The Common Council

The old Commou Couucll held ts las sessiou on Weducsday evetiing, April 5th allowed the bilis of rnembers of the boarc of reglstration and Inspectors of electiou ordcrcd the salary of Mayor Harrimam pald iu goM, a,ud passed a resolution o thauks to him "for hls kiudness and cour lesy in presidlng over the Council"; afte which the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermei elect were sworn in, and an adjourninen made to Monday evening, April lOth. Monday Evenino, April lOth. The Council met. Present Mayor, Reeorder, and all the Aldenneu, eïcept Mesara. Mah.v and Sjpaffokd. Petltlons were received for the construc tion of a stone bridge across Allon's creek, at the foot of Catharlue Street ; for a bridgv across the creek at the corner of Main and Summit streets, 3d Ward ; for the appointment of Cliauucy Urauch, 3treet commissioner for the lst and 2d Wards ; for the appointmeiit of A. A. Grej;ory, strcet coininissionerfor the 3d and 4th Wards; for llie appointment of T. L. Hewett as City Harsbal ; for a Nlcholsou pavemeut oa Main Slreet from the north line of i lunui to the south line of Liberty ; and from the Chief Engineer of Pire Department, asking eonürmation of the following ofllcers for tlie ensuinz year : Ihief Kngineer- Fred Sehmld. st Assiskuit-R. F. Sanford. %d Aistant-i. 0. Traver. Secrelary--(i. V. Oopsey. Ireiisurer - C Eherbacli. Warden - lst Ward- J. W. Lawson, J. D. Irlsh. 2d " F. VVurstcr. II. Krausc. 3d " J. Q. A. Sessious, C. Kitson. 4th " G. W Efuer, L. 0. Risdon. 5th ' Win. Saiinders, J. Seabolt. ÖUi " C. Ebcrbach, Hoiner P. Finloy. Whlch nomiiiations were confirmad. Jülls were allo wed : A. U. Geiger, artesian wcfl, $815 ; tor cashtng city order, ?8.5). - Dr. liomiujjer reponed the well 650 (bat down. ïlie 3Iyor annouuccd the following StaiidlDX committees : On Ftnan.ee - Aid. Rhodes, Gott, and Mann. On 8trtett-JkM. Gott, S3r?, Peck, Spafford, Sniitli, Rhodea. On SidetealJiH - Aid. Mann, beyler, Lelaml, H&rainon, Fauth, Porter. Ou Opening of Streets - Aid. Leland, Gott, Peelt. The follow!iiL Constables' bond? were approved : T. F. Leonard, T. J. lloskius, John Laugulln, T L. Ilewitt. The fbllowlng olHcers were electcd : Vity Irmmrer - E. J. Jolinson. Citg AUorne.y - Z. P. King. Streit Gommisaioners - lst and 2l Wards, Chauney Branch ; Sd and áth Wairts, Chris. Brown ; 5t.li and Otli Wards, Oiias. Adains TUe tollówing rosolutions Weje adopted, among otheis : Tiiat no A.ldermao shall reëel ve coutpeaj catión ibr labor doue on strcets. T!iat all warr.ints drawn on the City, Treasury sliall ruad "receivable at par for taxcs.'' That the Street committec be proliibited from doing any work on the st reets, ohargetible to the genera) xtreet fund, without a previons ordt-f frora the Council. Autliorizin the ren II ug and lichting of a room for toe Recorder'i oiilce. Dlrectlng the Recorder to procure blank bill heads. A joint coinniittee was appointed on the pt'tltion for paving.Mala street, conalstlag óf the Mayor, Aid. Lelaud and Gotr, and Messis. Hisdon, Bach and iamea H Qott. 4'áu a conimlttee to let a contract for cVeaoing itrepta, conslatlng of Aid. Porter Seyler atul Lcland. ■ A special cominittec was also appolnted óu the nonlnation of a City Jlarshal, cowBlstiug ot the M iyor, Aid. Porter and Sorg. Adjonrned to Wedaesday evn'.ng. WeDnbsdat, April I2th. 4bet Maftn aiicl Hainmon. Work orikrecl uu Ilurcm sireet, iicar the fouiulry, uot to exceed Jvü. Aid. Öeyler was appolnted temporary Chalrman of Sldewalk committee. Llcense coininittcc Of three was ordered ; ainl ;cial conmiiltce on Marshal was given furihcr tune to report. Bills were allowed C. II. Manly, oneqaar ter's ?al:iry, L25 ; and $25 for making auuual report. Adjourned to Monday evcïiiiig April 17 ii m in - _ Some Advice Gratis. At tlie risk ofbelng told to mind ourown busine we propose lo inake a íew s'.gestious far the considcmtion of the new Gommon Couocil, taking as a tcxt, the familiur iinixim, uovv soinewliat in bad repule : "Cut yonr coat accordins; to ybur cloth." Tlieold charter liiuited the appropriations to be made :uul expended