UC-NRLF *C Ifll Q2L BOOK OF AMERICAN NUN1CIPALITIE3 mm ■ mm ^' *• OF THE UNIVERSITY •/■ I 1 Q a: < z < Qh o 00 as (x| i i^ J c/:5 I Q o o c a. r^ THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WHAT IS WHAT TN OUR CITIES An Authentic Summary of Civic Progress and Achievements ILLUSTRATED PUBUSHED BY The League of American Municipalities 1907 P). v^-:. -' ■ Entered accorcHng to act of Congress, in the year 1907, by the LEAGUE OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES. in the office of the Librarian of Consreas, at Washington. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES OF THE '^ (' "NIVERSITY Xeaguc ot Hmerican /llbunicipaUties OFFICERS ... 1906 -1907 President, EDWARD F. DUNNE, Chicago Secretary-TrcaMirer, JOHN MAC VICAR, New York 1st Vice-President, G. M. HINE, Pouglikeepsie 2d Vice-President, J. E. M'CAFFERTY, Councilman, Wilmington, Del. 3d Vice-President, L. A. LAPOINTE, Alderman, Montreal 4tli Vice-President, SILAS COOK, Mayor, East St. Louis TRUSTEES WM. J. HOSEY, Mayor, Ft. Wayne E. F. BRUSH, Mayor, Mt. Vernon, N. Y. LOUIS BETZ, Comptroller, St. Paul C. O. LOBECK, Comptroller, Omaha D. E. HEINEMAN, Councilman, Detroit HUGO S. GROSSER, City Statistician, Chicago W. H. ARNETT, Mayor, Kokomo, Ind. HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS: Alabama— GEORGE P. WARD, Mayor, Birmingham Colorado— ROBERT W. SPEER, Mayor, Denver Canada— EMERSON COATSWORTH, Mayor, Toronto Connecticnt-WM. F. HENNEY, Mayor, Hartford California— A. C. HARPER, Mayor, Los Angeles Delaware— HORACE L. WILSON, Mayor, Wilmington Georgia— JAMES G. WOODWARD, Atlanta Illinois— G. W. McCASKRIN, Rock Island Indiana— C. A. BOOKWALTER, Mayor, Indianapolis Iowa— F. L. UNTERKIRCHER, Mayor, Burlington Kansas— J. A. KEELER, Mayor, Lawrence Kentucky— GEORGE T. BEACH, Mayor, Covington Louisiana-MARTIN BEHRMAN, Mayor, New Orleans Maryland— E. CLAY TIMANUS, Baltimore Massachusetts— JOHN F. FITZGERALD Mayor, Boston Michigan— W. W. TODD, Mayor, Jackson Minnesota— DAVID P. JONES, Minneapolis Mississippi— WM. G. BENBROOK, Mayor, Natchez Missouri-HENRY M. BEARDSLEY, Mayor, Kansas City Montana— R. R. PURSELL, Mayor, Helena Nebraska— FRANCIS W. BROWN, Mayor, Lincoln New Jersey— ISAAC SHOENTHAL, Mayor, Orange New York— GEO. B. McCLELLAN. Mayor, New York North Dakota— *J. A. JOHNSON, Fargo Ohio— BRAND WHITLOCK, Mayor, Toledo Oklahoma— J. W. DUKE, Mayor, Guthrie Pennsylvania— JOHN WEAVER, Philadelphia Rhode Island— JAMES M. HIGGINS, Mayor, Pawtucket South Carolina— H. W. ERASER, Mayor, Georgetown Tennessee— JAMES H. MALONE, Mayor, Memphis Texas-T. J. POWELL, Mayor, Ft. Worth Utah— EZRA THOMPSON, Salt Lake City Virginia— W. M. JONES, Mayor, Petersburg ' Wisconsin— S. M. BECKER, Mayor, Milwaukee Wyoming— 'J. B. McKEE, Laramie *Deceased THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES EDWARD F. DUNNE, President Chicago, Illinois JOHN MAC VICAR, Secretary-Treasurer New York City THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES GEORGE M HINE, 1st Vice-President Ex-Mayor Poughkeepsie, New York J. E. M'CAFFERTY, 2d Vice-President Councilman Wilmington, Delaware L. A. LAPOINTE, 3d Vice-President Alderman Montreal, Canada SILAS COOK, 4th Vice-President Mayor East St. Louis, Illinois THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILLIAM J. HOSEY. Trustee Mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana EDWARD F. BRUSH, Trustee Mayor of Mount Vernon, New York WILL H. ARNETT, Trustee Mayor of Kokomo, Indiana THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES HUGO S. GROSSER, Trustee City Statistician, Chicago, Illinois DAVID E. HEINEMAN, Trustee President City Council, Detroit, Michigan LOUIS BETZ, Trustee City Comptroller, St. Paul, Minnesota C. O. LOBECK, Trustee City Comptroller, Omaha, Nebraska THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ®tf^ %m^nt 0f Ammran muntrtpalttoa The League of American Municii^alities came into existence in 1897. Its initial meeting was held in Columbus, Ohio, October 28th, 29th and 30th, 1897, and was attended by several hundred officials, among them being Mayors Quincy of Boston; Jones, of Toledo; Ashley, of New Bed- ford; Saltsman, of Erie; Johnson of Fargo; Pratt, of Minneapolis; Doran, of St. Paul; Gibson, of Zanesville; Laagei", of Joliet; Medill, of Rock Island; McMurray, of Denver; Pierce, of Marshalltown; Farnsworth, of New Haven, and Todd, of Louisville. Among the aldermen in attendance were Guggenheimer, of New York City; Coots, of Detroit; Steier, of Cleve- land ; Collins, of Holyoke, Mass. ; Lavery, of Poughkeepsie, and many others. The permanent officers named at the first meeting were as follows: President^ — John MacVicar, Mayor, Des Moines; Vice-President — C. A. Collier, Atlanta, Ga. ; Secretary — B. F. Gilkison, New York; Treasurer — W. A. Black, Mayor, Atlanta, Ga. Trustees — John Warner, Mayor, Peoria; F. A. Walker, President Council, Trenton, N. J.; L. M. Rand, Councilman, Minneapolis, Minn.; C. M. Leitch, Acting Mayor, Wilming- ton, Del. ; Geo. E. Green, Binghamton, N. Y. At that meeting the constitution of the League was adopted, of which the first section makes plain the object of the organization, reading as fol- lows: "The object of this organization, which shall be known as the League of American Municipalities, shall be the general improvement and facili- tation of every branch of municipal administration by the following means: First, the perpetuation of the organization as an agency for the co-opera- tion of American cities in the practical study of all questions pertaining to municipal administration; second, the holding of annual conventions for the discussion of contemporaneous municipal afifairs; third, the establish- ment and maintenance of a central bureau of information for the collec- tion and compilation and dissemination of statistics, reports and all kinds of information relative to municipal government." The membership of the League is coinposed of three grades: First. Active members, include all those holding municipal offices, and representing cities. Second. Honorary members, include all those who have held munici- pal office and have been members of the League. Third. Associate members, include the editors of municipal journals, and individuals and firms engaged in making municipal necessities. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Only active members are entitled to vote. Most of the important municipalities of the United States and Canada have enrolled as members of the League. Its ten years of service has proven its worth to the municipal official. Whether he represents a village or a metropolis, the newly-elected official finds embarrassment in the fact that on very many matters of importance, which he is called upon to de- termine, he is not well informed, and that he has no reliable data im- mediately at hand to enlighten him. But few cities maintain a department of statistics for the benefit of its officials. The League of American Municipalities aims to supply to all municipalities this important service through the medium of its bureau of information. The League has an official journal, the "Bulletin of the League of American Municipalities," which is published monthly by Hon. John Mac- Vicar, its secretary, and mailed to each official and heads of departments of each city holding membership. From time to time special publications are authorized, and proceedings of the conventions are published in book form. Early in 1906 the executive committee for the first time authorized the publication of a souvenir volume for its Tenth convention, which was published and edited by one of the trustees, Mr. Hugo S. Grosser, City Statistician of Chicago. For the Eleventh convention, at Norfolk, the League authorized the publication of the present volume, "The Book of American Municipali- ties," and placed it directly under the management of the Secretary-Treas- urer, Hon. John MacVicar, while the editorial work was again done by Mr. Grosser. It is expected that similar publications will hereafter be pub- lished by the League regularly for every convention. The following is a roster of the principal officials of the League for each year, and the places where the various conventions were held: The first convention was held, as stated above, at Columbus, Ohio. Second convention held at Detroit, Mich., August 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1898. Officers elected: President — Samuel L. Black, Mayor, Columbus, Ohio; Secretary — Benjamin F. Gilkison, New York; Treasurer — Thomas P. Taylor, Mayor, Bridgeport, Conn. Third convention held at Syracuse, N. Y., September 19, 20, 21 and 22, 1899. Officers elected: President — Henry V. Johnson, Mayor, Denver, Colo.; Secretary — Benjamin F. Gilkison, New York; Treasurer — Thomas P. Taylor, ex-Mayor, Bridgeport, Conn. Fourth convention held at Charleston, S. C, December 12, 13, 14 and 15,1900. Officers elected: President — J. A. Johnson, Mayor, Fargo, N. D. ; Secretary, John MacVicar, ex-Mayor, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer — Thomas P. Taylor, ex-Mayor, Bridgeport, Conn. * Fifth convention held at Jamestown, New York, August 21, 22, 23 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES and 24, 1901. Officers elected: President — Charles S. Ashley, Mayor, New Bedford, Mass.; Secretary — John Mac Vicar, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer — Thomas P. Taylor, ex-Mayor, Bridgeport, Conn. Sixth convention held at Grand Rapids, Mich., August 27, 28 and 29, 1902. Officers elected: President — J. Adger Smyth, Mayor, Charleston, S. C. ; Secretary — John MacVicar, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer — Thomas P. Taylor, Bridgeport, Conn. Seventh convention held at Baltimore, Md., October 7, 8 and 9, 1903. Officers elected: President — James M. Head, Mayor, Nashville, Tenn. ; Secretary — John MacVicar, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer — William D. Morgan, Mayor, Georgetown, S. C. Eighth convention held at East St. Eouis, 111., October 4, 5 and 6, 1904. Officers elected: President: — William C. Crolius, Mayor, Joliet, 111.; Secretary — John MacVicar, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer, William D. Morgan, Georgetown, S. C. Ninth convention held at Toledo, Ohio, August 23, 24 and 25, 1905. Officers elected: President — R. G. Rhett, Mayor, Charlestown, S. C. ; Sec- retary, John MacVicar, Des Moines, Iowa; Treasurer — William D. Mor- gan, Mayor, Georgetown, S. C. The Tenth convention was held at Chicago, September 26, 27 and 28, 1906. The following is the full list of officers and trustees elected at that convention : President— Edward F. Dunne, Chicago. ; First Vice-Presi- dent — G. M. Hine, Poughkeepsie; Second Vice-President — J. E. McCaf- ferty, Councilman, Wilmington, Del. ; Third Vice-President, L. A. La- pointe. Alderman, Montreal; Fourth A^ice-President — Silas' Cook, Mayor, East St. Louis; Secretary-Treasurer — John MacVicar, New York; Trus- tees — Wm. J. Hosey, Mayor, Ft. Wayne; Louis Betz, Comptroller, St. Paul; D. E. Heineman, Councilman, Detroit; E. F. Brush, Mayor, Mt. Vernon, N. Y. ; C. O. Lobeck, Comptroller, Omaha; Hugo S. Grosser, City Statistician, Chicago; W^ LI. Arnett, Mayor, Kokomo, Ind. Norfolk, Va., was chosen as the meeting place of the league in 1907. 10 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES /HE general knowledge of our cities is, as a rule, confined to what may be occasionally seen in newspapers or periodicals; and as these organs, almost without exception, give publicity only to the reverse side of the picture, the American public is exceptionally well posted on the bad features of our cities and their governments, while it knows next to nothing of the many good traits of our municipalities, their enterprise, their progress, their development. It is true, the federal government through its Census Bureau in recent years compiles many figures pertaining to the cities, and these are perhaps reprinted after a time in some almanac, but they are seen only by a few directly interested persons who look for them and they do neither convey a complete picture of the city, nor are they intended to give a general view of it. Hence the people remain in blissful ignorance of what is going on in our urban communities, as no one has as yet placed before the public a compendium wherein the doings of our cities are duly chronicled in compact and easily digestible form. This is done in almost every European country by means of year-books, containing complete information of all the cities, thus making a study of the subject easy and, therefore, desirable. The League of American Municipalities fully aware of the needs of the people for trustworthy and reliable information about our cities, and believing that greater knowledge will kindle greater interest of the citizens in their cities, and thus promote good government and civic progress, presents this volume, "The Book of American Municipalities," to the public in general and to the cities holding membership in the League in particular. It is hoped that it will be the forerunner of a regular year-book of American cities. The attempt has been made to show "what is what in our cities;" to give a sort of bird's-eye view of the cities, describing briefly their history, their present condition, their improve- ments, their progress, their civic advancement, and their plans for future development. It is realized that this first volume is far from perfection but it is hoped that it will never- theless be welcome as at least a promise of better things to come. The book, incom- plete though it is, contains nothing but authentic data brought up to the latest day. This was made possible only through the cheerful co-operation of the mayors of the various cities, whose willing responses are hereby gratefully acknowledged. The portraits certainly form one of the pleasing features of the book and it is a matter of regret that the photo- graphs of all the mayors could not be obtained in time. The publication was greatly helped along by the public-spirited business interests of the country who. through their advertisements, defrayed the expense of it. It will be noticed that no objectionable advertisement found place on its pages, and that nearly all the advertisers are firms dealing with the cities. They are respectfully recommended to the consideration of all city officials. 11 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WHAT IS WHAT An Authentic Summary of Civic Progress and Achievements. EDITED FOR THE League of American Municipalities By HUGO S. GROSSER. Gly Statistician, Chicago. -, , » * THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES N^m f nrk The present City of New York, Greater New York, the largest city in America and the second largest in the world, dates its legal existence from the year 1897, when the legislature passed the Greater New York charter, which was amended to its present form in 1901. The old City of New York occupied mainly what is now known as the Borough of Man- hattan. By the charter of 1897 the limits of the city were extended so as to include Kings county with the city of Brooklyn, a part of Queens county on Long Island, Richmond county or Staten Island, an additional area on the mainland, besides some small islands. The name of New York was given the city as early as 1664, when the town, which had been settled by the Dutch about 1613, under the name of New Am- sterdam, was surrendered to the British. In 1700 the population of New York was 6,000. Greater New York, as now constituted, is divided into the Boroughs of Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Richmond. Its total area is 326.9 square miles, of which Manhattan has 21.93; Bronx, 40.65; Brooklyn, 77.62; Queens, 129.50; and Richmond, 57.19 square miles. The entire city is divided into 7Z wards. Its population, according to the state census of 1905, was 4,013,781, and in 1907 is estimated by the health au- thorities to be 4,285,435. The government of the municipality is vested in a mayor and a board of aldermen. At the head of each borough is a president elected by the citizens. The mayor, who holds ofifice for four years, and is eligible for re-election, appoints the heads of departments and commis- sioners, except those over which the presidents of the boroughs have jurisdiction, and except also the comptroller, who is elected. The mayor has the power of veto over all ordinances and resolutions of the board of aldermen, which can be overcome only by a two-thirds vote of the mem- bers of that body, except that when it involves expenditure of money, the creation of debt, or the levying of an assessment, a three-fourths vote is required. In case of a vacancy in the ofifice of mayor, or when the mayor is prevented from attending to the duties of his ofifice by reason of sickness, or absence from the city, the president of the board of alder- men acts as mayor. The board of aldermen elects the city clerk. The president of each borough presides over each local board in his borough, with the right to vote and to veto. He is also a member of the board of aldermen, and has the same right as any member elected to that body. The borough president appoints the commissioner of public 13 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES GEORGE B. McCLELLAN Mayor of New York City THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES works for his borough, with control of all matters relating to the streets and sewers. He also has control of the public buildings in his borough, except schools, hospitals, penitentiaries, fire and police stations. The mayor, comptroller, president of the board of aldermen and the presi- dents of the boroughs, constitute the board of estimate and apportion- ment. This board makes the budget of the city and passes on all fran- chises. The administrative departments of the city are: Department of finance; law department; police department; department of water supply, gas and electricity; department of street cleaning; department of bridges; department of parks; department of public charities; department of cor- rection; fire department; department of taxes and assessments; depart- ment of education; department of health; tenement house department. There is further a board of aqueduct commissioners; an armory board; an art commission; a metropolitan sewerage commission; a civil service commission ; board of rapid transit railroad commissioners and several minor boards and bureaux. There is a full set of county officials for each of the four counties within the city. It is quite evident that an immense city like New York has to battle with many problems of which the small city knows nothing. The most serious problems of New York are those of its water supply and passenger transportation. The city's water supply is at present derived from the Croton and Bronx rivers, driven wells and small streams, partly by grav- ity and partly by pumping. The water is stored in immense reservoirs and brought into the city by great aqueducts. New plans are constantly devised to obtain a better and more adequate water supply. During the year 1906 the City of New York received the sum of $10,297,568.61 in water rents, of which the greater part goes into the sinking fund for the re- demption of the water debt, while the expense of operation and mainte- nance amounts to over $3,000,000.00 per annum. The water works consist of five plants and nearly 1,800 miles of mains, and cost $135,000,000.00. (All figures in round numbers are approximate for the year 1906. — Ed.) For many years the question of rapid transit has engaged the atten- tion of New York. As early as 1875 a rapid transit law was passed, and from time to time commissions struggled with the subject without success, until in 1894 a plan was enacted according to which the city itself should build and own its rapid transit railroads, but lease them for operation. This plan was approved by a vote of the people in 1894 and an elaborate system of subways was worked out. In January, 1900, the first contract for the present subway, north of the Brooklyn bridge, was awarded, and on October 27, 1904, the first subway train in New York was run. Com- prehensive plans embracing nineteen different routes, and reaching every borough of the city except Richmond, were completed and toward the 15 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES end of 1906 received the necessary constitutional consents. The total amount expended by the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners, until December 31, 1906, was $52,369 549.27. There are now 22 miles of subway in operation. Surveys have been made for 165 miles of new underground routes, to cost the sum of $300,000,000.00. The sewerage system has 1,600 miles of sewers. The bulk of the sewage is discharged in a crude state into tidewater. The streets of New York have a total length of 2,600 miles, of which 700 miles remain unpaved, while 500 miles are paved with asphalt ; 500 miles with granite; 800 miles with macadam and the remaining 100 miles with different materials. There are 1,350 miles of single street railway track. The streets are lighted by 15,000 electric lights, 40,000 gas lights and 5,000 vapor lights, or a total of 60,000 lights. Street cleaning is done mostly by day labor and partly by contract work. More than 5,000 per- sons are employed in cleaning and sprinkling the streets. The dirt is thrown into the ocean. Garbage is collected by day labor and is mostly treated by reduction. About 300,000 tons are disposed of in this manner, while 2,300,000 tons of ashes and 200,000 tons of other refuse have to be taken care of otherwise. The total annual cost of the street cleaning department is $6,000,000.00. The death rate of New York varies between 18 and 20 per thousand, about 70,000 deaths occurring annually. New York maintains 18 hos- pitals, in which 75,000 patients are treated each year, and three alms- houses, with 4,000 inmates. The expenditures of the Department of Health amount to $1,500,000 per annum, in addition to $500,000 by the Tenement House Department, while for the maintenance of the hospitals, for the poor institutions, for outdoor poor relief, the care of children and similar charitable purposes, the sum of $6,000,000 is spent annually. For purposes of recreation, parks, playgrounds, baths, bathing beaches, etc., the expenditures run up to $2,000,000.00. The police department is in charge of a commissioner appointed by the mayor. A recently enacted new police law increases the commissioner's power over the chief officials and the detective service, by making these temporary assignments instead of permanent posts. The police force consists of 9,000 members, and costs the citizens of New York $12,000,000.00. The total number of arrests is almost 200,- 000 per annum. There are 10,600 saloons in the city, which pay an an- nual license of $1,200.00 each, of this the city gets one-half and the state the other. The fire department consists of 3,000 members, and its annual cost amounts to $6,000,000. The City of New York expends $25,000,000.00 for educational purposes. There are 500 school buildings, with an average daily attendance of nearly 600,000 pupils, who are taught by 15,000 teachers. 16 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The total expense of the city government for the year 1906 amounted to $83,145,807.80. This includes merely the expenditures for maintenance and operation of the various departments. Besides this sum, there was spent in public undertakings the sum of $76,637,840.91 ; for interest on the city's debt, $19,038,302.77; for redemption of the city's debt, $128,042,- 569.41 ; for state tax, $903,632.69; and for sundries, $871,149.15, making the grand total expenditures of the city for year $308,639,302.73. To take care of this vast expense the city received a total of $309,052,875.04 from the following sources: Taxes $ 83,693,797.53 Assessments 5,460,968.66 Water rents 10,297,568.61 Miscellaneous revenue 25,308,561.55 Sundries, such as interest, etc 480,092.87 From bonds issued 183,811,885.82 The bonded indebtedness of Greater New York on December 31. 