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( fTTA-y-; ‘ VS*-.?** THE ALBANY; DAILY HERALD! TUESDAY, JANUARY S, 1906. •resenting a Complete History of Mut nicipal Affairs in All Departments. Splendid Sho\ying of Year s Stewardship. law, punlBh crlnW, and prevent its commission. Police Commission. Taxation. ThC digest tor 1906 shows the taxa ble -valuation ot all property, both It has not been necessary for the p “' ^ I must call yo»r public's, to the impoi live, active anil pregrbi Police Comlmssloners to meet as often as tbs charier prescribes, but the members of the commission have promptly attended every call by the chairman, and they have transacted the business of the board fairly and impartially. The chairman Is very grateful to these oxcelent gentlemen for their able co-operation. Albany Is to be congratulated on her splendid police force. It Is with pleasure that I recommend Chief Westbrook and his entire force to my successors In office for re-election to their respective places. The Retiring Mayor’s Report. Mr. Mayor Pro. Tem., and Gentlemen of the Council: Two years ago tonight, I assumed ho duties of the office of Mayor of his progressive city, and how well, or how poorly, I have discharged the lutlcs of the office, is now a matter of record. It I hove been Mayor in a thing that Albany needs above all other places of recreation, and I have every reason to believe that this mat ter, In a very short time, will bo per manently settled by this committee. ho fullnesp of Its meaning, I have iccompllshed all that I could hope for. Looking backward, Albany has every reason to be thankful- looking forward, she has every reason to be hopeful. The past year has equalled out most sanguine expectations. The coming year promises to exceed them. No city in Georgia presents a plain er evidence of healthful growth, of strong, sturdy development In all the channels that un'te in making an ambitious, progressive commonwealth. The work that has been accomplish ed during the past year must be grat ifying to each member of this council, and It has sufflc'ently merited the confidence and approval of our fel low citizens, who elected to re- urn those of you whose terms of of fice had expired, without opposition t the polls. No higher tribute could [be paid to the servants of the ptibllc ban 1 has been rendered to this body, nd I believe thn' you will continue o labor as a unit for the upbuilding if our city, securing the best results ’rom the expendl’ure of the money ho taxpayers entrust to you for dls- ursement. As chairman of the Board of Control of the Public Schools of the city, It affords tne pleasure to say that our people are taking wester Interest in education than they have ever taken, and In a more effective and substan tial way. Under thr Joint arrangement between the county and city, we have provided funds to l\e amount of $25,000 for the purpose of erecting, and to equip, a modern High School building, which will be completed and ready for use at the beginning of the fall term. The curriculum In this school Is expected to be the best to be found in any city school system In the state. The first school term of the year has Just closed at the Academy, under the management of Superintend ent.Harwich and his corps of teachers, which has been entirely satisfactory. Health of the City. The health of our city for the past twelve months has been exceptionally good. We have been absolutely free Irom epidemics or contagious diseases of any kind; yet, we have kept yatchfulncss at some considerable Expense. Our sanitary laws have Been supreme; everything else has been subordinate to the health of the fclly. Proper attention has been giv en the sanitary Bewers, and they havo been rcgula-ly flushed. At a post of $2,770.07, taken from the gen eral city funds, wc have extendod the System so as to give every petition er for the past nine years sewerage, and the city now has nearly twelve nllcs of sanitary Bewerage. Crematory. One of the important problems to [>o solved by the next council Is the stabllshlng of a furnace for the pur pose of cremating dead carcasses, as the Federal laws will hot allow them |umped Into the river, aqd they can longer be deposited In the Fair grounds or near the city; these places bre becoming thickly settled, and the property valuable. A - suitable crema tory can be built that will answer the present nee'dB for less than one thou pand dollars. Tb& Is a matter that will demand your early attention In brder to maintain the present health- tul condition of the city. Cemetery. The. cemetery is In good condition hnd Is very beautiful; the trees are nicely trimmed .nM the grounds are kept, very