The Portland Daily Press

Organization of the new city government:

The Mayor's Address,

ELECTION OF CITY OFFICERS

The organization of the new city government was effected yesterday morning, the boards meeting at their respective rooms at 10 o'clock.

MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.

The Board was called to order by the City Clerk. Alderman Smith was nominated for temporary chairman but declined to serve.

Alderman Sampson was then chosen. The credentials were then presented and referred, and reported upon as correct. A message was sent to the Council proposing a joint convention. The proposition was agreed to and the Aldermen proceeded to the council room.

COMMON COUNCIL,

The Board was called to order by B. Barnes, Jr., Clerk, and F. F. Hale of Ward six was chosen temporary President. A committee on credentials was appointed, which reported the due election of those claiming seats in the council. A message was received from the Aldermen proposing a joint convention. The proposition was agreed to, and the two Boards went into joint convention.

Joint convention

The two Boards met in joint convention in the council room for the purpose of inaugurating the Mayor.

Alderman Sampson was chosen chairman. The returns were then read. A committee of three, consisting of Alderman Smith and Councillors Gage and Merrill, was appointed to inform the Mayor of his election.

The Mayor made his appearance, and the oath of office was administered by the City Clerk.

Prayer was offered by Rev. C. W. Tuck of Park street church. The oath was then administered to the Aldermen and Councillors. At the conclusion of this ceremony the Mayor delivered the inaugural address, which is as follows:

Gentlemen of the City Council: In assuming the duties of Chief Executive for this my second and last year, I am unbound by promise or pledge. Although a party man I do not regard my re-election as a political triumph of the organization to which I have ever belonged, but as an expression of a large majority of the people that the municipal affairs of our city shall be fairly and honestly managed, and during the term for which we are elected, so far as our official acts shall be concerned, let us remember that we are no longer partisans but the servants of the whole people.

Finances,

From an examination of the following exhibit of the financial condition of our city, you will see that there has been a satisfactory decrease in the total of the municipal debt during the past year.

Funded debt at the close of year ending March 31, 1873. $2,018,000

Amount of bonds authorized to be issued since March 31, 1873,

For Marginal Way (contract) $50,000

For Fire Department 15,500

For Water and Hydrants 20,000

For Public Buildings 1,000

For City Building, 2,500

For Health, 3,000

For Drains and Sewers, 1,500

For support of Poor, 3,000

For Streets, 4,000

For Contingent 2,000

$101,500

Less bonds authorized that will not probably be required,.. 10,000

Balance of bonds to be issued. 91,500

$2,109,500

Less bonds paid during year from sinking fund for reduction of City Debt, $17,300

Less bonds cancelled by vote of commission for reduction of City Debt, and order of City Council, 50,500

$67,800

$2,041,700

Less available assets of the City applicable by Ordinance only for payment of funded debt,

Light Company's stock at par, $25,000

Trust funds on which the City pays interest. 18,000

Amount of Sinking Fund. 442,165.21

Notes receivable secured by mortgage, 13,500

713 shares Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad stock, 53,605.91

$552,270.12

$1,489,429.88

Deduct Municipal Bonds Issued Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad Company secured by mortgage and sinking fund 787,000.00

Balance of Municipal Loan, $702,429.88

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT

Balance of Municipal Loan, March 1, 1873 $1,601,279.22

Balance of Municipal Loan March 1, 1874, 1,525,634.79

Decrease for year, $75,644.43

SUMMARY CITY LIABILITIES,

Municipal loan as above, $1,525,634.79

Bonds issued in aid of Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad Company. 787,000.00

Bonds Issued Building Loan Commissioners secured by Real Estate mortgages being balance of loan uncancelled. 650,000.00

Bonds issued in aid of Portland and Rochester Railroad Company secured by mortgage and sinking fund, 1,150,000.00

Bonds issued in aid of Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad Company, secured by mortgage, . 550,000.00

$4,662,634.79

DEBT.

When we look about us and see the growing tendency of municipal, state, and national governments to increase the public debt, it seems proper for us to stop and consider for a moment its question.

Borrowing for present wants is the ready recourse for all emergencies. The policy has been for towns, cities, and states to borrow until now we have reached a time when bonds of well managed corporations are not readily sold. The time has gone by when a vote by a City Council to raise money is equivalent to the cash. The remedy for this evil of increasing debt, so far as our city is concerned, lies with you. The tax payers demand of us an economical administration of the local affairs of the city. If you would increase its population, its manufactures, and improve its credit, you must continue to reduce its debt and with strict economy in all its departments this can be done.

TAXES AND TAXATION.

The following statement from the assessors' books show the valuation of taxable property during ten years, for the years named, viz:

Year. Real. Personal. Total.