1906, amounted to $665,700,092.06, against which sinking funds held $191,144,186.94, leaving a net bonded indebtedness of $474,555,905.12, to which must be added a temporary indebtedness, such as tax loans, etc., of $51,109,270.00. The tax rate for all purposes varied from 1.478 to 1.554 in the different boroughs. The assessed value of all property in Greater New York in 1906 amounted to $6,305,794,185.00, 'of which $5,738,487,245.00 was real estate and $567,306,940.00 personal prop- erty. To this must be added a real estate value of not less than $1,149,098,192.00, which is exempt from taxation. Of this vast amount about $765,000,000.00 belongs to the city ; $62,000,000.00 to the United States; $2,000,000.00 to the state; $120,000,000.00 to the churches; $44,000,000.00 to educational institutions ; $53,000,000.00 to charitable in- stitutions; over $5,000,000.00 to libraries; and about $31,000,000.00 to cemeteries. The present city officials who are elected by the people, and whose terms of office end December 31, 1909, are as follows: Mayor, George B. McClellan; president of the board of aldermen, Patrick F. McGowan; comp- troller, Herman A. Metz; president of the Borough of Manhattan, John F. Ahearn ; president of the Borough of The Bronx, Louis F. Hafifen ; presi- dent of the Borough of Brooklyn, Bird S. Coler; president of the Borough of Queens, Joseph Bermel ; president of the Borough of Richmond, George Cromwell. 17 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES 7RED. A. BUSSE Mayor of Chicago, Illinois THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Chicago obtained its first charter March 11, 1837, after having been in existence as a town since 1833. The year 1830, when the first plat of the town was filed, must be taken as the official date of the founding of Chicago, now the second largest city in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. "Chicago is working at present under the general law for the incorpo- ration of cities and villages, which was adopted by the city in 1875, and is governed by the mayor and the city council, composed of 70 members, each elected for two years. A charter convention was convened late in 1905, and after a year's labor worked out a complete charter for Chicago, which, having been passed by the legislature in May, 1907, is to be voted upon by the people of Chicago in a special election to be held September 17, 1907. If adopted the City of Chicago will have "powers of local legislation adequate to a complete system of local municipal government," instead of having, as at present, only such powers as are expressly enumerated. In 1905 the legislature passed a law lengthening the term of the mayor to four years instead of two, as heretofore, and the first election under the new act was held April 7, 1907, in which Honorable Fred A. Busse was elected the first four-year mayor of Chicago. The principal departments of the city government are: Department of law; department of finance; department of public works, having charge of bureaux of water, streets, sewers, engineering, bridges, maps, city hall; department of police; department of fire; department of health; department of building; department of supplies; department of inspection; depart- ment of weights and measures; department of track elevation; board of local improvements; civil service commission; board of education and li- brary board. The heads of the departments and the members of the vari- ous boards are appointed by the mayor, with the concurrence of the coun- cil. The parks of the city are under three dififerent park commissions; each system forms a municipality by itself with power to levy taxes; the commissioners are appointed by the governor of the state for the West Park commission and the Lincoln Park commission, while the South Park commissioners are appointed by the judges of Cook County. There is further a special park commission, composed of aldermen and private citi- zens, serving without salary, which is in charge of the pmall parks, play- grounds and bathing beaches, except those situated within the regular park districts. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES I I Chicago's water suppl}' is derived from Lake Michigan, brought to land by a number of huge tunnels, which on the water side are ending in cribs, while on the land side they are connected with pumping works, from where the water is conveyed into the houses by direct pumping. There are in all five such cribs and eleven pumping stations and 2,075.50 miles of water piping in service. The only private water plant in exist- ence, in Rogers Park, the extreme northern part of the city, was pur- chased by the city in August, 1907, for $300,000.00. In 1906 the average daily pumpage amounted to 436,954,473 gallons, or 204 gallons per capita of the population. The water works were operated and maintained at an expense of $2,060,249.12, and $3,385,674.04 were spent in the exten- sion of the works, new land tunnels, cribs, etc., while the entire revenue from water amounted to $4,520,979.60 during the last year. The sewerage system of the city was enlarged during the year by the building of- 42.86 miles of sewers and 11,280 house drains, and on Jan- uary 1, 1907, the system contained 1,673 miles of sewers, not including in- tercepting sewers, and 232,666 house drains. The sewage flows in a crude state into a system of huge intercepting sewers, through which it is car- ried into the drainage canal and thence by .the Illinois river into the Mis- sissippi. The intercepting sewer system is not yet entirely completed, and part of the sewage in the extreme southern and extreme northern parts of the city still flows into the lake. The expenditure for main- taining the sewerage system in 1906 was $307,407.95. The area of the city is 190.638 square miles, and by the Chicago river and its branches is divided into three principal parts, popularly known as the North Side, the West Side and the South Side, and 35 wards. Its population on July 1, 1907, was, according to the estimate of the Chicago Bureau of Statistics, 2,483,641. The total mileage of streets and alleys in the city is 4,226.87, of which, on January 1, 1907, 2,682.10 miles were un- improved and 1,544.77 miles were improved. Of these, 321.25 miles were paved with asphalt, 529.27 with macadam, 538.94 with cedar blocks, 92.05 with brick, 50.99 miles with granite and the balance with various ma- terials. The river is crossed by 64 bridges, of which 15 are fixed spans, while, of the 49 movable bridges, 18 are bascule bridges; one is a vertical lift bridge and the balance swing bridges.. Of the movable bridges, 27 are operated by electricity, three by steam and the remainder by hand power. The division of bridges has also under its supervision 35 systems of via- ducts. The total expenditure for maintenance and operation of bridges and viaducts in 1906 was $249,910.33. The streets of Chicago are cleaned, and the garbage collected, by direct day labor. Until recently garbage was disposed of by dump- ing. In November, 1906, the city entered into a contract with the Chi- THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES cago Reduction Company to deliver pure garbage at its rendering plant. During the last eight weeks of 1906 3,338 tons of pure garbage were so delivered, while during the first six months of 1907, 28,190 tons were de- livered. During the entire year the bureau of street and alley cleaning removed 153,571 loads of street dirt at an average cost of$2.45 per load, or a total of $377,282.34, and 292,474 loads of garbage at an average cost per load of $2.48, or a total expenditure of $726,899.53. The streets of the city, on January 1, 1907, were lighted by 7,560 electric lights, of which 6,761 were operated by the city at a cost of $52.39 per light per year, while for 797 rented lights $90.00 per light was paid. There were further 23,650 gas lights and 6,311 vapor lights, or a total of 37,521 lights, with an average daily candle power of 16,460,460. The total cost of lighting the city for 1906 was $957,325.54. Chicago claims to be one of the healthiest among the large cities of the world. Its death rate varies from 13 to 15, and for 1906 was 14.18, with a total of 29,048 deaths. There are under the supervision of the health department 12 public baths, which, in 1906, were attended by 825,315 persons. The total expense of the department for last year was $329,379.46. The hospitals, with th^ exception of an isolation hospital, are under the administration of the county government. The police department on January 1, 1907, had a force of 3,578 offi- cers, during the year made 78,790 arrests, and was operated at a total ex- pense of $4,071,202.36. The city at present has 7,225 saloons, each paying a license of $1,000 per year. In 1906 the city derived a revenue from that source of $8,497,128.97. The fire department, numbering 1,545 uniformed members, attended to 6,291 fires. Its cost was $2,193,537.00. The city has 260 public schools, with an average daily attendance for the last school year of 225,792 pupils, who were taught by 6,034 teachers in 5,396 school .rooms at a total expenditure of $7,976,269.72, while $3,935,401.50 was ex- pended for school buildings and sites. Chicago has an extensive park system, and one of the greatest boule- vard systems in the world. The total park area is 3,180 acres. The South Park commission operates 10 small parks of from 10 to 40 acres in area, each of which is equipped with shower baths, wading and swimming- pools, outdoor and indoor gymnasiums, playgrounds and other facilities for recreation. Four more of these small parks are building at present, and six others are being contemplated in the near future. The West Park commissioners and the Lincoln Park commissioners have just begun ■ to establish a number of these playgrounds also. Besides these parks, the Small Parks Commission operates 10 municipal playgrounds, which, in 1906, were attended by 1,561,757 children, and three bathing beaches which are open about three months of the year, and las^ year were attended by 478,050 persons. 21 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The total expenditure of the City of Chicago for all purposes during the year 1906 was $39,340,389.29, and, in addition to that, about $3,500,000.00 for park purposes. Of this total $8,451,418.96 were outlays for improvement, while the parks spent about $1,100,000.00 for that pur- pose. The total revenue of the city, not including parks, was $40,353,124.23 from the following sources: Tax levy, 1906 $17,421,380.89 Special assessments 4,814,186.18 Water rents 4,520,979.60 Miscellaneous revenue 12,196,577.56 Bonds sold 1,400,000.00 To this must be added the revenue of the parks from taxes, bonds and miscellaneous receipts, amounting to a total of about $5,800,000.00. The assessed valuation of all property within the City of Chicago, equal to one-fifth of the full valuation, was $426,263,296.00 in 1906, of which $303,033,228.00 is for real estate and the balance for personal prop- erty, capital stock and railroad property. The total average tax rate within the city for all purposes, including state, county and sanitary dis- tricts taxes, was $6.67, or a little over $1.33 on full value. The total amount of taxes levied for all purposes was $28,451,436.78. The bond- ed indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $25,555,000.00. To this must be added the bonded indebtedness of the various park systems, amounting to $10,535,000. The sanitary district, 95 per cent of which is within the city, has a bonded indebtedness of $17,030,000.00. The most important development in the history of Chicago during the last year was the final settlement of the traction question, which had occupied the public mind for a period of ten years. After the people of Chicago in several elections had declared in favor of municipal owner- ship, the city council in January, 1907, passed an ordinance granting a re- newal of their franchise to the street railway companies, subject to the approval of the people. In the April election this ordinance was approved by a vote of 165,846 for and 132,720 against. Under the terms of the franchise the companies are compelled to completely rehabilitate the trac- tion system, under supervision of a board of engineers chosen by the city and the companies. This rehabilitation, for which the sum of about $50,000,000.00 will have to be spent, must be completed within three years. The net profits from the operation of the railways are divided between the city and the companies, the city receiving 55 per cent and the companies 45 per cent thereof. The fare remains five cents, with the provision that . only one fare can be charged from one end of the city to the other. The present officials of the City of Chicago, -elected by the people, are: Mayor, Fred A. Busse, term expires April 4, 1911; city clerk, John R. McCabe; and city treasurer, John E. Traeger; the terms of the latter two expiring April 6, 1909. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES flftlab^lpl|ia The city of Philadelphia, the third largest in the United States, was founded in 1681 by William Penn, who granted it the first city charter in 1701. This was altered in 1789 by an act creating a city government, which remained almost unchanged until 1854, when the city was made co-extensive with the county, absorbing the outlying districts and bor- oughs. In 1885 the "Bullitt Bill" was passed, giving the city a new char- ter, under which it is working at present. Under it the city government is vested in a mayor and in a select and a common council. The mayor is elected for a term of four years; the members of the select council, one for each of the 46 wards, for three years, and those of the common council, numbering 79, for two years. Each ward is entitled to one member of the common council for every 4,000 votes. The mayor has the power of veto and appoints the heads of the departments of public safety, public works, supplies, public health and charities, and the civil service commissioners. The heads of departments appoint all bureau heads, subject to confirmation by the select council. Other city officials, elected by the people, are: a comp- troller, a treasurer, a receiver of taxes, a solicitor, and three city commis- sioners. The board of education, consisting of twenty-one members, and the park commission, of ten members, are appointed by the judges of the Court of Common Pleas. The city has an area of 129.58 square miles, which is divided into forty-six wards; its population in 1906 was estimated to be 1,441,735. Philadelphia's water supply is taken from the Schuylkill and Dela- ware rivers by pumping. The water works were built as early as 1801 and cost over $48,000,000.00. 345,000,000 gallons of water are being pumped per day and dist4, at which rate, however, only property valued at $359,082,180.00 is assessable; while property consisting of securities, suburban property and saving banks deposits, valued at $236,- 32 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES 709,702.00, is assessed at rates of 18^c, 30c and 60c respectively, making the full value of all property reduced to full rate basis $399,221,605.00. The bonded indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $44,464,382.95, against which the sinking funds held $16,872,601.82. The present city officials of Baltimore, elected by popular vote, are: J. Barry Mahool, mayor; Harry F. Hooper, comptroller, terms ending May 16, 1911 ; president of the second branch of the council, George N. Numsen. OIl^u^lan& Cleveland, the "Forest City," the largest city in Ohio, is situated on the south shore of Lake Erie, with the Cuyahoga river and two tributaries flowing through the city. The land along the river is low and flat, and here the factories are located, the flats being spanned by a system of viaducts. Cleveland was settled in 1796 by General Moses Cleaveland. In 1814 it was incorporated as a village, and in 1836 chartered as a city. In 1853 it was united with Ohio City. In 1891 the city obtained a new charter under the so-called "Federal plan." In 1902 the legislature of Ohio passed a. municipal code providing for the government of cities, under which Cleve- land is working at present. The legislative power is in the hands of a council consisting of one member for each of the twenty-six wards, and six members at large. They are elected for a period of two years, as is also the president of the council, who becomes mayor, in case of a vacancy, for the unexpired term. An auditor is elected for three years, a treasurer for two years, a solicitor for two years, a board of public service, consisting of three directors, for two years. The mayor appoints a board of public safety of two directors, for a period of four years, with consent of the council, which is in charge of the police and fire service. The chiefs of the police and fire departments, ap- pointed from the classified service, are under the direction of the mayor. Cleveland's area is 41.16 square miles, divided into twenty-six wards. Its population is estimated at 460,327. Cleveland obtains its water supply from Lake Erie, through a system of cribs and tunnels built in 1856 at a total cost, up to date, of $14,000,- 000.00 Its average daily pumpage is 61,000,000 gallons. There are 650 miles of mains, of which 125 miles are for high service. The expenditure for operating for 1906 was $431,888.54, and $502,777.18 was expended for extensions and improvements. The water revenue amounts to nearly $900,000.00 per annum. 83 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES There are 645.7 miles of streets, of which 284.34 are paved: 168.03 miles with brick, 91.50 miles with Medina stone, 22.90 miles with asphalt, 1.13 miles with wood, 0.38 miles with Bitulithic, and 0.40 miles with tar macadam. The streets are cleaned by day labor, at a cost of $239,505.53. Cleveland owns its own garbage reduction plants. They have a ca- pacity of 100 tons per day, and were operated in 1906 at a cost of $165,- 939.55, while $17,631.44 were expended for improvements; the receipts from the sale of the products amounted to $97,220.23. The streets are lighted by 12,700 lamps, of which 1,320 are electric arc lights, at a cost of $264,032.64. The death rate is 14.6, with 6,424 deaths in 1905. Cleveland has twenty-three parks with a total area of 1,523.9 square miles, of which the largest are Garfield Park with 163.18 square acres, and Gordon Park with 112.52 acres. The total expenditure for park purposes is $223,523.81 for maintenance and $368,349.92 for improvements. The police force of the city numbers 595 men who, in 1906, made 31,- 736 arrests. The total expense for police purposes was $618,677.38. There are 2,100 saloons which pay a license of $1,000.00 each; of which the city gets one-half, the county two-tenths and the state three-tenths. The net receipts of the city from that source amount to $842,752.47. The fire department, with a total force of 501, is maintained at an expense of $617,178.27. Cleveland's school system is entirely separate from the city govern- ment. There are seventy-five school buildings, with over 65,000 pupils enrolled and nearly 1,500 teachers. The total expense, including $700,- 000.00 for permanent improvements, amounts to over $3,000,000.00 per annum. The total expenditures for the year 1906 were $9,785,640.67; of which $4,483,816.88 are classed as extraordinary expenditures. The total re- ceipts were $10,824,705.14, including $3,086,636.44 from taxes and $3,555,- 530.78 from bonds. The assessed valuation of all property, equaling about 40 per cent of the actual value, was $228,334,760.00. The total tax rate was $31.90, of which $10.15 was for the city, $3.65 for the sinking funds, $11.70 for the schools and libraries, $5.05 for the county and $1.34 for the state. The bonded indebtedness of Cleveland on January 1, 1907, was $27,579,- 461.00, against which there is a sinking fund of $1,434,024.00. This does not include the school and library debt, amounting to $2,829,150.00. The present city officials of the city of Cleveland, elected by the people, are: Mayor, Tom L. Johnson; Vice-Mayor and President of the Council, Chas. W. Lapp; City Solicitor, Newton D. Baker; City Auditor, J. P. Madi- gan; City Treasurer, Carl H. Nau; City Clerk, Peter Witt; Board of Public Service, W. J. Springborn; H. R. Cooley, D. E. Leslie; Board of Public Safety, Hugh J. Buckley, Jr., M. B. Excell. 34 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The city of Bufifalo, the second largest in the state of New York, was founded in 1803, when a village was laid out named New Amsterdam, which soon became known as Bufifalo. The present city of Bufifalo was incorporated in 1832. The government of Bufifalo is vested in a mayor and a bi-cameral council. The common council, or upper house, consists of nine members representing the city at large, and elected for four years; while the board of aldermen, one member for each ward, is elected for two years. There are further elected by popular vote for a term of four years, the comptroller, the corporation counsel, the treasurer, the commissioner of public works, the superintendent of education, the overseer of the poor, the police justices and justices of the peace; a board of assessors is elected for six years. The council elects the city clerk, and the mayor appoints three fire commissioners and two police commissioners, five park com- missioners, each for six years ; a health commissioner for five years, seven civil service commissioners, and various other ofificials. The area of the city is forty-two square miles, divided into twenty- five wards. Its population, according to the state census of 1905, was 376,682; and is now estimated at 400,000. Bufifalo obtains its water supply from the Niagara River by pumping. Its water works, to be greatly enlarged this year, were built in 1868. It has the largest pumping station under one roof in the world, equipped with ten steam and one electric pumps. There are 500 miles of mains, and the daily consumption is 324 gallons per capita. The city has 358 miles of paved streets, of which 231.8 are paved with asphalt, 17.5 with brick, 96.6 with stone, and 12 with macadam. They are cleaned and sprinkled by contract. Garbage is treated by the reduc- tion system and collected under contract. Much work has been done in recent years eliminating the grade cross- ings and elevating railroad tracks. Construction was begun in 1905, and since then thirty-seven structures, eliminating sixty-five crossings, were completed. Five structures are yet to be built to complete the general plan of the commission. The total cost of the work, including damages, has been $7,233,446.75, of which the city paid $2,172,493.66, while the railroad companies paid the balance. Bufifalo is among the healthiest of our cities. Its death rate for 1905 was 14.36 per thousand. Its school system comprises sixty-one grammar schools, four high schools, twenty-three public kindergartens, a truant school, practice school, 35 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES JAMES NOBLE ADAM Mayor of Buffalo, New York THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES and training school. The total registration is 61,905, with an average daily attendance of 46,195. The expense for maintaining the schools is $1,216,- 505.75. Its park area is over 1,000 acres; the largest park being Delaware Park with 365 acres. The cost of maintaining the park system amounts to $141,634.45. The police force, numbering 800 men, is maintained at a cost of $793,- 662.75. There are 1,500 saloons in the city, the license fee being $750.00, of which the city gets one-half and the state the other; the revenue to the city from this source for this year is estimated at $540,000.00. The fire department, with 575 men, costs $760,840.70. Many great improvements are being planned by the city for the near future. The council has adopted a plan for deepening and widening the river at a cost of $1,500,000.00. Soon the electric power of Niagara Falls, a suburb of Bufifalo, is to be used for the city. Contracts have been made whereby the city will obtain its electric light at a rate of $56.00 per lamp per year, as against $75.00 at present; and a charge of four cents per kilo- watt hour for lighting and power for the city as well as the citizens in general. The total appropriation for expenditures for 1906 was $8,082,- 598.06, including $2,355,808.45 for interest and redemption of city debt. The total assessed valuation of all property was $268,215,665.00, and the tax rate was $22.00. The tax levy for 1906 amounted to $5,208,791.09. The bonded indebtedness of the city is $19,250,460.00, against which the sinking funds are $1,207,195.00. The present city ofificials of Buf¥alo, elected by the people, are : Mayor, James N. Adam; Comptroller, George M. Zimmerman; Corporation Coun- sel, Louis E. Desbecker. Their terms end December 31, 1909. Treasurer, Walter J. Shepard; Commissioner of Public Works, Francis G. Ward; Superintendent of Education, Henry P. Emerson; their terms end Decem- ber 31, 1907. 