dean; the only Improve- nent would be to remove the sand (from the driveways and replace it 1th day-or good earth; yet the time [is not far distant when this Council sill have to take steps looking to se curing an extension of the grounds, and [the sooppr an option Is secured, the Hess the cost will be to the dty. This [is an unpleasant duty; yet It Is a fact [that stares you In the face. Park. I expected to be able to make a re ort tonight on some definite plan, hgreed upon by the Joint committee bf three citizens and three members pf the Council, appointed some time go, for the purpose of formulating bldhB and to selebt suitable grounds for a park. The time has come, when well matured plan of ’ beautifying ur city ,1s at great importance. There no place ot pleasure j that is of pore value to a healthful, progres- slve dty, than a well regulated park, Board of Education. The expense ot maintaining the Fire Department for t'-e past year, I has been $5,754.59. In this amount, there Is 1,100 feet of new hose, which gives the department 3,1=00 feet of first class hose. The building, engine, horses, wagons and all apparatus are in very good condition, and it affords me great pleasure 'o once more call at tention to this splendid department. All hydrants, plues and cisterns are In cxcelent working order. Our entire citizenry recognizes the efficiency of our worthy chief, and the men under him. Library. Thqe are few things that afford mg as much personal satisfaction as the fact that during my administration the- handsome Carnegie Library has become a reality,- which will- soon es- lablish Itself as a factor In the e lo cation of our people next to our Hub- lie Schools, which Justifies the liberal appropriation of our municipal gm- ernment. Under the management of the able board appointed, there is no reason why It will not prove equal to its mission. There has been a considerable amount of permanent Improvement on the streets during the year, and yet the expense of this department does not exceed that ot last year, (1904). Besides the street paving curbing, we are laying several thousand feet of stone coping In tlja business part of the city, with other permanent work, such, as extending sanitary and sur face sewerage, parking the streets, planting trees, and opening up and shaping the streets of recently -an nexed territory, which, with the regu lar expense, has caused this depart ment to be charged with $4,823.30. The cost of doing tills large amount of substantial wo--k hns been consid erably reduced by being able to use the county convicts a portion of the time. / Street Paving. Bookkeeping. In starting the new year, it is es sential that the city establish a bet tor system of bookkeeping; one that will show the debits and credits, at any time, of each department. The affairs of the city are nothing more or leBS than a business proposition. Under the provision of your charter, the clerk of the Council Is required, after the city assessors have complet. ed 'their work, to take charge of the tak books, make the calculations then they are returned to the clerk to Issue the fil fas. On this date, there remains uncollected about 50 per cent of the taxes. With the as sistance of the marshal, the clerk has the balance to collect. Also, he col lets the license tax, street tax, pound fees, and all other funds payable to the city. Your charter should be so amonded us to give this work, (with the exception, of preparing the tax books), and its responsibility to the treasurer, who Is under bond for the purpose of handling the funds of the city. Your clerk, relieved of these duties, would have more time to de vote to the city’s clerical work, and as secretary to th«i Mayor. It should also be the duty of the clerk, besides keeping a complete record of the po lice commissioner’s . proceedings, to pi so keep the police court dock et, enter all cases, and receive, and turn over to the treasurer, all fines paid Into the dty by this court. Police Court. Ytour Police Court has paid Into the city treasury during the last twelve months, fines Impocsd and collected $7,623.50. This does not Include the amount of flneB v-orked out on the streets and sentences of confinement 'll ihe guard house. This court has grown to such an “(tent until it is a business within itself; so much so that' the city should have a recorder, and as I do not believe in creating nen- f offices, I recommend that yliir cha rter be so amended as to require the 'city attorney to preside over the police court.' The codifying of the old Code, -now under prdeess, will be a great help to the executive officers, as it has been quta difficult to ascertain what the liw Teally Is in some cases, and there are many obsolete and unnecessary laws In the city code; many of our municipal ordinances are Invalid, and maifiy of Its provisions have been amended or repealed, all of which should be' perfectly clear to the man that' presides over tho police court, that It may, enable him to enforce the Fire Department. and the corporation tax ot $121,666, making the total taxable valuation of .