by the Council, witliout a tax payers' meetinjí. to $3,000 for general purposes, $2,000 for street oï hlghway pnrpéses, wlth a Ward street fund not to exceeil 1,000 for each ward. Bat it is well-known tliat the ex pendltures - so fat as lh general futid and general street finid are concerned - have not, foi' leveral years, beeu kept wltklu tliis limit, but ihat they have even largely exceeded the addiüoual amounts authorized by ineiitiii{;s called to vote au increase. Now, we do uot uilege tliut this excess i? bbargeable to any dishonesty or pecula tion, but lifflply and plaluly lo a want of system, or, f uot too harsh lauguage, to such loose and reckless management as not a single memoer of the Couucll - if competenl to manage a business - would tolérate In liis ou'ii iill';ürs. We have been bleased(t) for four ye:irs with tlivce street commisslonera and a street commlttoe oí !x menabers, ach worklng, Dot to a deünite plan prtscribed by ïhe Cojncil, or in doülg Work iuljuil;ed nectuary by Vuil body, but on liis own hook, fillingo hole liere, cutting a dltoh tlu-re, and cartlng In gravel over yondcr. Tiiis systc [i or 110 system bcgius liniiiedlately after tlect'on, aiifl is coDtinoed from day to day, week to week, montli to moutli, until the appropriatious authorized for i lull year are exhausted. and tlicn orders are tanwn payable a year henee and the work of" pltcby, patoby " continaeg And tliere belng no systein tlie funds are not only exhaustedand an Illegal (lebt made, but the commisiíioueror committeeman of one year is nadolng that done i)y iiis predeceesor the year befare, tllling up the ftltcbes he cut cutting down the embankinents lie made and rebuildinghiscrossings. Totheoutsid er lt seems that just so many men - politica or personal friends, perhaps - must be kop at work regaidleu Of the statu o'ilie treas uiy or the condition of the streets But i is more charltable to suggest that the pro fuse expendí tures come cqually from tli want of an estïbllshed suryey ofourstreet and a laudable deslre to supply work t laborlng men, (uidennen inclnded). But where and what s the remeriy ? W aiiswer : lst. In ordering a survey of our strect to be made by wards, grades estábil shec ditches and water comsts marked - so tha no more costly attempts will be made t cnrry water up Ij ï 11 , - and the plans o plats deposlted in theoiliceof the Recorder This is one of the duties conferred and im posed npou the Couucil which has bee neglccted too lou. 2d. A provisión, by ordlnance not to be repealcd or suspended at pleasure, requir lng street commissiouers and Street com minees to work to tliis established grade To do this it is not necessary for miles o slret to be vrorked or graded at once ; a single block can be worked in a year, but Iet It be according to (he plan. Another and a great benefit, aside froni economv and permaneuce of improvement, wlll be couferred by sucli a system. Persous building stores along our business streets or residences even, can bulld lntelllgeutly and will uuither íiml themselves uext year under gruuud nor on stilts. 8d. Keduce tlití uuniber of "bosses." Let the Couucil look over the whole gronud, determine where Iniprovements are moit needed, wli.it iniprovements can be made for the moueys at thelrcominand - without running in debt, order thera, have them made, and then slop. Adopting and carrying out thls plan nay not make as great a show of Improve ment the Jirsl year, but in three or four years, or even two yeurs, more really valuabie improvement will be made, and houtandi of dollars will be savid. Nature has done its sitare for our city, and the ttreets of no town iu the State eau be as easily and cheaply graded and made A 1 as ours. All tlmt Is wauted is an esablished svstem, and fewer directora. 'hree street commlssioners are two 10 many, but as long as increased by six commltteeneu, euch actiug on his own hook, our mprovement8 will continue to be both louchy an'l expensive. We have .Yiltten these words In the Inerest of our city, and not to air auy grievncesor vent any bile. Let tham be conidered for what they are worth.