37 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The city of Pittsburg had its origin in a small trading settlement founded as early as 1730. In 1754 a fort was built which, in 1758, was named Fort Pitts. In 1794 Pittsburg became a borough, and was incor- porated as a city 'in 1816. Its present government is vested in the mayor and a bicameral council. The mayor appoints, with the consent of the council, the treasurer and the directors of the departments of public works, public safety, charities, law, fire and police magistrates. The council elects its own officers and clerks, while the comptroller of the city is chosen by the people. The area of the city is 29.41 square miles, divided into forty-one wards, with a population estimated in 1906 at 375,082. In 1905 the legislature of Pennsylvania passed a law for the annexation of Alle- gheny. This was approved June 12, 1906, by a inajority vote of the people. The citizens of Allegheny, however, were against the consolidation and took the matter into the courts to test the constitutionality of the act. Its validity was upheld by the state Supreme Court March 11, 1907, and from there was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, where it is now pending. Pittsburg obtains its water supply from the Allegheny river through pumping. The water is purified by sedimentation and slow sand filtration. The south side wards of the city, however, are supplied from the Monon- gahela river by a private company. The city's system comprises 370 miles of mains. The streets of Pittsburg have a length of 450 miles, of which 320 miles are paved; 130 miles with asphalt; 130 miles with granite; 40 miles with cobblestone; 10 miles with macadam, and the balance with dif- ferent materials. Street cleaning and sprinkling is done by day labor, while garbage is removed by contract and treated under the reduction system. The streets are lighted by 3,200 arc lights at an^expense of $468,- 663.26 in 1906. Pittsburg's park system comprises an area of 1,000 acres. The two largest parks are Schenley Park, with 440 acres, and Highland Park, with 441 acres. The parks are maintained at an expense of $166,032.99. For police purposes the city spent $660,208.00, its police force numbering 500 men. There are nearly 600 saloons, paying a license fee of $1,100.00 each, of which the city gets $900.00, the state $100.00, and the county $100.00. The total expenditures of the city in 1906 were $13,772,481.89, in- cluding nearly $1,000,000.00 for interest on bonded indebtedness and $1,000,000.00 for judgments. The receipts amounted to $13,072,585.04, 38 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES of which $6,663,140.64 was from taxes; $2,502,295.00 from bonds; ^763,- 529.87 from water rates, and $524,584.11 from Hquor Hcenses. The asse ssed valuation of the property is $584,409,037.00, and the city's tax rate $12.50. The bonded indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $24,184,901.87, against which the sinking fund holds $8,322,179.58. To this must be added the debt of sub-school districts, amounting to $2,851,750.00. The debt Hmit is 7 per cent of the assessed valuation. The elective city officials are: George W. Guthrie, mayor, term ex- piring April, 1909; John B. Larkin, Comptroller, term expiring April, 1908. The city of Detroit was founded two hundred years ago as a trading post, by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. In 1802 it was incorporated as a town, and in 1805 the entire village was destroyed by fire. A year later Detroit was incorporated as a city, and received its first city charter in 1815. The government is vested in a mayor and a common council, and sev- eral boards and commissions. The council consists of two aldermen for each ward, elected for a period of two years. Besides the council, there is a board of estimates consisting of two members for each ward, and five members at large, elected by popular vote for a period of two years. The members receive $5.00 pay for each daily session. The heads of depart- ments and the president of the council are ex-officio members, but have no vote. This board acts upon the general city estimates, and all other measures for the raising of money. The board may decrease or disap- prove, but cannot increase the amounts proposed. Besides the mayor, who is elected for two years, there are chosen by popular vote, a city clerk, a treasurer, a recorder, a police justice, justices of the peace, and a board of education consisting of eighteen members. Upon the nomination of the mayor, the council appoints the comptroller for three years, the receiver of taxes for three years, a board of three building inspectors, a board of four fire commissioners, for four years, who serve without pay; a gas com- missioner, six public lighting commissioners, and five water commis- sioners, for five years. A board of health, of four members, is appointed by the governor of the state. They, in turn, appoint a health officer. The mayor appoints a corporation counsel, a commissioner of public works, a commissioner of police, and a commissioner of parks, each for a term of four years. 39 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILLIAM B. THOMPSON Mayor of Detroit, MicbigiD THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The area of Detroit is 35.9 square miles, divided into eighteen wards. Its population is estimated at 375,000. Recently the city was enlarged by annexation of a territory covering about 8 square miles, with a population of 20,000. Detroit receives its water supply from Lake St. Clair. Its water works were erected at a cost of $7,076,946.84, and have a capacity of 152,- 000,000 gallons. The daily average pumped is 61,357,019 gallons. There are 683 miles of pipe. The water rates charged are among the lowest in the United States. The revenue from water for the year 1906 amounted to $501,351.44. The total expenditures were $783,567.89, of which $152,- 076.93 was for operation and the balance for construction and payment of bonds and interest. The sewerage system consists of 182 miles of public, and 399 miles of lateral sewers. The sewage is discharged into the Detroit river. Of its 629 miles of streets, 331.85 miles are paved; 220 miles with cedar blocks, 25 miles with brick, 30 miles with asphalt, and the balance with various other materials. The streets are cleaned and sprinkled by day labor, at an expense of $223,186.50. The garbage is collected and dis- posed of by the reduction system, under contract, at a cost of $47,208.37. Detroit owns its own electric lighting plant, operating 3,241 arc lights, and 17,527 incandescents, and 52 motors. The total cost of the plant amounted to $1,034,128.26. The cost of operating per arc per year for the year 1905 is given as $33.18. The schools of the city are located in 85 buildings, with an enroll- ment of 44,800 pupils, taught by 1,084 teachers. The total expenditure for school purposes is $1,402,357.60, of which $301,666.72 was for new build- higs and permanent improvements. The parks of the city have a total area of 1,181.56 acres, of which the largest. Belle Isle Park, has 707 acres. The total expense for main- taining the parks was $181,128.19, while $118,025.20 was spent for im- provements. The police force of Detroit numbers 604 men and 6 matrons. The to- tal expenditure amounts to $632,200.28. The total number of arrests made during last year was 11,113. There are 1,349 saloons in the city, paying a license fee of $500 per year, of which the city receives one-half, less 1 per cent for collection. The total revenue from this source for 1906"being $358,287.66. The fire department numbers 537 men, and is maintained at an ex- pense of $649,604.41. The total expenditure of the city for the year 1906 was $6,767,574.86, not including the expense of the water department. The receipts were $6,980,320.95, of which $4,089,925.16 were from taxes. The assessed valuation of property in Detroit is $305,656,900, and the 41 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES EDWARD J. DEMPSEY Mayor of Cincinnali, Ohio THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES tax rate $14.72. The bonded indebtedness of the city was $7,103,000. This does not include water bonds and the annexed district debt, and special assessment funds. Including these, the total bonded indebtedness was, on February 1st, 1907, $9,391,041.87, against which the sinking funds held $2,940,355.38. The present city officials, elected by the people, are: Mayor, Wm. B. Thompson; city clerk, George T. Gaston; city treas- urer, Max C. Koch. dtnrinnatt Cincinnati was founded in 1790, and was incorporated as a town in 1802 and as a city in 1819. It is governed at present under the municipal code passed by the legislature of Ohio providing for the government of cities. The city has an area of 42.5 square miles, divided into thirty-one wards, and its population in 1906 was estimated at 345,230. The water supply is obtained from the Ohio river, pumped into reser- voirs in Eden Park. The water works were built in 1840 and cost up to date $15,000,000.00. There are 450 miles of mains. Cincinnati has a total of 700 miles of streets, of which 450 miles are paved; 40 miles with asphalt; 60 miles with brick; 60 miles with cobblestone; 50 miles with granite, and 230 miles with macadam. Its park system covers an area of 540 acres, of which Eden Park contains 216 acres. The city owns the Cincinnati Southern Railroad, which is leased until 1966, at an annual rental of $1,050,000.00 for the first twenty years; $1,100,- 000.00 for the second period of twenty years, and $1,200,000.00 for the re- maining twenty years. The railroad company is also to pay the interest on $2,. 500,000.00 bonds, to be issued for terminal facilities, as well as a sum annually in addition, for a sinking fund. The total assessed valuation in 1906 was $234,572,420.00, and the tax rate $26.00. The school tax amounted to $7.50 per thousand dollars. The general bonded indebtedness of the city on J^n^ary 1, 1907, was $42,427,- 642.00, against which there is a sinking fund of $6,212,658.00. This does not include street bonds, payable by special assessment, for $1,230,725.49. The present mayor of the city is Edward J- Dempsey. 43 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ^nn Mvwxtma i San Francisco, the City of the Golden Gate, was incorporated as a town in 1850, although its first settlement reaches back to the establish- ment of a fort and a mission by the Spaniards in 1775. The charter, under which the city is working at present, became effective in January, 1900. The city is coextensive with the county and a combined govern- ment is provided. The legislative power is vested in a board of eighteen supervisors. The people elect the following city officials for a term of two years: Mayor, auditor, treasurer, assessor, tax collector, recorder, city attorney, district attorney, public administrator, county clerk, sheriff, coroner and four police judges. Appointments to public service are sub- ject to civil service rules. The city has an area of 46.5 square miles, and its population in 1905 was estimated at 364,677. Since the terrific catastrophe in April, 1906, by which an area of nearly four square miles was laid bare at a loss of more than $200,000,000.00, the citizens are busily engaged in rebuilding the city. This will involve a com- plete change in the general plan of the city, and definite municipal data are not yet at hand. Since several years reform forces of San Francisco were trying their utmost to bring about a betterment in its civic condi- tions. They finally succeeded early in 1907 to lay bare a system of bribery and graft involving the board of supervisors, a number of city officials, and, above all, the mayor, Eugene E. Schmitz. On July 8, 1907, the mayor was convicted of extortion and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. On July 16 a nominating convention, consisting of delegates of the Building Trades, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Merchants' Association, the Real Estate Board and the Merchants' Exchange, agreed upon Dr. Edward R. Taylor to be the city's mayor until November, when the next municipal election will be held. This choice was immediately confirmed by the board of supervisors which, under the charter, was empowered to elect a mayor. The assessed valuation of property for the year 1906-1907 is $376,- 138,737.00, and the tax rate $17.98. For years San Francisco had no bonded indebtedness. In 1903 the city voted to issue $17,771,000.00 im- provement bonds. Of this $4,139,600,00 have been issued and form the total bonded indebtedness of the city, against which the sinking funds hold $349,718.00. 44 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES iitlmauk^^ The City of Milwaukee was laid out as a town in 1835, though a trading post had been established on its site as early as 1818 by Solomon Juneau. It was chartered as a city in 1847. Its present charter was ob- tained in 1895. Under it the government is vested in a mayor and a city council, consisting of two aldermen from each ward, elected for a period of two years. The council elects its president, and also the city clerk. The mayor, treasurer and comptroller are elected for two years, and the city attorney for four years. The mayor appoints, with the concurrence of the council, the commissioner of public works, commissioner of health, chiefs of the fire and police departments and other department heads. The mayor, city clerk, tax commissioner and the ward assessors, constitute a board of review on assessment rolls. The area of the city is 23.1 square miles, divided into twenty-three wards. The population is estimated at 360,000. Milwaukee obtains its water supply from Lake Michigan by pump- ing. The water works were built in 1872, and cost, up to date, over $8,000,000.00. There are 400 miles of water pipe with a daily average pumpage of 28,000,000 gallons. The annual revenue from water rates is nearly $500,000.00. The sewerage system comprises 380 miles of sewers, and the sewage is discharged into the Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic riv- ers, which are flushed through huge flushing tunnels. Its streets have a total length of 610 miles, of which 410 miles are paved; 25 miles with asphalt, 10 miles with granite, 9 miles with brick, 40 miles with wooden block, 75 miles with cobblestone and 250 miles with gravel. The streets are lighted by 2,000 electric arc lights, 2,600 gas lights and 400 gasoline lamps, at a total cost of $260,000.00. The park system contains an area of 500 acres, and is maintained at a cost of $100,000.00. The police force of Milwaukee numbers 403 men. In 1906 they made 6,804 arrests. The appropriation for the police department in 1906 was $400,000.00, while that for the fire department was $505,000.00. The total expenditures of Milwaukee amount to nearly $8,000,000.00 per annum. The assessed valuation of all property, equal to about one-half of the cash value, was $201,585,127.00; the total tax rate $22.59. The bonded indebtedness of the city is $8,104,500.00, against which the sinking funds hold $711,- 250.00. The present city officials of Milwaukee are: Sherburne M. Becker, mayor; Paul Bechtner, comptroller; Wm. H. Graebner, city treasurer; John T. Kelly, city attorney. 45 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES JAMES C. HAYNES Mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Paaljmgtnn Washington, the capital city of the United States, was founded hy an act of Congress in 1791. Since 1874 the government is under control of three commissioners, appointed by the president, and approved by the United States Senate. The citizens have no direct voice in the appoint- ments to office within the district, as they have no vote in district or na- tional affairs. All appropriations are made by Congress on estimates sub- mitted by the commissioners. < The area of Washington is 60 square miles, and the population, ac- cording to a police census in 1905, was 323,123 for the entire District of Columbia. Washington's water supply is brought from the Great Falls of the Potomac river by means of an aqueduct 12 miles long. The water works were built in 1850 and comprise 500 miles of mains. The daily consumption is 200 gallons per capita. A new sand filtration plant was completed within the last year. There are 440 miles of streets in the city, of which 300 miles are paved; 170 miles with asphalt, 30 miles with granite, and 80 miles with macadam. They are cleaned by day labor, while garbage is collected and treated by the reduction system under contract. The streets are lighted by 1,000 electric arc lights, 1,000 incandescents, 7,500 gas and 1,500 gasoline lamps, or a total of 11,000. , Washington has 150 school buildings with an enrollment of 52,000 pu- pils, taught by 1,480 teachers, at an annual expenditure of nearlv $2,000.- 000.00. The police force numbers 700 men, who make 30,000 arrests. There are 500 saloons paying a license fee each of $800.00 per year. The fire department numbers 310 men. The total expenditures of the city are $12,000,000.00 per annum. The assessed valuation of all property within the District of Columbia for 1906 is $268,131,287.00, and the tax rate $15.00. The bonded indebtedness of the District of Columbia on April 1, 1907, was $11,103,850.00. The commissioners of the District of Columbia are: Henry B. F. Mc- Farland, Henry L. West, John Biddle. Mtttn^apnltiS The City of Minneapolis was incorporated as a town in 1855 and was chartered as a city in 1867. In 1872 it was combined with the city of St. Anthony, which had received its city charter in 1856. In 1881 a new 47 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES charter law was passed by the legislature, under which the city is still working; since the year 1898 three different attempts were made by the city to obtain a new charter. Three different charter commissions worked out a plan which, however, upon submission to the people failed of adoption in every case. The government of the city rests in the mayor, city council and several boards acting independent of the council. The city council is composed of two aldermen from each ward, and appoints the city clerk and most of the heads of the departments and bureaux. The mayor, comptroller and treasurer are elected for a term of two years. The mayor is the head of the police department and appoints the chief of police. A library board of six members is elected for six years, and a school board of seven members is elected for three years. The area of the city is 53.29 square miles, divided into thirteen wards. The population, according to the state census of 1905, was 261,974, and is now estimated at 290,000. Minneapolis receives its water supply from the Mississippi river, pumped into reservoirs with two basins with a capacity of 48,000,000 gal- lons each, and thence by gravity through 300 miles of mains to the con- sumer, the daily consumption amounting to 18,369,320 gallons. The re- ceipts from water rates amount to $250,000.00. There are 420 miles of streets, of which 120 miles are paved; 25 miles with granite, 13 miles with brick, 50 miles with wooden block, 20 miles with asphalt and 12 miles with macadam. The streets are lighted by 1,000 arc lights, 5,500 gas lamps and 2,000 gasoline lamps. The park system has an area of 1,800 acres. Minneapolis has 75 school buildings with an enrollment of 42,000 pu- pils, taught by 1,000 teachers. The police force numbers 250 men, making 6,000 arrests. There are 400 saloons in the city, paying each a license fee of $1,000.00. The fire department numbers 300 men. The total expendi- tures of the city for 1905, for maintenance and operation, were $3,404,- 156.20, and for permanent improvements $1,159,294.06. The assessed val- uation of all property in 1906, equal to about one-half of the actual value, was $164,419,145.00; the total tax rate $26.50, including $2.23 for the coun- ty, $1.55 for the state and $1.23 for state school and university tax. The bonded indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $9,534,000.00, against which the sinking funds held $2,296,752.00. The present city officials of Minneapolis, their terms expiring January 1, 1909, are: J. C. Haynes, mayor; Dan Brown, comptroller; C. L. Hurl- bert, treasurer; L. A. Lydiard, city clerk. 