somewhat
different from the present one, and not having
been generally understood blythe people, nor
enforced bv the authorities, the same should
be revised without delay, shorn of their super
Huous, conflicting, and unpopular provisions
aud with such changes and additions as may
seem necessary, re.enacred published. and
theuceforw ard, enforced in each and every in
stance of a violation thereof.


BY the charter it is also made my duty to see
that the ordinances of the city are duly enforced
and observed. | shall try to perforin this duty
and i'll view OF the apprehension felt account
OF the probable app arance of the cholera dur
ing the coming not weather, | should like to
have all sanitary ordinances enforced with the
utmost promptness but, IN order to enable me
to perform my duty III this respect promptly
aud efficiently, it will require the delegation to
me of d reasonable amount of power AID author
ity over the ministerial fficers of the city, to
be By me employed at discretion TO compel any
one of them who may be reluctant or indiffer-
ent about this kind Of service, To perform the
same with promptneos and fidelity.


Fhe condItion of the city debt at the present
time has been fully and ably laid before you
by my predecessor in his valedictory address,
made Oh the eighth day of April last Ia fact,
he has left nothing for me to say upon the sub
iect. But will add only this, that I hope that
nay motion made in the Common Council last
year and adopted to enter into negotiations
with the Milwaukee q ST Paul Railroad Co.,
for the settlement of the claims of the city
against the old Milwaukee & Waiertown Rail-
road, will be carried out, by getting up proper
memorial, showing all facts connected with,
aud the history of that issue of bonds and the
eq uItabie claims of the city arising therefrom
against the said first mentioned Railroad Co,
and laying the same before The meeting of the
| Board OF Directors OF the Company, TO be held
at Milwaukee during that month of June next.
IL Will also be of Importance that besides a
omnltteecomposed oil members OF the Common
Council, large comm;tee consisting OF our
prominent merchants attend and be present at
said meeting, for the purpose of urging the
Claims of this city upon that Board, ani, If the
same be Induced to provide for those bonds III
/ 4 tt1 p
Railroad Com pany had done for theirs, 1t would
leave only the SlS3 900 now outstanding OF the
issue of bouds TO the Watertown d Madison
Railroad Company TO be provided for oy the
city. There is no doubt but that these last
named bonds can be got up at low rate, but
it cannot be done by waiting till the holders
commence suits therein. In chat case the costs
| and lawyers bills will amount IN many case TO
as much would have bought up the bonds.
In order to get the bonds up, GU will have to
send competent and trustworthy man to New
York city, provided with suffic tent means, and
! for such one it will not take long TO get hold
OF most all the bonds of that issue at reason
ably rate. 1879


| Ii is astonishing to me, and in my opinion
much TO be regretted, that this policy OF buy
| ing up the bonds OF this city with money has
been lnaugurated and established. 1t has a
| tendency, If not carried out quickly, to create a


market for those bonds, and 10 enhance theIt
value. Hence, after buying up part OF them
at a low figure, the holders of the other part
will raise The price, aud some of them will not
sell, unless the, get full principal and interest
| Other cities and villages have taken different
and 1T is believed, wiser course, by re-adJust-
ing their bonds by the issue of new bonds Tor a
! reduced amount, at low rate of interest and
running 30 years. thereby making 1t possible
to devide The taxes to be raised for that purpose
over long space of time and to create sinking
fund wherewith to buy up portions OF these
new bonds before their maturity at DIS
count. Let me give examples: for instance
| the town and village of jefferson had Railroad
debt of about sl50,000, besides the accrued IN
terest. At the last session of the Legislature
they had an act passed appointing three Com
missioners, one of whom personally told me
/ that within one month from the passage OF that
l. L.. e tln.tA Il l.lAI