$3,223,264.36. This does not In clude any newly, erected buildings, or Improved property of any kind, during the year 1906, after the 31st of March; the state’s fixed date for taxation; neither does It Include the recently annexed territory, which is estimated, with the Improvement of property, to increase the tax returns of 1906 one- half million dollnro. The Council, In their wisdom, reduced the tax rate from seven-eights of one per cent, to three-fourths of one per cent., or $7.60 per thousand which met with my en tire approval. This Is the lowest tax rate of any olty of Importance in tho state, and should meet wth favor to home seekers and investors. Trade, an organization ...... j -» , must have that pretends to safeguao^ Your obligations for 1906, besides your fixed salaried expensos, are ns follows: 600 250 Streets. 3,120 Bonds, payable Jan. 15 $4,000 Bonds payable July 1 1,000 Interest coupons, payable on January. 1st Interost coupons, payable on January 1st Interest coupons, paynble on January 15th Interest coupons, payable on January 16th 312 Interest coupons, payablo on January 15th 540 Interest, coupons, paynble on May 10th } 025 Interest coupons, payable on July 1st 600 Interest coupons, pnynble on July 1st 250 Interest coupons, payable on July 16th 312 Interest coupons, payable on November 16th 625 Some of our good citizens have looked with almor- disfavor on paving the city's principal streets, but the ob ject lessons force them to recognize the benefits that qtwne from good, pav ed streets. Tills work can be grad ually done without Incurring any debt for the municipality, and without placing any burden o'n the abutting property, owners. Some councils are apt, when striking a responsive chord, to get reckleSB and plunge into ex- termes, but let Albany pave her streets when the finances of the city will warrant It. Do it^ right, and In moderation, without building a debt for posterity. A municipality whose public credit s on:--! so high as *.lhr V's should keep It. and prevent v iy effort to add to the. volume of outstand ing Indebtedness. By doing this work steadily, Albany will soon take first rank In street paving, as she has in the ownership of her utilities, and as the Ideal residence dty. Water and Lights. It affords me pleasure to call at tention to the complete report made to this council by the Water and Light Commission. This branch of the olty gqwernment has paid In the treas ury $7,194.64, above all expenses, and after the city gets her water and lights for all purposes absolutely with out cost. With the Improved msclfln- ery, the increase I" business, the sav ing in fuel«and labor, by using the electrical power under the contract with the Albany Power & Manufac turing Company, with your present able management, -ou can safely ex pect from this commission as much as $10,009 net revenue for 1906. Your water supply has been greatly In creased; the new air lift has a capaci ty 50 per cent, g-eater than the old steam pump, and with the new res ervoir, you have » Water storage ca pacity o 600,000 gallons, without the use of the standpipe, so there will be no scarcity of water for some years to come. By • comparison, of water and light rutes charged by other cities, It Is very gratifying to know that the consume-s here are paying' less {or their water and lights than any city In Georgia. The base flat rate of 10-candle power light Is 75 cents, and meter -ate 12 1-2 cents per kllowat (or 1,000 watts.) ter rate for one room cents per month; two-room house, 76 cents; three to four room house, 85 cents; five to six rtom house, $1: res fdence $1.26; hotels, $1.50, and meter rate 20 cents per .1,000 for the first 30,000. gallons, and 10 cents for each additional 1,000 gallons.' I recomemnd the use of meters, as there Is a large quantity of water tut; necessarily wasted that the dty does not get as much as thanks for. Your t wa- house Is 50 hor civic and commercial Interests.' For this board to bo beneficial, our people must take an Interest In -it In time of pence, so that It mny bo strong In time of need. No one or two men can keep alive such an organisation. It must havo the hearty moral and financial support of her enllro citi zenry. Litigation. The olty Is to be congratulated on being