48 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES N^m ®rban0 The city of New Orleans was founded by Jean de Bienville, gov- ernor of the colony of Louisiana, in 1718. It was made capital of the colony in 1722, and in 1727 the population of the city had reached 1,600. After the cession of Louisiana to the Ignited States, the territorial assembly granted New Orleans its first city charter in 1805. Its present charter was passed by the legislature in 1896 and was amended several i times since then. Under it the legislative power is vested in a city council consisting of twenty-one members, elected for four years, of which seventeen are elected by wards, and four by districts, each of which comprises several wards. The people elect further for a term of four years, a mayor, treas- ttrer, comptroller, commissioner of public works, commissioner of police and public buildings, and a city engineer. The area of the city is 196.25 square miles, of which, however, only 30 square miles are residence and business districts. This territory is divided into seventeen representative districts and wards and four municipal districts. The population is esti- mated at 315,000. New Orleans obtains its water supply from a private company, of which the city owns nearly one-fifth of the stock, and of which the mayor, treasurer and commissioner of public works are ex-officio directors. The average daily consumption of water is 15,000,000 gallons. The city has 200 miles of paved streets and 500 miles of unpaved streets. The police force consists of 300 men and is maintained at an expense of $261,175.16. There are 1,550 saloons in the city which pay a license varying from $100.00 to $1,000.00 per year, according to the sales of the preceding year. The total expenditures of the city government for the year 1906 were $6,338,916.81. The valuation of all property is $204,- 585,967.00. The tax rate amounted to $2.20. The total bonded indebt- edness on January 1, 1907, was $19,450,180.00. The present city officials, elected by the people, are: Martin Behrman, mayor; Chas. R. Kennedy, comptroller; Otto F. Briede, treasurer; Geo. S. Smith, commissioner of public works; Alex Pujol, commissioner of police and public buildings; W. J. Hardee, city engineer. -^^• 49 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES HENRY M. BEARDSLEY Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES SCanaas Qlttg Kansas City, the second city in Missouri, was laid out in 1838, and ob- tained its present charter in 1889. At the head of the city government is the mayor; his term of office is two years. The legislative power rests with an upper house of aldermen, consisting of fourteen members elected at large for a term of four years, and a lower house of councilmen of four- teen members elected for two years, one from each ward. The city treas- urer, auditor, police judge and city attorney are elected biennially. The other officers are appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the upper house. The board of police commissioners is composed of three members, of which two are appointed by the governor of the state, the third being the mayor. Kansas City has an area of 26.2 square miles, and its population is esti- mated by the city authorities at 255,000. The city has a very comprehensive system of parks and boulevards, with an area of 1,890 acres in parks, 173.69 acres in parkways, and 46 miles of boulevards and park drives. The system begins at the very heart of the city and is well distributed over its w^hole area. The city owns its water plant, which was acquired by the city in 1895 at a cost of over $4,000,000.00. It has 250 miles of mains, and is operated at an expense of $759,175.63 for the year ending April 15th, 1907, with an additional $156,635.00 for interest, and $96,990.34 for improvements. The city is now supplying its fire department with new buildings; new headquarters, costing $75,000.00, having been just completed. The city is just finishing a hospital costing nearly $400,000.00, located on high grounds overlooking the city. There are 300 miles of paved streets, and a well equipped laboratory for the testing of material as it is laid. Kansas City has a tenement house commission, an art commission, and is planning the creation of a public utilities commission to act under power recently conferred by the legislature. . ' The school system of Kansas City has four high schools and fifty-four grade schools, with a total enrollment of nearly 40,000 pupils. The departmental expenditures of the city for the last fiscal year amounted to $1,950,847.72, not including the expenditure for water and schools, nor interest and redemption of the city debt. The maintenance of the police department cost $336,752.12: of the fire department, $366,781.51 ; street lighting, $107,983.65; parks, $119,250.16. The total assessed valuation of property in 1906 was $107,290,562.00, 51 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES the tax rate being $13.50. The bonded indebtedness is $4,613,900.00, against which the sinking funds hold $340,191.01. The present city officials of Kansas City, elected by popular vote, are: Henry M. Beardsley, mayor; A. E. Holmes, city treasurer; D. V. Kent, city auditor; John N. Swenson, city attorney. iln&tanapnltH The City of Indianapolis, the capital of the state of Indiana, and the largest city therein, was settled in 1819 and became the capital of the state in 1825. The city is at present working under a legislative act providing for government of municipalities, passed by the legislature in 1905. Under it the elective officers of the city are a mayor, a city judge and a city clerk, while the county treasurer acts as city treasurer. The city council consists of one councilman from each ward, and six additional council- men elected at large. All officers are elected for a term of four years, but are ineligible to hold the same elective office more than once in any period of eight years. The council elects its own presiding officer. The mayor appoints the heads of all departments and has the absolute power of re- moval. The area of Indianapolis is 30.77 square miles, and its population is estimated at 228,500. Indianapolis gets its water supply through a private company. Its sewerage system comprises 167.66 miles of sewers. The city has 470.50 miles of streets, of which 119.84 miles are paved; 47.86 miles with asphalt, 1.55 miles with bitulithic, 41.95 miles with brick, 14.85 miles with creo- soted pine block, 3.06 miles with creosoted cedar block and 8.03 miles with macadam. The streets are lighted by 1,683 arc lights, at a cost of $132,- 886.24. Gas and gasoline lamps were discontinued September 15, 1906. The park area comprises 1,331 acres; 5 miles of parks and 5 miles of boule- vards. Its maintenance cost $49,250.00 and $30,450.00 was spent for im- provements. The police force numbers 253 men, with 10,600 arrests in 1906. Its maintenance cost $229,638.51. There are 700 saloons in the city, paying each a license of $350.00, of which $100.00 goes to the county and $250.00 to the city. The revenue from liquor licenses last year was $184,750.00. The fire department, numbering 251 men, was maintained at an expense of $266,960.10. The death rate of Indianapolis for 1906 was 13.61, with 2,975 deaths. The schools of the city are in control of a board of school com- missioners, consisting of five members, who are elected by the people for a THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES term of four years and act entirely independent of the city. The city comptroller acts as auditor of the school commissioners. There are 66 school buildings with an enrollment of 30,000 pupils, taught by 780 teachers. The total expenditures of the city, not including schools, for 1906 were $1,726,847.97, of which $144,641.61 was for permanent improvements. The receipts amounted to $2,059,607.09, of which $1,241,450.38 was from taxes. The total assessed valuation of property for 1906 is $158,087,310.00, and the tax rate $21.60, of which $5.70 was for schools. The bonded indebtedness of the city is $2,929,800.00, not including $1,206,000.00 school bonds and $1,072,193.19 improvement bonds. The present mayor of Indianapolis is Charles A. Bookwalter, whose term expires the first Monday in January, 1910. The site of the present business section of St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota, was sold to an enterprising Yankee in 1839 for $30.00. In 1854 the town received its first city charter. From these small beginnings the city has grown up to a great city with a population estimated at 225,000, and an area of 54.44 square miles, divided into eleven wards. Its present charter the city obtained in 1900. The government is placed in the hands of a bicameral council, consisting of an assembly of nine members elected at large, and a l)oard of aldermen, consisting of one member from each ward. The mayor and comptroller are elected for a period of two years. The mayor has large powers, and appoints the board of water commissioners, park commissioners, police commissioners, fire commis- sioners and workhouse commissioners, each having five members; serving five years without pay ; a public works commission and an alms-house com- mission, each of three members, serving three years. The board of educa- tion of seven members, serving without pay for three years, is also ap- pointed by the mayor. How satisfactory this system of government is to the citizens of St. Paul, may be seen from the fact that the present mayor has been serving in that capacity for the last sixteen years. St. Paul obtains its water supply from a number of spring-fed lakes in the vicinity. The water works were purchased from a private company in 1882, and today represent a value of $7,000,000.00. There are 290 miles of mains, and the daily average pumpage is 10,000,000 gallons. The reve- nue from water in 1906 was $324,425.30. The city lays just claim to be the healthiest among the large cities S3 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ROBERT A. SMITH Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES in the country. Its death rate in 1905 was 9.41, with 1,788 deaths. The department of health is in charge of the garbage collection. This is done by day labor and also a number of licensed farmers. Most of the garbage is sold to farmers, and in 1906 yielded a revenue of $2,665.37. There are 408 miles of streets in the city, of which 76 miles are paved: 30 miles with asphalt; 10 miles with brick; 8 miles with granite; 8 miles with wooden blocks and 20 miles with macadam. The sewerage system comprises 241 miles of sewers. The streets are lighted by 3,396 gas lamps; 1,080 gaso- line lamps and 742 arc lights, at a total cost of $187,098.46. The police force numbers 233 men, maintained at a cost of $212,586.11. There are 397 saloons in the city, paying a license fee of $1,000.00. The revenue from that source in 1906 was $397,000.00. The fire department, numbering 230 men, is maintained at a cost of $242,162.95. The school system comprises four high schools and fifty-three grade schools, with an average daily attendance of 22,175 pupils, taught by 700 teachers, at a total cost of $713,383.25 and $35,689.95 for improvements. The park area com- prises 1,076 acres; the expense for park purposes, including improvements, was $99,830.40. The city has just completed a fine auditorium building with a seating capacity of 10,000, at a cost of $500,000.00, of which one- half is paid by bonds issued by the city, and the other half by public subscription. The total expenditures of the city government in 1906 were $3,528,- 852.17, of which $685,478.96 was spent for permanent improvements. The total revenue amounted to $3,395,579.37, including $2,069,414.58 from taxes and $161,731.00 from bonds. The assessed valuation of all property in St. Paul is $102,723,408.00, and the total tax rate $29.60, including $21.45 for the city; $2.78 for the state and $5.37 for the county. The bonded indebtedness of St. Paul, on December 31, 1906, was $8,244,000.00, the sinking funds containing $734,329.19. The present mayor is Robert A. Smith, and the comptroller Louis r.etz. UorI|0Bt^r The city of Rochester, New York, was first settled in 1810. It was incorporated as a village in 1817, and obtained its first charter in 1834. At present it is governed under the regular state charter for cities of the second class, passed by the legislature in 1900. Under this law the legis- lative power is vested in a council, consisting of one member from each 55 THEi BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES I ward, and its president, who is elected by the people at large. The mayor, the comptroller and the treasurer are elected for two years, while the heads of departments and most other ofticials are appointed by the mayor. The city of Rochester has an area of 18.74 square miles, divided into twenty-two wards. Its population, according to the state census for 1905, was 181,666, and for 1907 is estimated at 220,000. The water supply of Rochester is derived from two sources ; one for drinking purposes from lakes thirty miles away by gravity, and for manu- facturing and all other purposes from the Genesee river by pumping. The water works, containing 300 miles of mains, are valued at $8,131,- 987.54. The total revenue from water rates was $453,421.87 in 1906; the operating expenses amounted to $191,674.01. The city of Rochester has 325 miles of streets, of which 150 miles are paved: 60 miles with asphalt; 30 miles with macadam; 35 miles with granite; 10 miles with brick, and 15 miles with gravel. The park area comprises 700 acres, the largest of the parks, Genesee Valley Park, having 340 acres. The police department, numbering 225 men, making 7,000 arrests, was maintained in 1906 at an expense of $279,355.28. There are 500 sa- loons in the city, paying each a license fee of $750.00, of which the city gets one-half and the state the other. The fire department, numbering 259 men, cost $371,054.53. The total expenditures of the city in 1906 were $3,447,686.64, of which $434,445.15 was paid for sinking funds and interest. The total revenue of the city was $3,576,874.83, including $2,601,875.00 from taxes. The valuation of all property assessed at about actual value was $134,682,- 940.00, the tax rate for city purposes $19.31, and for all purposes $22.93. The bonded indebtedness of the city was $7,615,000.00, against which the sinking funds hold $666,765.00, to which must be added $809,000.00 for water and park notes and $3,721,333.56 for improvement bonds. The present city officials of Rochester, their terms expiring Decem- ber 31, 1907, are: James G. Cutler, mayor; Hiram H. Edgerton, president of the common council; Samuel B. Williams, comptroller, and Lyman M. Otis, city treasurer. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Denver, the capital of and largest city in the state of Colorado, had its beginning in 1858, and received its first city charter in 1861. Its present charter was adopted by popular vote in 1904. Under it the legislative powers are vested in a bicameral council, consisting of a board of super- visors of seven members, elected for four years, and a board of aldermen, consisting of one member from each ward, elected for two years, both bodies electing their own officers. Any measure passed by the council may be referred to popular vote upon petition of twenty-five per cent of the electors, and any proposition may be placed before the council by a peti- tion of the same number of voters, and must either be passed without alteration by that body, or referred to popular vote. The executive power of the city is vested in a mayor, attorney, clerk, auditor and treasurer and several county officials who are elected for a term of four years. All other executive officers are appointed by the mayor without confirmation. The first mayor elected under the new charter was Robert W. Speer, the present executive. The area of the city of Denver is 59 square miles, divided into sixteen wards. Its population is estimated by the census bureau for 1906 at 151,920, and by the city authorities for 1907 at 200,000. The city has 1,200 miles of streets, of which 40 miles are paved, most of them with asphalt. The city has a fine park system, consisting of twenty-one parks with a total area of 1,029 acres. Much work is being done in cleaning and beauti- fying the city. One of the improvanents instituted by the mayor was the giving away by the city of shade trees to those who would plant and care for them. On last Arbor Day the city gave away 20,000 of these trees. Two children's playgrounds were established a year ago, and the city is now building Denver's first public bath and swimming pool, at a cost of $85,000.00. The city is at present carrying out many public improvements, and is planning still more. Among the large undertakings is the building of the East Denver sanitary sewer, at a cost of about $250,000.00. There is already completed an auditorium with a seating capacity of 9,000, at a cost of $560,OCX3.00; a library building at a cost of $250,000.00, and a wel- come arch at a cost of $20,000.00. There is further planned a museum of natural history, at a cost of $150,000.00; the walling of Cherry Creek and the construction of a parkway along the stream, thus turning an eye-sore into a beauty spot. The city receives its water supply at present from a private company THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ROBERT W. SPEER Mayor of Denver, Colorado THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES whose franchise expires in 1910. The school system of Denver is main- tained at a cost of nearly $1,000,000.00. There are seventy school build- ings, with an enrollment of 35,000 pupils, taught by 700 teachers. The assessed valuation of all property in Denver for 1906, equal to about 60 per cent of the actual value, was $115,052,910.00; the total tax rate for all purposes $32.60. The bonded indebtedness on January, 1, 1907, was $1,251,500.00, against which the sinking funds held $421,376.00. This does not include assessment bonds for $2,177,100.00, nor school bonds amounting to $605,000.00. Slna Ang^kjs The city of Los Angeles, known for its beauty and for the healthful- ness of its mild, equable climate, was settled by the Spaniards in 1781. In 1851 it received its first city charter. Its present charter was adopted in 1888 and amended in 1903 and again in 1905. Under it the legislative power is vested in a council, consisting of one member from each of the nine wards, elected for two years. The executive officers, elected by pop- ular vote for two years, are: Mayor, city clerk, city attorney, city treas- urer, auditor, tax collector, assessor and seven members of the board of education. All other officers, commissions and boards are appointed by the mayor, with the concurrence of the council. The charter contains pro- visions for the initiative and referendum, and also for the recall. Any ordinance that may be petitioned for by 15 per cent of the voters must be at once passed by the city council without alteration within twenty days. If vetoed, and failing of passage by the council over the veto, then the ordinance must be submitted to popular vote at a special election to be called within five days. If the petition for an ordinance is signed by less than 15 per cent but at least 5 per cent of the voters, then such ordi- nance without alteration must be submitted by the council to a vote of the people at the next general municipal election. Any ordinance, except urgency measures, but especially franchise ordinances, must be submitted for approval to a vote of the people. Under the recall the holder of any elective office may be removed by a vote of the people. If 25 per cent of the voters petition for the removal of an officer, an election must be held not less than thirty days, nor more than forty days, from the date of the filing of the petition. Any person subject to removal may be a candidate to succeed himself, and the clerk shall place his name on the official ballot without nomination, unless otherwise requested. If some other person 59 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES A. C. HARPER Mayor of Los Angeles, California THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES | UNIVERSITY receives the highest number of votes, the incumbent is deemed removed from the office upon the qualification of his successor. The area of Los Angeles is 44 square miles. Its population for 1907 is estimated at 290,000. The city's growth during the last six years was unprecedented. Its pop- ulation in 1900 was only 102,479. With its population its industries have increased in the same propor- tions. On June 12 the people 'of the city by a vote of ten to one decided to expend $23,000,000.00 for a new water system. Water is to be brought two hundred and sixty-seven miles across the desert and through moun- tain tunnels. With this water there will also be brought electrical power at not less than 48,000 horse power. This power, it is expected, will cause great industries to spring up in Los Angeles. In anticipation of a pop- ulation of 1,000,000 the city's officers are now at work planning a city which will take care of that number. New public buildings are being planned, conduits for burying wires, trunk sewers and streets are being built. The city has ceased doing things on a small scale. Everything in Los Angeles is now being done on a broad and big scale because the city officials claim that the size of the future city is no longer an uncertainty. With the coming of the Owens river water, to be brought two hundred and sixty-seven miles, annexation will undoubtedly follow. San Pedro, a seaport city, will probably be the first city to be annexed. That will give the metropolis of Southern California the harbor necessary to make the city big and powerful. Other cities stretching from the moun- tains to the sea will probably be annexed as soon as the harbor becomes a part of the metropolis. Los Angeles has a park system containing an area of 3,720 acres. The city obtains its water supply at present from the Los Angeles river by pumping and gravity, "purified by a system of sieves," the average dail}' consumption being 30,000,000 gallons. The receipts from water rates amounted to $800,000.00, while the cost of operation and maintenance was less than $120,000.00. Nearly $1,000,000.00 was spent for improvements and extensions, largely paid from the proceeds of bond sales. Los Angeles has over 600 miles of streets, of which more than 300 miles are paved, most of them with gravel. Nearly 20 miles are paved with asphalt, 2 miles with granite, and 5 miles with macadam. The assessed valuation, equal to about one-half of the actual value of all property, in 1906 was $1,910,420.78; the city tax rate $12.00. The bonded indebtedness in August, 1906, was $7,246,975.00, to which must be added $754,000.00 school bonds. A. C Harper is the present mayor of the city. 61 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The city of Omaha was first incorporated fifty years ago. The city is governed under the provisions of a law known as "City Charter for Metropolitan Cities" adopted by the legislature of the state of Nebraska and amended more or less by each succeeding session of the legislature. The elective city officers are elected for a term of three years and consist of a mayor, twelve councilmen representing twelve wards, city attorney, city clerk, city comptroller; city treasurer (who is by law also county treasurer), and 1)uilding inspector. Other officers are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. The fire and police depart- ments are under the control of a fire and police commission, four in num- ber, appointed by the g'overnor of the state, the mayor also being a member. The board is non-partisan. The library commission and park commission are appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city covmcil. The water commission consists of six members elected by the people, being non-partisan politically. Three are Republicans and three Democrats. This board was created especially by the legislature to secure municipal owner- ship of the water works, being owned by a private company, whose fran- chise and contract have expired. The area of the city is 24.5 square miles, and its population for 1907 is estimated at 150,000. The annual tax levied for administering the afi^airs of the city was fixed by the last legislature at $900,000.00, for general purposes, and $250,000.00 for sinking fund purposes, making a total tax to be levied for 1908 of $1,150,000.00. The total expenses of the city government for 1906 were $1,014,745.09. On September 1, 1907, the bonded indebtedness of the city of Omaha was $5,933,500.00. The park system consists of twelve parks with an acreage of 613.26 acres and 9.58 miles of boulevards finished. New parks proposed, and practically secured, contain 261.47 acres; 10.25 miles of boulevards are under construction. The fire department numbers 172 men. Its expenses for 1907 will be approximately $170,000.00. The police department con- sists of 100 men. Its expenses averaged for a number of years $110,000.00. The school district of Omaha is an independent branch of govern- ment, the directors beihg elected by the people at a separate election. The general expenses for maintaining the schools for the year ending June 30, 1907, were $537,321.00. This does not include cost of new buildings or the sinking fund. The school funds are derived from direct taxation, state apportionment and licenses including "city liquor" licenses. Receipts for the year ending June 30, 1907, were: Tax collections,' $378,545.90; state THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ;i])|)()rtionment, $40,419.79; liquor licenses, $245,000.00; miscellaneous and license receipts, $37,779.32, or a total of $701,745.01. The bonded indebted- ness of the school district of Omaha is $775,000.00, with a sinking fund of $270,523.00. The public works department is a new department combining several departments, and created by the last legislature. It places all public work of tlie city under the control of the city engineer, who has general charge and supervision of the construction and repair of all public works, ordered by the mayor and city council, except street cleaning and sweeping. It is a department absolute in itself, as the city eaigineer has power and au- thority to fix the wages, appoint and dismiss all inspectors, foremen and laborers and other employes necessary to carry out the work of his depart- ment, subject to the extent and within the limits of funds provided for this department by the tax levied, which amount has been fixed by the legisla- ture. The city engineer also has charge of paving, sewerage and asphalt repairs, etc. All public work by franchised corporations or private parties on streets or alleys, must be done to the satisfaction of the city engineer. The city has 390.46 miles of streets, 154.5 miles of alleys, and 162.27 miles of sewers; 96.66 miles of streets are paved, 41.44 miles with asphalt, 4.86 miles with cedar block, 2.06 miles with cypress block, 19.73 miles with Colorado sandstone, 5.28 miles with granite, 0.45 with Kansas stone, 18.75 miles with vitrified brick, and 4.07 miles with macadam. The city work for the year 1907 is extensive. It is estimated that $200,000.00 for new paving and $300,000.00 for new sewers will be expended, and other public works will aggregate $500,000.00 more. The assessed valuation made at "fair cash value," for 1906, was $106,- 016,500.00; the tax rate for city and school purposes $12.96. The present city officials of Omaha are: Jam.es C. Dahlman, mayor; C. O. Lobeck, comptroller; Robert O. Fink, treasurer; Andrew Rosewater, city engineer; Dan C. Butler, city clerk. Qlniumbua The city of Columbus, the capital of the state of Ohio, was laid out in 1812 ,and incorporated as a town in 1816. In 1834 it received its first city charter. At present it is governed under the Municipal Code of Ohio. The area of the city is 15.9 square miles, and its population is estimated at 180,000. Columbus obtains it water supply from the Scioto river by pumping. 