1863 $14,423,000 $10,688,204 $25,111,204

1865 15,031,100 12,990,470 28,021,570

1870 17,077,300 14,876,415 28,953,715

1873 17,775,300 12,045,712 29,821,012

These figures show most conclusively the reason for the nominally high rate of taxation. The assessors have placed a low valuation on real estate because other cities and towns adopt this policy in their returns to the State Treasurer, and personal property escapes taxation to a very marked extent. If real estate was taxed at, or near, its value and personal property looked after more closely, the rate could be largely reduced.

Portland with its thirty millions of taxable property pays ten times the tax into our State Treasury that a city of the same valuation located in Massachusetts pays into its State Treasury. We pay nearly one seventh of the State, and three-fifths of the county tax, the aggregate being about 25 per cent of our whole annual tax levy.

STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND BRIDGES.

However much may or may not have been accomplished the past year to place this department on a better footing, I think the public will bear testimony that the efforts of the committee and Commissioner of streets has been given in the right direction. Its affairs have been well managed and a large amount of work done by men and teams which has been performed in a prompt, efficient manner with the least possible annoyance to the public travel. The condition of our streets and walks is far from satisfactory. The amount of work required to place them in good condition is very large and must be the work of many years with large annual appropriations. Probably no city in New England has superior facilities for obtaining good material for making streets than ours. hence, the remedy is to be found by constructing the streets with proper materials and thereafter keep them in good repair. It is true we should be obliged to make large original outlays to secure this most desirable end. The average expenditures in this department from 1867 to 1872 inclusive was $74,076.00. Expenditures for 1873, one month estimated $73,500.00.

SEWERS.

After a careful examination of the requirements of this department, its present and future bearing on the welfare of the city and the citizens to be benefitted, I am convinced that sound public policy demands the adoption of some definite plan of sewerage for the whole city.

System in the construction of our sewers is an element that during all these years, covering the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars, has failed to receive any marked attention. Therefore until a system of sewerage is perfected your appropriation should be made to cover only immediate and pressing wants.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The expenditure the past eleven months was $44,074.90 being an excess of $19,768.65 over the previous year.

After the fire at Galt's and Atlantic Wharves, in August last, the tax payers demanded from the City Council an increase of both men and apparatus for the better protection of public and private property; hence there has been added the past year new steam fire-engine (Falmouth); a new company, of fifteen men, organized; two new hose carriages; 7000 feet first quality hose; and a new Hook and Ladder truck purchased but not delivered. A still further increase is believed to be required for the better protection of our wharf and vessel property.

Men and machinery are both indispensible to this organization, but without discipline and a reasonable amount of concerted action in all its branches it must fail to reach any marked degree of efficiency, or to command the respect and admiration of our citizens.

There is no lack of suitable material within the present organization to make it first class in all respects and I trust the proper committee will give their earliest attention to this important subject,

POLICE.

The fact that no complaint has been made to me during the past year against its management, and from personal knowledge of the untiring efforts of the Marshal, Deputies and men, leads me to the conclusion that the present force, although small in numbers, has been prompt and efficient in the performance of its duties. On this department depends, more than any other, the good order, safety and health of our city. The force consists of a City Marshal. two Deputy Marshals, nine day and twenty-three night patrolmen, a total of thirty-five men. There has been no increase since 1860, during which time the taxable property has increased more than one third. After making deductions for special duty and sickness it leaves at times a very small force to watch and guard the lives and property of our citizens, and, with the whole force on duty, doing all that 35 men can do, there still remains much that is left undone.

I submit to your judgment if an increase is not now required.

SCHOOLS.

Our public schools continue to sustain a high rank in all that tends to elevate the mind of its 9800 scholars. distributed through 1 schools, giving employment to 104 teachers.

The cost of maintenance is about $77,000, per year.

You are referred to the annual report of the School Committee for a full understanding of the requirements of this department.

PORTLAND INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

This exhibition will be held in May next under the auspices of the "Board of Manufactures." Its object is to advertise and increase the sale of Portland manufactured goods, draw the attention of capital and labor to our city, and demonstrate the importance of Portland as a manufacturing centre. The success of this exhibition is not alone with the managers, but with the manufacturers. Therefore it becomes their duty to themselves and the city to make the best possible presentation of their respective industries. It is also the duty of the City Council and our citizens to extend to this enterprise their encouragement and generous support. You will thus ensure its success and help to perpetuate its organization.

CONCLUSION.

You will be required to give much of your valuable time to the performance of your arduous duties which I trust will be given in a manner which shall show your interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the city.

Prompt attendance at Council and Committee meetings. and holding all persons having the expenditure of moneys to a strict accountability, will greatly enhance the success of our administration.

The convention then dissolved.