free from litigation, and at peace with tho world. The enso against the • ~ "”7 Mg, he can well be promt of, and the clti- Obligations. city brought by Cameron & Bnrolay, for the arteBlan well casing at the water works, bought by Contractor Joyce, has been settled by paying them $576, which was advised by our able olty attorney Wo have also had Borne expensive litigation before tho State Railroad Commission, asking for better passenger depot facilities, but the so-called improvements that we received by the order of the Com mission, were not In accordance with the petition of the city, and do not meet with-the p-esent requirements ot the city, but after going Into court, we have to accept the verdldt. Total $12,035 The interest of $750 due January 1906 has been paid. To meet the balance of these obligations, you have due, and collectable on the second Tuesday in January license tax to the amount of $15,610.50 (estimated the same as 1905). With this difference, and your in come from your water and lights, po lice court, street tax, pound fees, and cash balance in depository of $11, 757.32,' taxes uncollected, fl fas being Issued, $11,280.13, total caBh balance $23,037.45, with na bills payable or outstanding floating Indebtedness. You have ample funds to pay the clty’i half of the 12,000 .square yards Of street paving, and to pay all other running expenses for 1906, without borrowing one dollar for even casual deficiencies, until your ’ advalorem taxes for the yea* are due and col lectable. There Vs a balance of $6,504.91 to the credit of the city’s bond account In the depository from the $10,000 Issue to change the power at tho water and light plant from steam to electrical power, and for such other Improvements as may be deemed necessary by the commission and council. It Bhould be remembered that die city has not refunded any bonds during this administration, but they have paid promptly at maturity, with all interest, Including the Inter est of the refunded bonds of years ago. The city’s total bonded Indebt edness Is $133,500 and $12,500 that has been ratified by the people and vali dated, but unsold. This issue Is for the city's part of the high school building, making the whole bonddU indebted- nesss $146,000. I call your attention to the fact that the city of Albany has been run for the past twelve months without borrowing one dollar for any purpose; therefore, our inter est. accotlnt is only for the Interest on the city's bonded Indebtedness, and in addition, the city has paid out of her general treasury during the past year for extraordinary expenses a.td permanent Improvements, the sum of $17,108.74 that other cities usually Is sue bonds to liquidate. In order that our citizens and taxpayers may know Just what these Improvements and extra expenses are, I have kept ,an account from time to time, which your treasurer’s annual Yeport will verify: Sanitary sewerage $2,770.67 Public Improvements, includ ing work at Academy .... 1,128.90 Library 1,000.00 Cameron & Barclay settlement 576.00 Street Paving Contract 7,109.65 New Reservoir and Dynamo, 6,266.64 Total $17,840.76 The Item of street paving, the olty will get 50 per cent, back from the abutting property owners, when the street paving contract is completed, and final settlement Is made. I recommend a correct city directo ry, the streets properly marked, prop erty lines defined in the business por tion of the city, and-'the newly an nexed residence portion of the city, and all bouses systematically num [bored. Board of Contracts- It hns been my ambition to close up all contracts entered into during this administration and retire from office without leaving tiny unfinished business, but It Is a difficult matter to push contractors, and at the same time require them to live strictly up to every provision of the contract. Therefdre, It hns i-oen Impossible for mo to do so, but the nffnirs of our municipality are In such shape that the different committees will have, 1 trust., but little trouble in winding up the unfinished business. Now, gentlemen, tn conclusion, I desire to thank you collectively, and separately, for your courteous treatment (b me as Mayor, and for the able assistance yon have so willingly rendered at all tlraes during my ad ministration, and through you, gen tlemen, I wish to thank each ‘Official of our municipal government for the faithful and efllclen' manner In which they have discharged* their respective duties. And, to you, Mayor Rawson, I extend my congratulations, and good wishes. May the cares of office rest lightly upon you,- and my only advice to you, follow In th« footprints of your Illustrious grandfather, Col. Nelson Tift, and