63 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILLIAM E. SPRATT Mayor of St, Joseph, Missouri THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES It owns its water works, comprising 200 miles of mains. The city has 360 miles of unpaved streets, and 130 miles of paved streets, of which 80 miles are paved with brick, 20 miles with asphalt, and 10 miles each with macadam, granite and cobblestone. The streets are lighted by 1,100 arc lamps, fnrnished by the municipal lighting plant built in 1899. There are also 400 incandescent and 600 gasoline lamps. The city has 42 schools, with an enrollment of 20,000 pupils, taught by 550 teachers. The police de- partment numbers 183 men, making 5,590 arrests in 1906, and was main- tained at a cost of $157,194.28. There are 600 saloons in the city, paying each a license fee of $350.00, of which one-half goes to the city. The reve- nue from that source in 1906 amounted to $90,887.69. The fire depart- ment numbers 191 men, and is maintained at a cost of $216,403.36. The entire expense of the department of public safety was $380,891,31. The total expenditures of the city run up to $3,500,000.00. The as- sessed valuation of all property, equal to about one-half of the actual value, for 1906 was $83,194,600.00, and the total tax rate was $30.30. The bonded indebtednessof the city is $12,098,100.00, including $2,342,000.00 for im- ])rovement bonds paid by special assessment, but not including $917,000.00 school bonds. The sinking funds contain $4,427,310.00. The present city officials of Columbus are: DeWitt C. Badger, mayor; S. C. Noble, auditor; Chas. H. Smith, treasurer ; Geo. S. Marshall, solicitor ; John T. Barr, city clerk; James W. Meek, Geo. D. Jones and John F. An- drix, board of public service. ^t. J00^ptj The city of St. Joseph in Missouri was first settled in 1823 as a trading post. It was incorporated as a town in 1851, and received its first city charter in 1853. The city is at present governed under the general laws of the state providing for government of cities of the second class. The legislative powers are vested in a common council, composed of two aldermen from each ward, of whom one is elected by the ward and the other by the voters of the city at large. They are elected for two years and choose their own officers. The mayor, city attorney, city auditor and city treasurer are also elected for a period of two years, and the mayor ap- points all city officers with the consent of the council. St. Joseph has an area of 9.5 square miles, and its population for 1907 is estimated at 120,000. Its water supply is obtained from the Missouri river, purified by me- chanical filtration, and furnished by a private company. The sewerage 65 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES I system comprises 76 miles of sewers, the sewage being discharged into the river below the pumping station. There are 280 miles of streets, of which 61 miles are paved; 10 miles with asphalt, 30 miles with macadam, 2 miles with granite, 19 miles with brick. The streets are lighted by 508 arc lamps from a municipally owned and operated lighting plant. St. Joseph has 38 schools,with an enrollment of 42,467 pupils, taught by 290 teachers at an expense of nearly $250,000.00. The city is at present build- ing a large auditorium and convention hall. The assessed valuation of all property, equal to about 60 per cent of the actual value, is $32,657,900.00, for 1907, and the tax rate $27.00. The total bonded indebtedness of the city, February 1, 1907, was $1,131,050.00, not including $977,066.00 school district bonds. W. E. Spratt is the present mayor of St. Joseph. I The city of Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia, was first settled in 1839. It received its first city charter in 1847, and became the capital of the state in 1878. It is at present governed under a charter, which was revised in 1900. Atlanta has a bicameral council, consisting of a board of aldermen of eight members, elected at large for three years, and a council of sixteen members, elected for two years, two from each ward but chosen at large. The mayor is elected for two years, as are also the attor- ney, comptroller, commissioner of public works, marshal, engineer, tax col- lector, sexton, and treasurer. The mayor has the appointment of a license inspector and public weighers, while all other appointments are con- trolled by the council. The area of the city is 12 square miles, divided into eight wards, and its population is estimated at 105,000. The city obtains its water supply from the Chattahoochee river by pumping, purified by sedimentation and filtration. The water works were built in 1874 and comprise 150 miles of mains, with an average daily pumpage of 9,000,000 gallons. The police department numbers 160 men, while the number of arrests reached 16,000. There are 90 saloons in the city, each paying a license of SI, 000.00, 'though for the sale of beer only the license is $250.00. The fire department numbers 110 men. There are 200 miles of streets, of which 70 miles are paved; 50 miles with granite, 10 miles with asphalt, 5 miles with brick, and 5 miles with macadam. The streets are lighted by 450 incandescent electric and 830 arc lights. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The assessed valuation of all property, about 60 per cent of the actual value, for 1907 is $80,067,113.00, and the city tax rate $12.50. The total bonded indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $3,495,500.00. The present city officials are: W. R. Joyner, mayor; J. L. Mayson, attorney; J. H. Goldsmith, comptroller; H. L. Collier, commissioner of public works; R. M. Clayton, engineer; R. E. Riley, marshal; E. T. Payne, tax collector; T. J. Peeples, treasurer, and H. H. Barefield, sexton. Their terms expire in January, 1909. Albany, the capital of the state of New York, is next to Jamestown, Virginia, and St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest settlement in the Union. About 1540 a French trading post was set up there, and in 1614 the Dutch established a factory. The village was temporarily abandoned in 1626 during a war with the Mohawks. In 1686 it received a city charter. It became the permanent capital of the state in 1797. At present the city is governed under a state law providing for government of the cities of the second class. The area of Albany is 10.8 square miles, and its popu- lation in 1906 was estimated at 98,537. Its water supply is partly taken by gravity from an artificial lake five miles west, and partly pumped from the river. This is filtered by a plant having eight filter beds, filtering 15,000,000 gallons of water daily. The city has 90 miles of paved streets, of which 35 miles are paved with granite, 25 miles with brick, 12 miles with asphalt, and 5 miles with macadam. The unpaved streets have a length of 50 miles. The parks, 11 in number, contain 305 acres. The total assessed valuation of all property was $74,051,905.00 for 1906, and the tax rate $19.40. The total bonded indebtedness of the city on January 1, 1907, was $3,487,758.00, against which the sinking funds held $1,585,146.00. Charles H. Gaus is mayor, and Howard N. Fuller is comptroller. 87 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES BRAND WHITLOCK Maypr of Toledo, Ohio THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The city of Toledo was settled in 1832, and obtained its first city charter in 1837. It is now governed under the Ohio Municipal Code. The city council consists of sixteen members, of which three are elected at large, and the others one from each ward. The mayor, solicitor, treas- urer, auditor and the board of public service are elected for two years. The mayor appoints the heads of all the departments with the concur- rence of the council, and in case the council does not concur in the ap- pointment of a board of public safety, this is appointed by the governor of the state. The area of Toledo is 27.5 square miles, divided into thirteen wards, and its population is estimated at present at 185,000. The water supply of Toledo is obtained from the Maumee river. The consumption is 10,000,000 gallons. There are about 160 miles of mains. A new filtration plant was erected recently at a cost of $750,000.00. The streets have a total length of 380 miles, of which 160 miles are paved; 35 miles with asphalt, 30 miles with granite, 70 miles with brick, 10 miles with wooden block, and 15 miles with macadam. The sewerage system comprises 190 miles of sewers. The streets are lighted by 1,200 arc lights. The parks contain an area of 910 acres. The police force num- bers 143 men, making 5,000 arrests. There are 900 saloons in the city, paying a license fee of $350.00 each, of which one-half goes into the city treasury. The fire force numbers 159 men. There are 42 public schools in Toledo, with an enrollment of 25,000 pupils, and maintained at a cost of $700,000.00. The total expenditures of the city amount to $3,000,000.00, not includ- ing the schools. The assessed valuation of all property, which is about 40 per cent of the actual value, is $77,318,280.00, and the tax rate $32.00. The bonded indebtedness, on December, 31, 1906, was $7,292,114.00, against which the sinking funds held $1,272,845.00. In addition to this there is a special assessment debt of $1,063,227.00. The present city officials of Toledo are: Brand Whitlock, mayor; R. G. Bacon, auditor; John Spielbusch, treasurer ; Charles Northup, solicitor, and Oscar Sabin, (Jeorge W. Tonson and Joseph Jackson, board of public service. «9 "THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES EMERSON COATSWORTH Mayor of Torouto, Canada THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ©0r0ttta The City of Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario in Can- ada, was first settled in 1749. In 1834 it was incorporated as a city. The government is vested in a council, consisting of the mayor and four mem- bers forming the board of control, being elected annually, and eighteen aldermen, three from each of the six wards into which the city is divided. The board of control is the executive body and has the preparation of the annual estimates; the carrying on of public works authorized by the coun- cil and the general administration of the afifairs of the city, except as to the departments of education and police. The first is under the control of the board of education, elected annually by the citizens, and the latter under the board of police commissioners, which consists of the mayor, county judge and the police magistrate. The land area of the city is 17.17 square miles, and its population at the present time is estimated at 300,000. There are 276 miles of streets and 84.25 miles of lanes in the city. Of the streets 80.17 miles are unimproved. Sixty-three and seventy-one hun- dredths miles are paved with asphalt; 40.53 miles with cedar block; 15.58 miles with brick; 54.39 miles with macadam; 0.51 miles with wood; 1.74 miles with stone block; 5.83 miles with gravel; 5.70 miles with tar ma- cadam, and 5.98 miles with bitulithic. The sewerage system contains 240.31 miles. The streets are lighted by 1,283 arc lights and 971 gas lamps. The city owns its water works, consisting of three pumping stations and 286.62 miles of water mains. The revenue from water rates amounts to $510,000.00. The fire department consists of 235 men and the police force numbers 258 men. In 1906 they made 16,018 arrests. The death rate of the city is 15.07. The city has a park system containing 1,660 acres; Island park, with 389 acres, and High park with 375 acres, are the largest parks. The school system comprises 55 schools, with an enroll- ment of A?>,777 pupils and a teaching force of 948 teachers. The appropriations for the year 1907 amount to $4,989,341.00, the rev- enues, outside of taxation, are estimated at $1,604,597.00, including $510,- 000.00 from water and $483,000.00 from street railways who, in 1906, paid a mileage compensation of $78,445.08 and a percentage of $348,963.48 to the city, or a total of $427,408.56. The mileage payable to the city an- nually is at the rate of $8.00 per single track mile and the portion of the gross receipts of the company payable to the city ranges from 8 per cent for receipts below $1,000,000.00 to 20 per cent for receipts over $3,000,- 000.00. 71 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES JAMES H. ASHDOWN Mayor of Winnipac, Canada THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The total assessed valuation of all property for 1907 is $184,283,085.00 and the tax rate $18.50. The total amount of tax to be levied for city and school purposes is $3,409,237.00. The bonded indebtedness of the city is $25,412,644.06, against which the sinking funds hold $7,176,105.56. The present members of the board of control are: Emerson Coats- worth, mayor; William P. Hubbard, William S. Harrison, Horatio C. Hocken, John J. Ward. Winnipeg is the capital of the province of Manitoba, Canada, and was incorporated as a city in 1874. Its government, under a charter granted by the provincial legislature, is carried on by a council composed of four- teen aldermen, two elected from each of the seven wards and a board of control, elected by the people consisting of four members and the mayor. Each alderman holds office for two years and the mayor for one year. All officials are appointed by the council. The area of the city is 22 square miles, and its population in 1907 is estimated at 111,717. The water supply of the city is obtained from an immense artesian well and is distributed through 125 miles of mains. There are 150 miles of graded streets; 22 miles paved with asphalt, 35 miles with macadam and 18 miles with block. The sewerage system comprises 110 miles of sewers. The city owns 316 acres of public parks and 70 miles of boulevards. Winnipeg owns its own street lighting plant, operating 300 arc lights; an asphalt plant and a stone quarry. There are 20 public schools with an attendance of 10,000 pupils, taught by 150 teachers. The city recently authorized the council to borrow $3,250,000.00 for tlie installation of a power plant on the Winnipeg river where a total of 50,000 horse power can be developed. Power will be sold at $18.00 per horse power per annum, which amount will be reduced when the plant is fully developed to $12.46. The city has also a municipal gas plant. The total value of real property in the city for 1906 was $84,752,580.00, in addition to which there was a business tax assessment of $10,887,175.00. The rate of taxation was $17.90. J. H. Ashdown is the present mayor of Winnipeg. 73 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES montrpal Montreal, the largest and most important city of the Dominion of Canada in the province of Quebec, was founded by Paul de Maisonneuve in 1642. The history of the founding of Montreal is full of heroical deeds. The first settlers were in constant danger from the wild and terror-strik- ing Iroquois, but they could not be deterred from the design, which they had formed, for establishing on the shores of the St. Lawrence a French col- ony. The original population of Ville Marie was 18 people. Today there is a great city which, with the many suburban municipalities, reaches a population of 500,000. Two rivers surround the city; Mount Royal, which towers over it, has been converted into a fine park. Its residential palaces, public buildings, universities, colleges, churches, hospitals, educational and charitable insti- tutions, leave a deep impression upon the stranger who visits the metropo- lis. The population of Montreal is composed of two-thirds of French and one-third of English speaking people, each race retaining its individuality and character; yet a most peaceable, law-abiding and happy community. It is claimed that Montreal has fewer policemen per thousand of its popula- tion than any city in America. The civic affairs of Montreal are controlled by a board of thirty-six aldermen and the mayor who are elected for two years by a vote of all the taxpayers. The public schools are controlled by boards of commissioners; one for Catholics and one for Protestants. The Protestants' schools were attended by 10,991 pupils during last year and the Catholic schools by 21,- 515 pupils. These boards of commissioners are elected by the legislature and the city council. The area of the city is 12^^ square miles. There are 220 miles of streets, of which 35 miles are paved. They are lighted by 1,522 electric arc lights and 340 gas lamps. The sewerage system comprises 214 miles of brick sewers. The city has 35 public parks, with a total area of 615 acres. The total expenditures of the city for 1906 were $4,417,634.00, the rev- enue amounting to $4,541,056.00. The taxable property is assessed at $200,600,344.00, while the property exempt from taxation has a value of $54,048,795.00. The city's debt amounts to $31,669,000.00. H. A. Ekers is the present mayor of Montreal. 74 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Atlanttr Qlttg Atlantic City, in tlie state of New Jersey, the famous seaside resort situ- ated on Absecon Island in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and separated from the mainland by four or five miles of meadow and by a narrow strait, was settled as early as 1780, but as late as 1852 there were but seven houses there, and its existence as a city and summer resort really dates from the completion of the Camden and Atlantic railway in 1854, when the name of Atlantic City was adopted. The government is administered under the charter of 1902, which places the term of the mayor and all mu- nicipal officers at three years. In April, 1902, the city suflfered from a disas- trous fire, but under the terms of the new charter adopted a few months later, all buildings hereafter constructed within the city limits must be fire-proof. The city has an area of 13 square miles, and its resident popu- lation is 40,000, while its summer population is estimated at more than 250,000. There are 100 large hotels; over 800 small hotels and boarding houses and 800 cottages there to house this vast multitude of visitors. The city owns and operates its water works, the water being supplied from fifteen artesian wells and distri'juted through 80 miles of mains, the daily supply averaging 4,000,000 gallons. There are 56 miles of streets laid out in squares, and most of them are paved with macadam, except the two main thoroughfares, one of which is paved with asphalt and the other with iMtulithic. The streets are well kept, lighted and sprinkled. The famous board-walk, constructed by the municipality is 5}4, miles long along the beach. It is in no place less than 20 feet wide, for the most part 40 feet, and in the central portion 60 feet wide. It is built on steel piling from 10 to 15 feet above the strand, and cost $300,000.00. The fire department of the city numbers 140 men, maintained at a cost of $156,000.00, and the the police department numbers 100 men, main- tained at a cost of $100,000.00. There is also a city beach patrol of 55 men. The city has 10 public schools, with 5,708 pupils and 142 teachers. The total city budget for 1906 amounted to $1,655,899.00. The assessed valu- ation of all property, about one-half of the actual value, was $50,438,- 430.00, and the tax rate $17.50. The bonded indebtedness is $3,329,000.00, against which the sinking funds held $653,845.00, and additional school bonds for $443,000.00. Franklin P. Stoy is the present mayor of Atlantic City. 76 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES R. GOODWIN RHETT Majror of Cbarlestoo, South Carolina THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Qlljarb0t0tt The City of Charleston in the State of Soutli Carolina was fonnded in 1607, it being the third English settlement eflfected in America. Its pres- ent charter dates back to 1783, bnt there have been many amendments since. It is governed by a mayor and tw^enty-four aldermen, who are elected every fonr years and constitute its city council. The city is divid- ed into twelve wards. Of the twenty-four aldermen, twelve are known as "Ward /ildermen," and must not only reside in the wards electing them at the time of their election, but durig their entire incumbency of office. The other twelve aldermen are known as "Aldermen at Large." Each of these must reside in a different ward at the time of his election, but his change of residence to any other portion of the city during his term docs not affect his tenure of office. These last twelve aldermen are voted for by the entire city. The mayor is elected by the people for four years, and the treasurer, the sheriff and the assessor are elected by the council for a like period. The board of health, consisting of twelve members, is appointed l)y the mayor and confirmed by the council. The health officer is elected by the city council. The chief of police is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. The street department is under the board of ])ublic works, consisting of six citizens appointed by the mayor, and the cit}' engineer is elected by the council for four years. The hre dejjart- ment is under the board of seven fire masters, elected by the council for four years. The board appoints the chief. The department of charities is under a numl)er of boards, each of whom has charge of one institution. They are elected by the council. Several years ago the Medical Society offered to spend $100,000.00 in enlarging and improving the city hospital, ])rovided the Society was given charge of the work at a specified sum. This offer was accepted, and the finest hospital of the South was constructed, and the Society not onl\- takes care of the poor sick of the city in its hospital, but supplies dispcn- sar\- physicians who attend the poor sick in different districts of the cit\'. Education is under the state government, the school commissioners being partly elected and partly appointed by the governor. As the various boards, none of whose members are paid, consist of the best citizens, the government of the city has proved extremely satisfactory. The sewerage system is now in course of construction. The city s water supply is obtained from artesian wells by pumping and is furnished by a private company. The total area of the city is 5 square miles, and its population is estimated at 60,000. The federal government is carrying on THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES extensive harbor works, and the harbor of Charleston is considered one of the most commodious and ideal in the country. The assessed valuation, about 60 per cent of the actual value, in 1906 was $18,379,275.00, and the total tax rate $38.50. Its bonded indebted- ness is $3,788,200.00. R. Goodwin Rhett is the present mayor of Charleston. S0j0 Ulom^B Des Moines, the capital of the State of Iowa, was first settled in 1846. It was incorporated as a town in 1851 and received its charter as a city in 1857. In 1856 it became the capital of the state. The present form of government is uiider the general incorporation laws of the state, but a new charter was adopted by vote of the people June 20, 1907, and will go into effect in March, 1908. This charter provides the commission city form of city government, and is known as the "Des Moines Plan." Under it there will be a mayor and four councilmen, or commissioners, elected at large, who will appoint all other municipal officials, except the members of the school board. The charter provides further for the initiative and referen- dum ; for non-partisan primaries and elections ; for civil service in all de- partments and for the recall. The mayor and councilmen will be elected for a period of two years. These five officials will exercise all executive and legislative powers by means of five departments, viz: public affairs, of which the mayor shall be superintendent; accounts and finance; public safety; street and pu1:)lic improvements; parks and public property. The area of Des Moines is 54 square miles, and its population is estimated at 80,000. The city gets its water supply from the Raccoon river by pumping and filtering; the works are owned by a private company. The city has 19 public parks covering 600 acres of land. The streets have a length of 525 miles, of which 75 miles are paved; 65 miles with brick, and the balance with asphalt and macadam. They are lighted by 375 electric arc, 540 in- candescent lights, 850 gas lamps and 150 gasoline lamps. The total expenditures of the city amount to nearly $2,000,000.00, in- cluding $700,000.00 for schools. The total assessed valuation of property which is one-fourth of the actual value, was $16,963,240.00 in 1906, and the total tax rate $74.00. The bonded indebtedness, on February 1, 1907, was $673,000.00, and an additional school indebtedness of $517,500.00. George W. Mattern is the present mayor of Des Moines. 78 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Seattle, the largest city in Washington, was first settled in 1852. It was incorporated as a town in 1865, and obtained its first charter in 1869. At present it is working under a charter adopted in 1896 and amended in 1900. The legislative power is vested in a mayor; a city council, consist- ing of one member from each ward and four members elected from the city at large. The ward representatives are elected for a period of two years, and those elected at large for a period of four years. The elective officers of the city are: a mayor; a comptroller, who is ex-ofiicio city clerk; a corporation counsel and a treasurer. They are elected for a period of two years. All other officers are appointed by the mayor with the con- sent of the city council. The public schools are controlled by a board of education separate from the municipality. Seattle has a total area of 48 square miles, of which 16 miles are water, and is divided into eleven wards. Its population was estimated by the United States Census Bureau at 104,169 for 1906, but the municipal authorities of the city ' protest against this estimate and claim for 1907 a population of 200,000. The city owns its water system and derives its supply from the Cedar river and the Cascade Mountains by a pipe line twenty-eight miles long, with a capacity of 25,000,000 gallons per day, and 230 miles of mains. The city has recently constructed an electric lighting plant at the Falls of the Cedar River, 36 miles distant, to furnish light and power for public and private purposes. There are a number of public parks of great natural beauty, with a total area of 550 acres. A system of boulevards is projected to run along the shores of the lakes, several of which are within the city limits and Puget Sound, connecting all the parks. There are more than 160 miles of streets, of which 60 miles are paved; 20 miles with asphalt, 6 miles with brick, 10 miles with macadam, and the balance with wooden blocks, planks and gravel. There are 60 public schools, with an enrollment of 20,000 pupils, taught by 400 teachers, at a total expense of more than $1,000,000.00, including improvements. The total assessed valuation of property, about 60 per cent the actual value, for 1906 was $125,774,508.00. The total tax rate was $30.00, includ- ing $6.00 for school tax. The total bonded indebtedness on January 1, 1907, was $4,635,000.00, not including $2,827,459.84 assessment bonds and $2,125,000.00 school bonds. The present city officials of Seattle, their terms expiring March 16, 1908, are: William Hickman Moore, mayor; Scott Calhoun, corporation counsel; H. W. Carroll, city comptroller and ex-officio city clerk; George F. Russell, city treasurer. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILLIAM F. HENNEY Mayor of Hartford. Connecticut THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Hartford, the capital of the State of Connecticut, was first settled by the Dutch in 1633. It obtained a city charter in 1784 and another in 1859, under which latter, much amended, the city is being gov- erned at present. Under it the mayor is the chief magistrate; the court of the common council, consisting of two boards — a board of aldermen, con- sisting of twenty members, two from each ward and a common council board, consisting of four members from each ward — is the legislative branch of the government ; the members of the council serve without com- pensation; bi-partisan commissions, composed of six members each, ap- pointed by the mayor and approved by the aldermen, plan and execute the work of their respective departments. The park board, however, is cre- ated by special enactment. It is composed of ten members, each chosen for the term of ten years. It has charge of the park system embracing 1,200 acres. A board of finance, which includes two citizens appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the aldermen, makes up the annual budget, recommends the tax rate and deals with all financial questions and makes its recommendations to the council for final action. The board of contract and supplies, composed of the mayor, the presidents of the street board, the police board, the fire board and the charity board, let out all contracts for city work or materials amounting to $500.00 or more. The area of the city is 17j4 square miles, and its population is esti- mated at 100,000. It has 130 miles of streets, of which 99 miles are macad- amized and 9 miles paved with improved pavement. The city owns and operates its own water department. It is building a magnificent stone arch bridge over the Connecticut river, which is now nearly completed, and which is 1,200 feet long and 80 feet broad and one of the finest structures in the country. It cost $2,000,000.00. The total expenditures of the city in 1906 were $1,443,536.09. The city has an assessed valuation of $97,000,000.00, and the tax rate is $18.00, not including the school tax of $4.00, and its net city debt is $4,344,714.00. The present city ofiicials of Hartford are: William F. Henney, mayor; Henry F. Smith, clerk; Otis J. Hart, collector; Chas. H. Slocum, treasurer; Chas. H. Robins, comptroller, their terms expiring April, 1908. 1 I 81 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES I FRANK K. MOTT Mayor of Oakland, California THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES (iaklanb The City of Oakland, the county seat of Almeda County, California, situated on the San Francisco Bay, across the bay from San Francisco, was named from the large number of evergreen oaks in the city. It was settled in 1820 by the Spaniards; incorporated as a town in 1852, and char- tered as a city in 1854. Its government is vested in a mayor and a coun- cil of eleven members, elected for two years. The city has a water front- age of 15 miles, and its area is 18.8 Sjuare miles. Its population, accord- ing to the census of 1900, was 66,960, but so unprecedented was its growth during the last few years, that its present population, estimated conserva- tively, as the city officials claim, is placed at 235,000. ', ^ . ' The city has nearly 200 miles of paved streets, mostly with macadam, it has a fine public park system, and is about to acquire a large park area on the shore of Lake Merritt, a natural salt water lake within the city, cover- ing 170 acres. For this purpose a bond issue of approximately $1,000,- 000.00 was recently approved by a vote of the people. The streets are well kept and cleaned by a force of nearly 200 men, employed daily. They are lighted by 1,000 electric arc lights. At i)resent work is carried on of burying all wires and removing the ])oles from the business section of the city. A complete set of intercepting and outlet sewers is being rushed to completion. Plans for the installa- tion of a salt water fire system are under way. A new city hall and a gar- bage reduction plant are being planned for the near future. As a proof for the tremendous growth of Oakland, the postoffice receipts are cited, which, for the fiscal year 1907, were $428,430.1, as against $165,624.27 in 1905, and the building permits for 1907 were $9,821,331, as against $4,446;693 in 1906. The assessed valuation, equal to about four-fifths of the actual value, for the year 1905-1906, was $61,090,689.00, and for the year 1906-1907, is given at $101,000,000.00. The tax rate in 1906 was $28.80. The bonded indebtedness of the city in March, 1907, was $817,000.00, to which must be added $1,000,000.00 park bonds, voted a few weeks ago, and $1,216,000.00 school bonds. Frank K. Mott is at present mayor of Oakland. 83 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES E. R, GERBER Mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Reading in the State of Pennsylvania was laid out in 1748 by Thomas and Richard Penn, the sons of William Penn. It was incor- porated as a borough in 1783 and as a city in 1847, with a population of 12,000. Its present area is 3,965 acres, or 6.2 square miles, and its popula- tion for 1907 is estimated at 110,000. There are 500 manufacturing establishments, including iron and steel, textile products, cigars, cutlery, glass works, fire apparatus, hardware, paper mills, stoves, etc. The city is supplied with storm and house sewers; owns its water works, the supply being taken from mountain streams by gravity and pumping, and 198 acres of parks. The assessed valuation of property, which is three-fourths of the act- ual value, is $50,000,000.00, and the total tax rate $17.00. The net bonded indebtedness of the city is $1,077,098.00, not including $500,000.00 school bonds. The present city officials of Reading are: Edwin R. Gerber, mayor; Charles L. Moll, comptroller; C. C. Weltmer, city clerk. Mmni Vtmm The City of Mount V^ernon in Westchester County, New York, is chiefly a residential suburb of New York City, which it adjoins on the north. It was first settled in 1850 by a number of New York men and be- came incorporated as a village with 1,370 inhabitants in 1853. In 1892 Mount Vernon was incorporated as a cit}'. Today, it covers an area of 4 square miles, divided into five wards. It has 43 miles of well-paved and well-kept streets, most of them shaded by over-arching trees. It is well sewered, lighted and policed. It has a beautiful public park; a fine public library, containing about 15,000 volumes, and nine public schools in.addi- tion to one high school. Mount Vernon's present population is about 30,- 000. Its assessed valuation of taxable property in 1906 was $27,240,805. QO. Its present tax is but $19.70, as against $27.96 five years ago. ' Its bonded indebtedness is $2,318,300.00. - The chief municipal officers of Mount Vernon at present are: Dr. Edward F. Brush, mayor; David Swits, corporation counsel; Colin Ma,c- Kenzie, receiver of taxes; Jesse E. Holdredge, comptroller; Chas. W. Straub, city treasurer; Charles Sillery,commissioner of public works; A. W. Reynolds, city clerk. 86 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES HORACE L. WILSON Mayor of Wilmington, Delawars THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Wilmington, the principal city, of the State of Delaware, was first settled by the Swedes in 1638. The first charter was granted the town in 1739. In 1809 it was chartered as a borough and in 1832 incorpo- rated as a city. The government is vested in a mayor who holds office for two years and in a council composed of thirteen members who are elected by wards, except the president who is elected at large. The mayor ap- points the board of water commissioners and the board of directors of the street and sewer departments. The council elects the city auditor, the city clerk and various minor officials. The police commissioners are ap- pointed by the judge of the Supreme Court. The board of education, consisting of two members from each ward; the city attorney and the city treasurer are chosen by popular vote. The city has an area of 6.3 square miles, and its population is estimated at 90,000. The city owns its water works and a good system of small parks. Wilmington has a large variety of industries, among which the manufac- ture of powder is the most important. The assessed valuation of the real property for 1905 was $47,000,- 000.00. The personal property is not taxed. The total tax rate is $16.50. Its bonded indebtedness is $2,046,050.00, not including $130,000.00 school bonds. Horace Wilson is the present ma3-or of Wilmington. 1 ".' •I The City of Joliet, in ^Yill County, Illinois, 40 miles from Chicago, was settled in 1831, and chartered as a city in 1852. ■ It is at presentgov- erned under the general charter act of the state. The State Penitentiary of Illinois is located there. The city has large manufacturing plants, among them some of the largest steel and iron works; tin-plate mills and limestone quarries in the country. .Manufacturing ' is largely promoted by power from the Desplaines river. joliet owns and operates its water works, the water being supplied from artesian wells. The area of the city . is 4 square miles, and its population is estimated at 40,000. The assessed one-fifth valuation of the property for 1906, was $3,803,963.00, and its tax rate $87.00. The bonded indebtedness of the city js $144,800.00. .. . ^ ; . John R. Cronin is the present mayor of Joliet. .^. v . .? . — . 87 ^THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES JAMES G. RIDDICK Mayor of Norfolk, Virginia THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Norfolk, the second city in Virginia, was organized as a town in 1682, incorporated as a borough in 1736 and chartered as a city in 1845. Its present charter was adopted in 1884 and amended several times since. The mayor is elected for two years. The council consists of two bodies, the members of the select council being chosen by all the councilmen from among their own number. The council controls the appointment of all administrative ofificers, excepting those elected by popular vote. The land area of the cit}' is 5.6 square miles, and its population is estimated at 70,- 000. Norfolk is regarded as one of the most progressive cities of the South, and has made great strides in the last few years. Asphalt and Belgian block have taken the place of the old cobblestone, and today there are 65 miles of splendidly paved streets. The system of sewerage and drainage is among the best and the city has an excellent quality of water furnished by the municipal water works, which were acquired by the city in 1873. Modern and extensive buildings have replaced the old ones, and splendidly appointed hotels and beautiful and costly residences, churches, some up-to-date school buildings and an efiicient corps of instructors, are a source of pride to the citizens. Norfolk has a fine harbor, and the port has long led the world as a coaling station. It is also the largest peanut market in the world, two and one-half million bushels being handled an- nually, giving employment to thousands of people the entire year. The lumber, cotton, oyster and game industries have assumed great propor- tions during the last few years. There are at this time over 700 manu- facturing plants in the city. The assessed valuation, about 75 per cent of its cash value, was $41, 700,048.00 in 1906, and the tax rate $20.00. The bonded indebtedness, on January 1, 1907, was $6,674,000.00, against which the sinking funds held $720,646.00. James G. Riddick is the present mayor of Norfolk. i*: 8» THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES SILAS COOK Miyor of East St, Louis, lUinoit THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES lEast^tHnttfe The City of East St. Louis, in St. Clair county, Illinois, on the Missis- sippi river, was incorporated as a town in 1861 and chartered as a city in 1865. It is governed at present under the Towns and Villages Act of the State of Illinois. The mayor is elected biennially, as is also the. attorney and the city clerk and city treasurer. All of the municipal officials are ap- pointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. East St. Louis is an important manufacturing centre, extensive coal fields with rail connections being within five miles of the city. Much en- couragement is given to the location of manufacturing plants there by ex- empting the manufacturers from municipal taxation for a period of years. The famous Eads bridge spans the Mississippi river and connects the city with the City of St. Louis. The area of the city is 8.1 square miles, and its population is estimated at 60,000. East St. Louis is a progressive city, and more than $5,000,000.00 were spent for public improvements within the last ten years. The water is supplied by a private company from the Mississippi river by pumping, purified by mechanical filtration. There are 40 miles of paved streets and over 60 miles of sewers. A large outlet sewer and pumping station are planned to l)e built in the near future. The assessed valuation of the property which, in the state of Illinois, equals one-fifth of its actual value, was $7,737,641.00 in 1906; and its to- tal tax rate $79.70 per thousand dollars, or a little less than $16.00 per thousand on the full valuation. . _ . . The bonded indebtedness of the city is $650,000.00,:with an additional $317,000 school bonds. ' . ., -. Silas Cook is the present mayor of East St. Louis. 01 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILLIAM J. HOSEY Mayor of Fort Wayne, IndiaDa THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES 3fft. Waun? The City of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, was chartered as a city in 1839, and is at present governed under the new Indiana law of 1905. The area of the city is 8.35 square miles, and its population is esti- mated at 60,000. The city has 40 miles of paved streets, of which 22 are paved with asphalt and 18 with brick. They are lighted with 375 arc lights. There are eight parks with an area of 111 acres. The sewer sys- tem comprises 80.5 miles of sewers. The water supply is derived from deep rock wells. The water works, built in 1879, are owned and operated by the city. There are two pumping stations with a daily capacity of 9,000,000 gallons, and 96 miles of mains. The city has sixteen ward schools and one high school, with a total enrollment of 6,376 pupils, maintained at a cost of $250,000.00. Ft. Wayne has important manufacturing interests, including extensive railroad shops, machine shops, electric light works, wheel works, knitting mills and packing houses. The assessed valuation of all property, equal to about 75 per cent of the actual value, is $28,677,101.00 for 1907, and the tax rate $23.60. The bonded indebtedness is $599,800.00, not including $245,000.00 school bonds. William J. Hosey is the present mayor of Ft. Wayne. 93 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES EDWARD J. FOGARTY Mayor of South Bend, Indiana THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES i^nutlf Mmh The. City of South Bend, Indiana, was laid out as a town in 1831, in- corporated in 1835, and chartered as a city in 1865. At present the city is governed under the new act of the legislature concerning municipal cor- porations, in force since April, 1905. The mayor and the city clerk are elected for four years. The council consists of one member from each ward, and four councilmen elected at large. The city has an area of 6.2 square miles, and its population is estimat- ed at 50,000. South Bend is the center of a rich farming section and is an important industrial city, with large wagon works, plow works, found- ries and machine shops, lumber and flour mills. The city owns its water works, obtaining its supply from deep wells, by pumping. The assessed valuation of property, about one-half of the actual value, in 1906 was $21,427,870.00; and the tax rate for the city $12.80, and for the schools $7.00. The bonded indebtedness is $429,000.00, with an additional $478,11-5.00 for improvement bonds, and $174,000.00 school bonds. Edward J. Fogart}^ is the present mayor of South Bend. 3avt Hortlj Fort Wortli, in the State of Texas, the county seat of Tarrant County, is situated 30 miles west of Dallas oil the Trinity river. It was settled in 1849 and incorporated as a city in 1872. Its present charter was adopted in 1900. The mayor is elected biennially, and the unicameral council con- trols the ap])ointment of most of the nmnicipal officers. The cit}' is the center of a vast stock-raising country, and is an impor- tant cotton market. Fort Worth owns and operates its water works, the water supi)ly l)eing obtained from artesian wells and the river, the latter clarified l)y sedimentation. The city also owns its electric works. The area of the city is 6.6 square miles, and its population is 30,000. The ass- essed valuation, about 80 per cent of the actual value, of all property in 1906, was $26,220,725.00: the tax rate $17.50. The bonded indebtedness is $1,781,000.00. ., ;;:|-. W. D. Harris is the present mayor of Fort Worth. '!i;i;i •lll.lrl,".. i.Ml THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ROBERT A. KENYON Mayor of Pawtucket, Rhode Island THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES J^amturkrt Pawtucket, in the State of Rhode Island, well known for the extent and variety of its manufactures, was incorporated as a town in 1874, and as a city in 1885. It is four miles from Providence on the main line of New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad. The city has an area of 83^ square miles, and its population is 44,000, making it the second largest city in the state. It is the business center of adjacent manufacturing towns, which have an aggregate population of 100,000. Its government is vested in a mayor elected each year, and a bicameral council. Most of the administrative officials are elected by the council. The school com- mittee is chosen by popular vote. The city has 138.46 miles of streets; 5.37 miles are paved with granite blocks, 3.38 miles with bituminous macadam, 16.25 miles with macadam, 62.86 miles with gravel, making a total length of 88.06 miles of improved streets. The water works, built by the city in 1878, have a capacity of- 12,000,000 gallons daily, and 159.36 miles of mains. The sewerage system com])rises 51.86 miles of sewers. The assessed valuation in 1906 was $40,521,080.00, and the tax rate $16.50. The city has a bonded indebtedness of $5,345,000.00, against which the sinking funds hold $1,560,070.00. Robert A. Kenyon is the present mayor of Pawtucket. The City of Richmond, the county seat of Wayne County, Indiana, was settled in 1816; was incorporated in 1834 and received its first city charter in 1840. It is at present governed under the Indiana law of 1905. Its area is 4.14 square miles, and its population is estimated at 25,000. Richmond is essentially a manufacturing town. It has 75 factories. The principal lines are threshers, wheat drills, lawn mowers, buggies, furn- iture and agricultural implements. The assessed valuation, about one- half of the actual value, for 1906, was $13,727,915.00; the tax rate $11.00. The bonded indebtedness is $213,000.00. Richard Schillinger is the present mayor of Richmond. 