when your work is done, you will have accomplished more tor our fair city than any* other living man, I now have the honor, Sir, of giving Into your keeping tho Mayoralty of the City of Albany. [ Respectfully submitted, A. J. LIPPITT, Mayor. I now declare tho council of 1905 a matter of history, and adjourned sine die. Finance Committez's n port. Albany, .Da., Jan. l, 1906. To the Honorable Mayer and Council, 0l , ^ ’ several but', Vorth that cn—-1>. . , . Wo deei/ a grant poi\ financial coni zonl, care, AlftJi t » upon the city’s j I ___ Honor, the Mayjffi-W..'W Is retiring -fromfome Circy-Way well hnve the satlsfabilon of'knowing, that , - he leaves behind' Mm a record that zens can truthfull) siy of him: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH EHRLICH, R. L. JONES, It. A. TARVER, Finance Committee’, Treasurer’s Report, For Year 1905. Receipts. 7 Bnlance Jan. 1, 1905., $10,640.71 ' Finos 7,523.60 Cemetery 182.60 Licenses 15,610.60 * Tbxob, 1904 10,816,86 Pound 63.00 Rent 48.00 Bond Account 61.67 , Waterworks and Electric Lights 7,194,64 Street Tax 1,920.00 Old Plant ...; 10.00 Fire Department 16.23 TaxeB, 1905 14,488.09 15.00 Total- , $68,090,19 D'isbur^iments. Bond ,Account $4,000.00 Bond Account 177.97 Interest 7,526.00 Tax Assessors | 360.00 Office and Stationery 24.42 Telephone 84.00 Fines 106.00 Guard House 207.50 Insurance .... 28.33 ’ . Printing 867.40 Licenses Refunded 187.60 Salary ..- 3,866.74 Tax Refdnded 358.63 Incidentals 1,486.90 Cemetery 1,126.80 PoWco 6,910.60 Street Sprinkler 862..01 Streets I,...-..4,401.29- Fire’Department 5,764.50 Public Improvement $.128.90 Charity 218.17 Seworage 2,770.67 Health Department 172.26 Appropriations 200.00 Carnegie Library 1,000.09 Waterworks and Electrle Ushts 6,250.04 Artesian Well 575.00 Sanitary 9.45 Bnvlng ... 7,109.55 Street Tax .:...... 1.5 Taxes 12:50 City of Albany ,0a., - Gentlemen: Your Committee on Finhnce beg leave to submit this, our report of the city’s financial transactions during the year 1905, and thn balance In the city’s treasury at the close of busi ness December 30, 1905: Receipts. Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1905. .$10,640.71 Receipts from all sources.... 57,449.48 Total $08,090.19 ^Disbursements. Amount paid out $56,332.87 Balance In treasury .11,757.32 Total $68,090.19 For the Itemized statement of re ceipts and disbursements, we beg to refer you to tho treasurer’s report, which Is hereto attached and made a part of this report. The city has no outstanding or floating indebtednes: whatever, and the expenditures : bnve enumerated include $760 Interest on bonds paid, which was not due until January 1, 1906. The entire bonded Indebtedness of the city, Is $146,000, which includes $10,000 Issued during the year for electric light Improvements, and $12,600 for a school building, which latter have os yet not been sold. We call special attention to the fact that whilst the receipts for 1905 were nearly $6,000 less than In 1904, and the expenditures practically the same, Owing to the. delay in dellvo: part of the new machinery, w the balance In tho treasury Is over not y e t receiving .the full $1,000 more than at the beginning of the year, and that too with a lower rate of ad valorem tax for this year. The cash balance in the treasury and the usual resources available, cou pled with an economical administra tion of the city’s finances, warrant us in believing that the busjpesa cun Total disbursements .. . .$66,832.87 Dalnnce on hand 11,767.82 •I -g-iMz-: ~ Total T. M. TICKNOR, Treas. Report of Waterworks' slid Light Commission. To the Honorable Mayor dnd Council, City of Albany, Gentlemen: , : " It Is with much pleasure that we refer you to the annual report of our Secretary and Superintendent. It Is not necessary for .us, to go Into de tails of same, as It Is full and com plete, giving a true record bf 'all our transactions In the past year, and ex plaining fully the benefits our city has received through its ownership of these two principal' utilities—water and light. An addition to oiv present building has beell made at a cost of about , $1,400, giving us ample room to In stall aiid operate the new-machinery purchased. All of the machinery to operate t plant by electric powbr has not y been received and Installed, but ti same has been shipped and wo t to have It completed shortly.- Our old reservoir has been ’ ered, a new one with a storage Cap tty of 275.00Q gallons provided, of which are !u perfect condition 1 furnishing ample capacity for ] needs. operating our plant with the ] be furnished, by the Albany Company; when fully complete commission- will be < your plant o^ a more 1 sis than heretofore