97 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Z. REED BROCKWAY Mayor of Elmira, N«w Yoik THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Elmira, New York, the county seat of Chemung county, was first settled in 1788, incorporated as the village of Newton in 1815, and as the village of Elmira in 1828; chartered as a city in 1864. The New York State Reformatory is situated within the city limits and many large factories and mills are there. The area of the city is 7.4 square miles, and its population is estimat- ed at 40,000. The city has an elaborate park system, and 157 miles of streets, of which 20 are paved with asphalt, brick and stone, well lighted and kept clean. The water supply, obtained from the Chemung river by pumping, purified by mechanical filtration, is furnished by a private com- pany. The city has fully equipped fire and police departments, each num- bering 41 men. The total assessed valuation of all property, about 80 per cent of the actual value, was $19,338,458.00 for 1906; the tax rate $22.04. The total bonded indebtedness on January 1, 1907, was $1,164,500.00. J. R. Brockway is the present mayor of Elmira. Pnrtemnutli The City of Portsmouth, in Virginia, was settled in 1752, and char- tered as a city in 1858. It is at present working imder a charter adopted in 1893. The mayor ia elected for four years. There is a bicameral coun- cil, consisting of a board of aldermen of ten members, two from each ward, and a common council of eighteen members. The area of the city is 1.8 square miles, and the population is estimated at 20,000. Portsmouth claims to be the healthiest city in the South. The death rate is 13 for the whites and 18 for both the colored and white. There are 6.15 miles of paved street with alphalt and brick, and 16.25 miles of graded, curbed and guttered streets. There are 14.6 miles of sewers. The city has within its limits the Naval Hospital park, said to be one of the most beautiful parks in the country. The United States naval yard is also located in Portsmouth. The city gets its water supply from Lake Kilby, about 18 miles from the city. The city owns one-half of the Norfolk County ferry, which connects Portsmouth with Norfolk. The ferry is leased for $61,600.00 a year, of which the city receives one-half. The assessed valuation is $8,383,724.00; the tax rate $17.57. The bonded in- debtedness is $1,117,777.00. J. Davis Reed is the present mayor of Portsmouth. 99 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES D. A. YEISER Mayor of Paducah, KcDIucky THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Paducah, the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, situated at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, was set- tled in 1821 and incorporated in 1831. Its government at present is admin- istered under a charter adopted in 1893, providing for a mayor elected for four years; a hoard of aldermen of eight members, also elected for four years and a l)oard of councilmen, two from each ward, elected for two years. The city has an area of 5.8 square miles, and its population is estimated at 30,000. Among the extensive manufacturing interests large ore and mill plans and novelty works are the most prominent. The city owns its electric light plant, while its water is supplied by a private company from the Ohio river by pumping and fdtration. The as- sessed valuation of property, equal to 70 per cent of its full value, for 1907, is $10,850,599.00, and the tax rate $16.50. The bonded indebtedness is $535,- 000.00. As an ofifset the city owns railroad stock at the par value of $220,- DOO.OO. D. A. Yeiser is the present mayor of Paducah ; Alex Kirkland is city auditor and John |. Dorin is the citv treasurer. J(arkH0n The City of Jackson, the county seat of Jackson County, Michigan, situated on the Grand river, was settled in 1829; became a village in 1843 and was incorporated as a city in 1857. The mayor and council, consisting of sixteen members, are elected for a term of two years. Large manufacturing interests are located there, its cement industry having a national reputation. The area of the. city is 8.9 square miles, and the population is 30,000. The city owns its water works, the supply being obtained from deep wells, distributed through 40 miles of mains. It has a good sewerage system, and has just completed a sewage disposal plant at a cost of $40,000.00, with an intercepting sewer costing $75,- 000.00. There are 12 public schools and two parks. The assessed valua- tion of all ])ro])erty was $15,497,720.00, and the city tax rate $12.50. Its bonded indebtedness is $281,500.00. Benjamin J. Glasgow is the present mayor of Jackson. 101 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES F. L. UNTERKIRCHER Mayor of Burlington, Iowa THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES lurUngtnn Burlington, the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, was settled as early as 1829; was incorporated as a town in 1834 and as a city in 1836. Its area is 10 square miles, and its population is estimated at 30,000. Burlington has 28 miles of paved streets, and 10 miles otherwise im- proved. The sewerage system comprises 27 miles of sewers. Its water sup- ply is obtained from the Mississippi river by pumping, and purified by me- chanical filtration, the water works being owned by a private company. Its school system comprises twelve public school buildings and one high school. Crapo park, of 100 acres along the river, is one of the attrac- tions of this city. Its industrial products are principally lumber, furniture, cars, carriages and wagons. The assessed valuation, equal to one-fourth of the full value, of all property, was $3,488,524.00 for 1906, and the tax rate $80.70. The bonded indebtedness is $268,500.00. F. L. Unterkircher is the present mayor of Burlington. QIUiu^rHutlk Gloversville, New York, situated about 40 miles west from Albany, was incorporated as a village in 1851 and as a city in 1890. The city has an area of 4.2 square miles, and its population is estimated at 20,000. It has 7 public schools with 80 teachers, and a well-equipped and well-managed hospital. It has 5 miles of paved streets. The water supply is obtained by gravity from reservoirs supplied by springs. The water works are owned by the city and managed by a board of commissioners, elected by the people. The city officials consist of a mayor, a chamberlain, a re- corder, a commissioner of charities, twelve aldermen and two assessors, elected by the people. The council elects nearly all other officials, leaving for appointment by the mayor a board of civil examiners; plumbing exami- ners and a board of health, the latter subject to approval by the common council. The principal industry of Gloversville is the manufacture of leather, gloves and mittens, there being 29 establishments manufacturing leather, and 97 making gloves and mittens. The total assessed valuation of property, 60 per cent of the actual value, for 1906, was $6,933,175.00, and the tax rate $27.60. The net bonded indebtedness is $564,810.00. Dr. Eugene Beach is the present mayor of Gloversville. 103 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES JOHN K. SAGUE Mayor of Poughkeepsie, New York THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES P0ugljk^^pBfe Poughkeepsie, in the State of New York, situated on the Hudson river, half way between New York and Albany, is best known as the "Home of Vassar College," the famous institution of learning for young wo- men. Besides Vassar College, there are a number of other schools and col- leges there attracting large numbers of pupils, and Poughkeepsie has long been known as the city of schools. Formerly almost exclusively a residen- tial city, of late years many manufacturing plants have been established there, employing large numbers of workers. It was settled in 1698, incor- porated as a village in 1799 and as a city in 1854. .The area of the city is 2.8 scjuare miles, and its population is estimated at 30,000. Its assessed valuation, about two-thirds of the actual value, for 1906, was $13,209,780.00; its tax rate $26.50. Its bonded indebtedness is $1,587,- OOO.OO. The present city ofilicials of Poughkeepsie are: John K. Sague, mayor; Edward Burgess, city chamberlain; N. Homer Guernsey, city treasurer; Frank Hasbrouck, city attorney; Charles J. McCabe, chief of police. Nashville, the capital of the State of Tennessee, was first settled in 1780 and incorporated as a town in 1784. It was chartered as a city in 1806 and was made the permanent capital of the state in 1843. Its pres- ent charter was obtained in 1883 and revised in 1901. The city council consists of one member from each ward; the mayor, city attorney, comp- troller, treasurer, tax assessor and the board of public works, are elected by po])uIar vote, all for a period of two years. The mayor ap- points the park commissioners, the civil service commissioners, the board of health and the board of education, with the concurrence of the council. The area of the city is 9.88 square miles, and the population was estimated at 125,000 in 1906. The city obtains its water supply from the Cumberland river by pumping, clarified l)y sand filtration. The water works comprise 100 miles of mains. Of its 300 miles of streets, 200 miles are paved; 185 v^ith ma- cadam, 8 miles with granite, 4 miles with brick and the balance with other materials. The streets are lighted by 730 arc lights and 2,350 incandes- cent lights, operated from a municipally owned plant, which the city built in 1902 at a cost of $200,000.00. T. O. Morris is the present mayor of the city. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ISAAC SHOENTHAL Mayor of Orange, New Jersey THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES The City of Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, was set ofT from a part of the town of Newark in 1807; was incorporated as the town of Orange in 1860 and as the city of Orange in 1872. The city is the resi- dence of many New York business p?opIe, being easily reached from the metropolis by numerous trains. The principal industry is the manufactur- ing of soft felt hats, the largest factory in the United States being located there. The area of the city is 2.2 square miles, and its population is esti- mated at 28,000. The city has 35.8 miles of streets, of which 31.6 miles are improved. The school system is composed of s^ven grammar schools and one high school, with a total average attendance of 3,600 pupils. The assessed valuation of all property, about 85 per cent of the real value, was $17,857,- 650.00 for 1906;' the tax rate S20.00. The bonded indebtedness of the citv is $1,400,174.00. Isaac Shoenthal is the present mayor of Orange. lEaat ®rang^ East Orange in New Jersey, originally a part of the old town of Orange, became a town in 1863 and was incorporated as a city in 1899. The mayor is elected for a term of four years; also the council, which con- sists of two members from each of the five wards. The board of education is also elected. The area of the city is 4 square miles, and its population is estimated at 26,500. Prior to 1902 water was supplied to the city by a private company. At a special election in December, 1901, the people decided by an overwhelming vote in favor of municipal water plant, and in 1902 the city bought, at the price of $350,000.00, from the company, all the pipes and franchise rights as well as the use of its plant for two years. A new source of supply was lo- cated and 20 deep wells were driven, which were put in operation in 1905. The second set of wells, since driven, is not yet in service. The water is pumped into a reservoir with a capacity of 5,000,000 gallons, and the daily average pumpage is 2,205,060 gallons, distributed through 74.86 miles of mains. The city has 65.57 miles of streets, of which 51.57 miles are paved, and a sewerage system comprising 58.25 miles of sewers. The assessed valuation of all property is $39,301,200.00, and the tax rate $15.00. The bonded indebtedness is $2,051,516.99, against which the sinking funds hold $300,201 .67. William Cardwell is the present mayor of East Orange. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ANTHONY C. DOUGLAS Ma^'or o{ Niagara Falls, New York THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Niagara Jalb Niagara Falls, in New York, was incorporated as a city in 1892. It has an area of 10.9 square miles, and its population is estimated at 27,000. The city has 25 miles of paved streets and 7 miles more are being now con- structed. Its school system comprises ten public schools and one high school. Two more schools are building now. One-half of the city is sup- plied by municipal water works and the other half by a private company. Niagara Falls is a city of great industrial activities, these being pro- moted by the development of the great electrical power of the Falls. Some of the largest paper mills and electro-chemical industries of the country are located there. The assessed valuation of all property, at 40 per cent of its real value, is $20,953,595.00, and the city tax rate $18.72. The bonded in- debtedness of the city is $1,548,919.00. A. C. Douglass is the present mayor of Niagara Falls. (^rmh Eaptia The City of Grand Rapids in the State of Michigan was settled in 1833, and became a city in 1850. It is governed by a council, consisting of two members from each ward, elected for two years, and the following elective officials: Mayor, clerk, treasurer, comptroller, marshal, city attorney ; all elected for two years. The mayor appoints five members of the bpard of public works for three years ; five members of the board of police and fire commissioners for five years; three members of the board of assessors for three )'ears ; three members of the board of health for three years and several other commissioners for two years; a milk inspector and a plumbing inspector. The city has an area of 16.6 square miles, divided into twelve wards, and its population is estimated at 100,000. The city owns its water works, and obtains its supply from the Grand river by pumping, clarified by sedimentation. There is a high and low pressure service with 160 miles of mains, and the daily pumpage amounts to 14,000,000 gallons. The sewerage system comprises 150 miles of sew- ers. There are 115 miles of unimproved streets and 177 miles of improved streets, of which 9 miles are paved with asphalt; 10 miles with brick; 8 miles with macadam; 10 miles with cedar block and 140 miles are graveled. Geo. E. Ellis is the present mayor of Grand Rapids. 109 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES W. M. O'BRYAN Mayor of Owensboro, Kentacky THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ©m^nHbnra The City of Owensboro, county seat of Daviess County, Kentucky, situated on the Ohio river, 112 miles southwest of Louisville, is at present working under a charter obtained in 1893. The mayor, council and all administrative officials are chosen by the people for a period of four years. Its area is 2.3 square miles, and its population is now estimated at 21,000. The city owns its electric light plant, erected in 1900 at a total cost to date of $200,000.00. The current is furnished for commercial light and power at 4%c net per kilowatt hour, and the plant has proven very profita- ble to the city. The city has just finished its water works, which is now in operation, and extensions of water mains are rapidly made. The cost up to the present amounts to $350,000.00. The city owns and operates its scavenger and sprinkling departments. Its bonded indebtedness is $513,000.00, part of which will be paid off this year. Owensboro has a large tobacco market, there being 30 tobacco stemmeries in the city. It also has a large number of wagon, glass, tool and other factories. Coal mines are located on all the railroads entering the city, some of them just outside the city. The assessed valuation, equal to two-thirds of the real value, was $fS,3 12,42 1.00 in 1905, and the tax rate $20.00. W. M. O'Bryan is the present mayor of Owensboro. The City of Aiken, in South Carolina, 20 miles from Augusta, Georgia, was first incorporated in 1835, and chartered as a city in 1890. The char- ter was revised in 1897. The mayor is elected for two years. The city is principally known as a winter resort. Several thousand northern people of the wealthiest classes spend their winters there. Its streets are very at- tractive. The city owns its water works, the supply being derived from a number of artesian wells. There is a good sewerage system, and the city is electrically lighted. Its population is estimated at 4,000. J. B. Salley is the present mayor of Aiken. ill THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WILL H, ARNETT Mayor of Kokomo, Indiana THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Knknnw The City of Kokomo, the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, situated 55 miles from Indianapolis, was first settled in 1844, and was in- corporated in 1845. It received its first city charter in 1855, and is now working under the new 1905 Indiana law. The area of the city is 2.4 square miles, and the population is estimated at 20,000. Kokomo is important principally as a manufacturing centre, particu- larly of steel, glass, rubber, cutlery and automobiles. The city has 25 mites of paved streets, consisting of asphalt, brick and macadam. It has an excellent school system, and an unusually attractive park system. Will H. Arnett is the present mayor of Kokomo. The City of Lynn, Massachusetts, was settled in 1629 and became a city in 1850. It is at present working under a new charter adopted in 1900. The government is vested in a mayor, elected annually, and in a council, consisting of two branches — a board of aldermen of eleven members, elect- ed annually at large, and a common council of twenty-five members, elec- ted annually by the various wards. A board of public works and a board of assessors, each of three members, are also elected by the people for a period of three years. All other city officials are elected either by the coun- cil or are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the board of aldermen. The area of the city is 11.3 square miles, divided into seven wards, and its population is estimated at 80,000. Lynn is a great industrial centre, particularly in the shoe industry, hav- ing the largest output in the world in the manufacturing of women's shoes. There are also large electrical apparatus works there, employing more than 11,000 laborers. The city has 120 miles of streets, lighted by 328 arc lights and 1,266 in- candescent lights. The sewerage system comprises 74 miles of sewers. The city owns its water works, the average daily pumpage being 5,132,753 gallons, distributed by 138 miles of water mains. It has 42 public schools and 2 high schools. Charles Neal Barney is the present mayor of Lynn. THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES H W. FRAZER Mayor of Georgetown, Somli Carolina THE BOOK OF AMERteAN MUNICIPALITIES O5rorgrt0uitt The City of Georgetown, South Carolina, situated at the head- of Win- yah Bay, was founded about 1720. It is generously provided with \yide streets and beautiful shade trees, making a residential city of great ad- vantages. Its population is estimated at 6,000. Its manufacturing indus- tries are principally lumber and wood-working plants. The agricultural products of the surrounding country are cotton, rice, corn and truck. The city obtains its water supply from the Black river. The city has good schools, sewers, water works, paved streets, an excellent fire department and is lighted by electricity. It has a progressive council, and during last year much work of municipal improvements along all lines was done. A new city hall is being projected for the near future, while a new school building is being erected at a cost of $35,000.00. The assessed valuation, equal to 60 per cent of the full value, is $2,000,000.00 : the tax rate, $30.00. H. W. Fraser is the present mayor of Georgetown. . ; Jf^ra^Qutlb The City of Jerseyville, the county seat of Jersey County, Illinois, was settled in 1839, and incorporated as a city in 1867. Its population is esti- mated at about 5,000. The city has good brick-paved streets; owns its own water works and is electrically lighted. The sanitary sewers terminat- ing in septic tanks have been recently completed. It has a good system of schools and a high school. ; William F. Fahey is the present mayor of Jerseyville. ^ . , ._ . . , Git 115 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES N^m l^bfnrb The City of New Bedford in the State of Massachusetts was first set- tled in 1652. It was incorporated as a town in 1787 and as a city in 1874^ and is at present governed under the revised charter of 1896. There is a bicameral council, consisting of a board of six aldermen elected at large^ and a common council, consisting of four members for each of the six wards. The mayor is elected annually. He appoints the board of health, a license commission and a park commission, with the approval of the board of aldermen. The water board, fire department and overseers of the poor are elected by the city council. The school committee is chosen by popular vote. The area of the city is 19 square miles, and its population is estimated at 85,000. The city owns its water works and obtains its supply from the Quit- tacus ponds by pumping. There are 106 miles of mains, and the average daily consumption in 1906 was 6,916,880 gallons. The total receipts from water rates in 1906 was $199,406.32. The total cost of operation and maintenance was $167,442.72, and $39,519.01 was expended for exten- sions. There are 145 miles of streets, of which 66 miles are paved with ma- cadam; 14 miles with cobblestone; 5 miles with granite; 2 miles with bitulithic and 2 miles with brick, leaving 56 miles unpaved. There are 73 miles of sewers. The city has 34 schools, with an average daily attendance of 8,300- pupils, taught by 361 teachers, at an expenditure of $275,000.00. The fire department numbers 226 men and is maintained at a cost of $90,000.00. The police department numbers 119 men and is maintained at a cost of $123,000.00. The total expenditures of the city amount to $1,100,000.00. The city's assessed vahiation of property, the same as actual value, for 1905 was $64,349,661.00, and the tax rate $19.40. The total bonded indebtedness on June 1, 1906, was $4,399,000, against which the sinking funds held $1,340,893.00. Charles S. Ashley is the present mayor of New Bedford. lie THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Water Works Economy JF YOU ARE INTERESTED in municipal water works, we invite your attention to one of the features of the Washington Heights pumping station of the Chicago water works system. The pressure carried at this station is better, more uniform, and more satisfactory to the consumers than that at any other pump- ing station in the city. This condition has been brought about by the construction of a large elevated tank connected to the distribution system. An inspection of the following figures, (covering a period of five years) showing the cost of fuel for pumping, will con- vince you that this is one of the best investments the city ever made. Yew 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 Million Gals. Pumped 107.7 118.2 139.1 157.2 243.7 Billion Total Cost Fi.Lbt. OI Fuel 98 $1453 100 2345 94 2852 187 2028 290 2508 ^^jjiimm ^"' r^ 1 ' 1 1 ! . I^fl ^ m M ^TTf Wl g jj^jp^ H 1 PPI^ ^^ 1 Cost Per Billion Ft. Lbs. $14.82 23.45 30.50 10.84 8.65 IDuring 1899 and a portion of 1900 an ele- vated wood tank was in service. It leaked so badly that it was abandoned and the system oper- ated by direct pressure until January 1 st, 1 902, at which time the 1 80,000 gallon steel tank shown in the illustration was put into service. The figures showing the cost of fuel per unit of duty during 1 90 1 when the system operated by direct pressure, compared with the two followang years when pumping to the elevated tank, indicate the saving to the city in fuel alone ; the saving in wear and tear on the pumps and mains is inestimable. The figures showing the units of duty during the same years indicate the increase in pressure which has been so satisfactory to the public. If your water works system is operating by direct pressure, we invite your investigation of this improvement. Chicago Bridge & Ironworks 105th & Throop Sis., Chicago, 111. A-1 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Chicago Improved Cube Concrete Mixer CUBE MIXERS are used more extensively on Government work than any other type of machine. Write for our Catalogue No. 62 and we will tell you why. Mounted and equipped to meet any requirement. Made in seven sizes. The Chicago Sewer Excavator THE ONLY PRACTICAL machine in existence for excavation of sewer and water works trenches. Thoroughly tried and proven. References from contractors who have used them from nearly every state in the Union. Machines are leased on extreme- ly low yardage basis of cost. Capacity 1 4 in. to 60 in. width and up to 20 ft. depth. Catalogue No. 162. Municipal Engineering and Contracting Co. New York Office: 90 West Street General Offices : Railway Exchange, Chicago Marshall &Huschart =Machinery Co*=i Machine Tools FOR EQUIPMENT OF Manual Training Schools and Municipal Shops 109 Kentucky Avenue INDIANAPOLIS 62 S. Canal St. CHICAGO 908 N. Second St. ST. LOUIS McDowell, Stocker & Co. MACHINERY IRON WORKING WOOD WORKING New a 71 d Used 59 and 61 South Canal Street Chicago, Illinois » BRANCHES Milwaukee, Wis. Grand Rapids, Mich. Denver, Colorado A-2, THfi BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES OS ITTI^ER SEWAOE DISPOSAI^ CO. CIVIL AND SANITARY ENGINEERS ■ SPECIALTIES ■ Waterworks, Sewers, Sewage Purification and Disposal, Trades' Waste Purification WHITE FOR INFORMATION AND ESTIMATES 1123 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY WILLIAM H. BRYAN, M. Am. Soc. M. E. Consulting, Mechanical and Electrical Engineer Water Works, Power Plants, Heating and Ventilation, Elevators, * Smoke Abatement, Etc. Lincoln Trust Building ST. LOVIS, MO. JAMES B. McCORD, Assoc. M.Am. Soc. C.E. CIVIL ENGINEER Water Worts, Filtration, Reports on Properties of Public Service Corporations. 29 Broadway NEW YORK A-lB THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES liiiii '^ffi 1 1 1 na II iTi ! imTiinl E. J. McDONOUGH Heating, Ventilation and Power Plants 230 and 232 Kinzie Street Telephone Central 1519 Chicago A-7 THE BOOK Of AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES If DIMENSIONS- 87" high x 54" deep X 59" wdc. Net weight. 411 lbs. Weight packed for shipment 673 lbs. Mills Automatic Virtuosa (A Violin Played by Mechanical Means) Q Mills Automatic Virtuosa, unlike most auto- matic instruments, has nothing of the mechanical about the music it renders. The ordinary person cannot distinguish between the playing ot the Virtuosa and that of a professional violinist. fl This perfection of rendition is possible because OT the wonderful ability of the Virtuosa to repro- duce perfectly every musical impression such as Legato, Staccato, Spiccato, Shake. Trill, etc. fl lb playing is not limited in range. It plays the finest compositions of the world-noted com- posers or popular melodies with equal ease, with perfect tempo and string orchestral eSect. Senior & Johnson, Montgomery, Ala., say: " The Virtuosa is a great machine, a good money getter and a great entertainer." CO. Bannister, Leadville, Colo., says: "The Automatic Violin (Vlrtuosa) has given excellent satisfaction and I have nothing but words of appreciation for it." " The Musical Marvel of the Age." ^ Pronounced by eminent musi- cians, musical critics, composers and scientists as a musical won- der and a miracle of mechanical achievement. ^ Operates with an electric cur- rent by means of cither coin or push button. ^ Operating cost is a mere trifle. By our library exchange arrange- ment, it can be supplied with all the newest up-to-date muac at a nominal cost. Write Today for Handsomely Illustrated Descriptive Booklet and Prices. MILLS NOVELTY COMPANY I23A Mill. BuUding CHICAGO, ILL. Jackson Blvd. and Green Si. LttTgest manuf&cturers of Coin Operated Machines In the world PNEUMATIC CLOCK SYSTEMS INSTALLED BY HAHL AUTOMATIC CLOCK CO. SOLE MANUFACTURERS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SEE CLOCK SYSTEM IN NEW COUNTY BLDG. ndnnnnnn f TOTHILL PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Made for COMFORT. STRENGTH and DURABILITY Strongest, Safest and Most Perfect Apparatus Manufactured USED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE CITY OF CHICAGO Send for Illustrated Catalogue showing Municipal Playgrounds of Chicago. W. S. TOTHILL (EstabHshed 1875) 122-128 W. Webster Avenue, CHICAGO, ILL. A-8 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Fort Wayne Electric Works THE FACTORY BEHIND THE FAMOUS "Wood'* Systems OF STREET ARC LIGHTING Pioneers IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STREET ARC LIGHTING SYSTEMS Leaders Still MAIN OFFICE AND FACTORY FORT WAYNE. IND BRANCH OFFICES IN MOST LARGE CITIES Atlanta, Ga., 1316 Empire BIdg. Boston, Mass., 1 10 State Street. Chicago, III., 623 Marquette Bids. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1125 Union Trust Bldg. Detroit, Mich. , 1 1 5 Chamber o( Commerce Bldg. Grand Rapids, Mich., 310 Murray Bldg. New Orleans, La., 1007 Hennen Bldg. New York, N. Y., 40 New Street. Philadelphia, Pa., 41 5 North American Bldg. Pittsburg, Pa., 812 Empire Bldg. San Francisco, Cal., 403 Atlas Bldg. St. Louis, Mo., 323 Lincoln Trust Bldg. St. Paul, Minn., 615 Germania Life Bldg. Syracuse, N. Y., 717 DUlaye Bldg. Yolcohoma, Japan, Bagnall & Hilles. A-9 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES r JOHN PEIRCE COMPANY, New York and Chicago CONTRACTORS FOR THE INTERIOR ,. Geo. F. Bodwell, General Western Agent, .. GRANITE, STONE, and MARBLE WORK OF ABOVE BUILDING. •• 508 Western Union Building, Chicago, 111. •» MARBLE WORK a Specialty. L. D. BINYON, PiM. H. L. MATZ, Vice-Piw. W. H. DYMOND, Secy, and Treas. M. N. KIMBELL, Assi. Secy. S. S. Kimbell Brick Co. FACING BRICK OF ALL KINDS DRY PRESSED AND IMPERVIOUS Room 304 Chamber of Commerce Building CHICAGO WAREHOUSES: 46th Ave. and W. Polk St. Roscoe and Racine Ave. 6315 Wenlworth Ave. PHONES; Main 1392 and 1399 Automatic 273 1 THE CLEVELAND STONE COMPANY THE OHIO QUARRIES COMPANY 5rna«trrH nf tift (Htltbratth CAPACITY OVER 200 CARS PER DAY Western Offices: 445 to 448 Marquette Building Correspondence Solicited A-10 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ILLINOIS TUNNEL 60. 177-179 MONROE STREET 50 Miles of Subways NOW IN OPERATION Serving all of the business district of Chicago — Transports Merchandise, Coal and U. S. Mails. Connections made with all R. R. Freight Houses, and with prominent busi- ness houses and large office buildings. All new large office buildings in the Tunnel district will have subway basements connecting with Tunnel System. All THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Are You a Well-Posted Man? Every municipal official should be abreast of the times in the matter of public utility equipment. This doesn^t mean that to be well informed he must be a technical man, any more than a man must be a tailor to be well dressed. It means merely that he should be well posted. Are you well posted on the latest and best in water supply, gas, street railway and telephone systems ? Do you know what is newest and best in each ? For instance, do you know that there is a practical automatic or *' girlless " telephone that is in use in many cities of the United States, is giving satisfaction everywhere, and, more than anything else, has helped to weaken, and, in many cities to break the grasp of the Bell monopoly where it is operating in competition therewith ? It gives the ideal telephone service, prompt, accurate and absolutely secret, and should be adopted in your city. We shall be glad to tell you all about this automatic system, which has been adopted in the following cities: Aberdeen, South Dakota. Akron, Ohio. Allen town. Pa. Auburn, Me. Aubum, N. Y. Battle Creek, Mich. Beaver Falls, Pa. Bellingham, Wash. Butte. Mont. Cadillac, Mich. Champaign , ID. Chicago, III. Qebume, Texas. Columbus, Ga. Columbus, Ohio. Dayton, Ohio. Denver, Colo. El Paso, Texas. Emaus. Pa. Fall River, Mass. Grand Rapids, Mich. Hastings, Neb. Havana, Cuba. Hazelton, Pa. HoUand. Mich. Hopkinsville, Ky. Jonesboro, Ark. Lake Benton, Minn. Lewiston, Me. Lincoln, Neb. Los Angeles, Cal. Manchester, Iowa. Marianao, Cuba. Marion. Ind. Medford, Wis. Miamisburg, Ohio. Mt. Olive, lU. New Bedford, Mass. Oakland, Cal. Ocean Park, Cal. Omaha, Neb. Penlwater, Mich. Portland, Me. Portland, Ore. Princeton, N. J. Richmond, Ind. Riverside, Cal. Rochester, Pa. Rushville, Ind. San Diego, Cal. San Francisco, Cal. Santa Monica, Cal. Saskatoon, Sask.. Can. Sioux City, Iowa. South Bend, Ind. Spokane, Wash. SprinsBetd, Mo. St. Marys, Ohio. Tacoma, Wash. Toronto Junction. Can. Traverse City, Mich. Urbana, III. Van Wert. Ohio. WaUa WaUa. Wash. Wausau, Wis. Westerly. R. 1. Wilmington, Del. Woodstock, N. B., Can. Automatic Electric Company Van Buren and Morgan Sts., Chicago, U. S. A. CHICAGO George W. Jackson* inc.. Contractors 169-179 West Jackson Boulevard. Chicago T.i..i.»..>o J Monroe 3400 T«'«P'"'"«*/ Automatic 3119 NEW YORK ALL DKPAHTMENTS OUR STEtl. PLANT COVERS AN AREA OF 10S,e42 SQUARE FEET. Bridges, Structural Steel Machinery, Steel Sheeting, Steel Ribs and Lagging (Pat.) Subways, Tunnels and Heavy Foundations. ESTIMATES FURNISHED :: ON APPLICATION :: Steel Works: 804-810 Elston Ave. and 80-98 MendellSt. Warehouse: 178-190 West Quincy Street A-12 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES 'Hloh Grade Natural flsplialts" -For Paving and Waterproofing Purposes- Excel the Artificial ... Unaffected by Water AS SHOWN IN ACTUAL USE IVEABS I.OXOER THAN MAX-MAI>E : : : ASPHA1.TS ANI> COAI. TAR : : The A. L. Barber Asphalt Co, 90 West Street. New York Blpba portlanb Cement ON THE MARKET SINCE 1891 Largely used by U. S. Government, Railroads and Municipalities where a True Portland of the Highest Quality is required. BEST IN THE WORLD FOR SIDEWALKS Annual Output 5.000,000 Barrels GENERAL OFFICE, EASTON, PA. BRANCH OFRCES: Board of Trade Buildins, Boston Si. Paul Buildins. ■ . . New York Builders Exchange Buffalo Hanison Building ■ ■ Philadelphia Builders Exchange. - Baltimore Marquette Building ...Chicago German National Bank Building. . . ■ Pittsburg CHICAGO PORTLAND CEMENT CO. MANUFACTURER OF ii Portland Cement WE MAKE ONE BRAND ONLY. THE BEST THAT CAN BE MADE. 6500 bbls. used in Kankakee reinforced concrete bridge. 53300 bbls. used in Thebes bridge. 1050 bbls. used in Kenosha reinforced concrete bridge. Henepin Canal, Government Post Offices, Principal Railroads, Dealers, Concrete Block Manufacturers and Contractors in the Northwest, our patrons. A- 13 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES WE ARE THE LA RGEST PRODDCERS AND MANUFACTDRERS IN THE WORLD Pure Asphalt Mineral Rubber IMastic Pipe Dip and Coatings Roofing Materials Railroad Coatings Insulating Gums Waterproofing Paint and Varnish Gums Paving Asphalt and Fillers Our product is always uniform, containing 100 per cent. Bitumen, and is ready for use when it leaves the factory. if quality and price is an object write us before malcing your contract. Standard Asphalt and Rubber Co. General :OFFicEs: 944 first National bank building CHICAGO, ILL., U. S. A. John A. McGarry H. Kowler JOHN A. McGARRY & COMPANY WM. KISSACK, President and General Manager. Atttmran CONTRACTORS 609 Security Building Chicago MANUFACTURERS OF OIru0l|fli Htm^Btmtf AND DEALERS IN (£.t\XBl\eb(^mmti ana PantngiMalgrialH STREET PAVING CONTRACTORS 92 La Salle Street, I Phone Main 4914 Telephone Main 1112 CHICAGO A-14 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES NO MUNICIPALITY IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A Modern Telephone System and Chicago excels in this as in many other respects. 146,000 telephones connected with the Chicago Telephone Company's System in Chicago, of which more than 58,000 are in residences. In addition .55,000 in adjoining counties. Millions throughout the country. • Particulars furnished upon request. Chicago Telephone Company Main 294 : 203 Washington Street Municipal Problems PERTAINING TO Water Supply and Sewage Disposal ^ Chemical Analysis and Bacteriological Investiga- tions Solicited. ^Plansand Specifications Furnished. Consulting Chemical Engineering Co. Suite 755-6 Monadnock Bldg. Chicago fAST YEAR, when the League of American Municipalities desired some suitable badge to be given to the delegates and representatives at their convention, careful and farseeing business men representing this organiza- tion, secured their badges from the firm DIEGES & CLUST 614-616 Schiller Building CHICAGO because they knew, after thorough in- vestigation that they could obtain better results from this old established firm, than from any Jewelry Manufacturer in the United States. €[ We solicit your patronage for Municipal Jew- els, Badges, Medals, Loving Cups, City Keys. fl All inquiries will receive prompt and careful attention. Address, R. T. Laughlin, Manager. '•If We Made It. If s Right.'- A-15 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Aluminum Company of America Manufacturers of Hluminum Sheet, Wire, Rod, Ingot, Tubing and Shapes, also Power Transmission Wire Railway Feeders, Electric Light Wire and Bus Bars UNITED STATES ALUMINUM COMPANY FINISHED GOODS DEPARTMENT Spinning, Stamping and Casting Work MAIN OFFICE: 1504 Park Building:, Pittsbargfh, Pennsylvania ST. LOUIS OFFICE: 616 National Bank of Commerce Building, St. Louis, Missouri THE Card Index Addressograph Prints 3000 Addresses per hour Fac-Simile of the Best Typewriting NO ERRORS USED BY HUNDREDS OF MUNICIPALITIES for heading Water, Electric Light, Gas and Telephone bills. Addressing Envelopes, Cards, Etc. Send for Catalog No. 1 1 ADDRESSOGRAPH CO. 232-240 West Van Buren St. CHICAGO. ILL. A-16 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES KELLY-SPRINGFIELD STEAM ROAD ROLLERS A L L T Y P E S A L L S I Z E S The KELLY-SpRrNGFiELD Road Roller Co. SPRINGFIELD, OHIO Highest Prize for 50 Years iVp'^rrnVt'd stock Shows for Hay, Grain or Stock Scales. Steel Frame and Royal Scale Rack. 0. o ONLY RELIABLE AND DURABLE PITLESS SCALE MADE. Sleel Frainis furaUhed for all our Scales, old or new. All Scales Warranted. Many Correct after 40 years. Every Farmer Should have a Fire Proof Safe for Valuables. Chicago Scale Co., 296 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, III. T. W PHINNCY, JULIAft J. PLEAS, T. P. HENDCnSOrt, PRC8IOCNT VICC'PRESlDENT SECY. AND TREAS. ESTABLISHED 1859 CHICAGO UNION L!ME WORKS GO. -Producers and Shippers of- LIME AND CRUSHED STONE Telephones: Main 3480 Automatic eiei Room 308 Chamber of Commerce BIdg. CHICAGO A-17 W, J. Newman Teaming Contractor Excavating and Wrecking Room 405, 84 La Salle Sheet CHICAGO TELEPHONES Kedzie 206 Residence Central 509 1 Lake Front Monroe 928 I 50 S. Curtis St. Main 1693 1^- riffi Monroe 3812 f Yards Automatic 5695 f '"''"' """^ JOHN PETERSON & CO. (HonlrartorH nnh ImlbgrB Suite 926, 153 LaSalle Street CHICAGO Telephone Central 1920 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES r STONE CRUSHING PLANTS (STATIONARY AND PORTABLE) ROAD GRADING MACHINES STREET ROLLERS BOTTOM DUMP WAGONS 1^ ETC., ETC. STREET AND ROAD RUILDING MACHINERY and APPLIANCES Correspondence Invited by the Manufacturers INDIANA ROAD MACHINE COMPANY, onoorpora.ed, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA Kokomo, Marion & Western Traction Co. KOKOMO. INDIANA. D.C JENKINS GLASS COMPANY KOKOMO, INDIANA, U. S. A. Table Glassware MANUFACTURERS Stemware : Tumblers : Fish Globes Glass Bottles : Lantern Globes : Write for Prices Packers' Wares A-l« THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES A DAILY EXPOSITION OF MUNICIPAL ECONOMY WHEREVER WATSON DUMPING WAGONS ARE USED The Municipal officer who has had extended experience in contract work always specifies " Vats on Dump Wagons^' when he wants a job done in a hurry. Watson GradiDg Wagons-Watson Garbage Wagons-Watson Asphalt Wagons These wagfons have been built for over twenty years of the same grade of materials — air-dried, thoroughly seasoned Adirondack Birch in the bodies, second growth, "A" grade white oak spokes and a care in construction which makes them practically unbreakable. Read the complete story of progress and success in big, new^ catalog. Watson Wagon Co. Canastota, N. Y. The Seagrave Company Manufacturers of the Highest Grade Fire Department Apparatus Municipalities contemplating the purchase of Fire Department Equipment would make a gross mistake if this company was not consuhed before making the purchase. If it is the BEST you want, we make it. Aerial Ladder Trucks, Water Tower, City and Village Hook and Ladder Trucks, Hose Wagons, Chemical Engines, Combinations of Chemical Engine and Hose Wagons and Hook and Ladder Trucks, Trussed Ladders. Hose Carts, Fire Extinguishers, Supplies, Etc., Etc. COLUMBUS. = OHIO THE EVERLASTING Tt^e^^ DOUBLETREES Pattern No. 56— A. General Contractor's Special CPFr* IPV **'"* your Dump Wagons, Sprinklers and Sweepers be Equipped OrLUlr/ with them. Weight no heavier. PRICE, COST NO MORE PITTSBUROn TUBULAR &TEEU WMIFFLETREE GOMPflNY, PIltsDurQll. Pa. A^19 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Wagons Carri \ges Harness Automobiles The Studebaker name plate on a vehicle is a guarantee that you wi'l receive full value for its purchase price. With the purchase of every Studebaker vehicle you secure safety, service and satisfaction. We manufacture a full line of municipal wagons, including street sv^reepers, street sprinklers, dump wagons, garbage wagons, sanitary wagons, hand carts, etc. SEND FOR CATALOG STUDEBAKER BROS. MFG. CO., South Bend. Ind. Largest vehicle manufacturers in th world. Charles Abresch Co. nakers of Fire Department Wagons Police Patrol Wagons Ambulances, Etc. (Built to Last) Milwaukee : : Wisconsin ESTABLISHED 1887 MILLER Chemical EngineCo* 149-151 E. HURON STREET CHICAGO GENERAL MANUFACTURERS FIRE 1 IJX J-^ APPLIANCES CHEMICAL ENGINES 18 TO 60 GALLONS CAPACITY HOSE WAGONS, CARTS, HOOK AND LADDER TRUCKS, WAREHOUSE CARTS, ETC. STANDARD SODA AND ACID FIRE EXTINGUISHERS MILLER COMPRESSED AIR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS A— 20 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES IT^IRE Department _=_Supplies MADE BY Chas. L. Bastian Manufacturing Co. 76-82 Illinois Street CHICAGO. ILL. ARE SUPERIOR IN QUALITY AND FINISH TO ANY MANUFACTURED IN AMERICA :::::::: WRITE FOR CATALOGVE FIRE ENGINE SUCTION HOSE ELEPHANT BRAND -GUARANTEED- BEST ON EARTH Fire Engine Valves a Specialty Steam and Water Hose WRITE US THE MECHANICAL RUBBER CO. CHICAGO, ILL. A-21 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Telephone Central C, EVERETT CLARK COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND BUILDERS SUITE J 405-6, TITLE AND TRUST BLDG. J 00 Washington Street CHICAGO, ILL. Wastes Disposal We are Contractors for Garbage Crematories A number of them have been in- stalled for the U. S. Government We are Contractors for Sewage Disposal Plants We can show such plants of many different sizes We are Contractors for Ventilation of Buildinors We have successful installations in twenty-two states Lewis and Kitchen Chicago and Kansas City Peter Pirsch & Co. Everything for the Fire Department HOSE WAGONS : TRUCKS TRUSSED LADDERS, ETC. niifi< Telephone Harrison 5283 POUND Engineering and Contracting Co. Suite 817, The Rookery Chicago Telephone 555 Kenosha, Wis. WILLIAM H. WARREN PRESIDENT AND TREASURER 1 he Vv arren Construction Co. GENERAL CONTRACTORS FOR BUILDERS 1152-53 Monadnock Building, Chicago Telephone Harrison 738 New York Office: Maiden Lane Bids., 170 Broadway. New York FREDERICK VOSS Manufacturer of Architectural and Decorative WIRE AND IRON WORK Wire Lathing a Specialty Q Bank and Office Railings. Elevator and Window Guards, Stair Rails, Iron Fences. q Stable Fittings, Wire Cloth and Wire Goods of every description. 617-631 Austin Ave., Cor. Lincoln Street Telephone West 757 ChlCAQO A— 32 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES ^be /llbutual JBanh Heyworth Building ^ 3$ and one-half the profits guaranteed to savings depositors. ^ Paid Slfo interest January 1 , 1 907 to savings depositors. ^ Expect to pay more January 1 , 1 908. ^ Send for booklet giving full details of the Mutual Bank. LAWRENCE HEYWORTH. President EDGAR F. OLSON, 2d Vice-President and Cashier F. H. GANSBERGEN. Secretary PIERRE COLEMAN, Assistant Cashier itrwtnra ANDREW McLEISH, Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. FRED L. MANDEL, SecV and Treas. Mandel Brothers W. C. THORNE, Vice-Pres. Montgomery Ward & Co. JAMES O. HEYWORTH. Civil Eng. and R.R. Contractor F. H. GANSBERGEN, Attorney RICHMOND DEAN. Gen. Mgr. Pullman Company GERALD PIERCE LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, President A-23 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES DEALERS IN AXiIi CLASSES OF I^JJ^IGIY^AI^ SECURITIES rNOtiXJDING SCHOOL, CITY, COUNTY DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION DISTRICT BONDS Hf: Capital »650,000.00 FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING, CHICAGO Established 1893 FRITZ VON FRANTZIUS BEN. MARCUSE STOCKS BONDS 112 La Salle Street Chicago Stock Exchange Building VON FRANTZIUS & CO. Bankers and Brokers MEMBERS CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE PRIVATE WIRE CONNECTIONS WITH NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE BOSTON STOCK EXCHANGE Wm. D. Kerfoot Geo. Birkhoff. Jr. Wm. D. Kerfoot & Co. Real Estate Loan and Financial Agents Special Attention Given to the Interests of Non-Residents 85 Washington Street, Chicago N. W. Cor. ■Washinjton and Dearborn Sts. Tel. Central 2773 EDGAR M. SNOW ROBERT C. BUTZOW MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO REAL ESTATE BOARD ESTABLtSHED 1873 Edgar M.Snow & Co. 101 Washinoton Street, Chicago General Real Estate and Mortgage Brokers APPRAISERS OF REAL ESTATE MONEY TO LOAN in any amount at very lowest rates on chicago real estate security Mortgages for Sale, Real Estate Bought. Sold. Leased and managed on commission Telephones: Central 608 and 5091 Automatic 8509 BOSTON correspondents: John Jeffries & Sons BAIRD fk WARNER RERL ESTATE LOAN AND RENTING AGENTS 90 La Salle Street CHICAGO Edmund A. Cummings Edward S. Judd Charles O. Goss Robert C. Givins Established iSbg E. A. Cummings & Co. GENERAL REAL ESTATE ^ AND LOAN AGENTS ^ APPRAISERS taAUCTIONEERS Buy, Sell and Manase Property on Commission, Collect Rents and Pay Taxes, Negotiate Loans S. W. Cor. Dearborn and Washington Streets Telephones Central 24 and 25 CHICAGO A-24 THE BOOK OF AMERICAN MUNICIPALITIES Municipal Bonds Bought, Sold and Appraised ^ We buy Municipal issues direct and act as Fiscal Agents for Municipalities. Correspondence invited from Municipalities concerning proposed bond issues. ALSO DEAL IN GOVERNMENT, RAILROAD AND PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION BONDS FOR SAFE INVESTMENT. LIST ON REQUEST. N. W. HALSEY OK & €0. 140 Dearborn St.. Chicago, III. S.A.KEAN