5295_01

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Our City has made a wonderful growth during the past year. To which your attention has been called in the message of my worthy predecesser and I cherish the hope that we may be able to so conduct its business that great growth may continue and its moral and material prosperoty be advanced by rapid strides. (signed) Harry White mayor

Message fron the Mayor on Financial condition of the City October 14th 1890 To the Board of Aldermen and House of Delegates of the City of Seattle

Gentlemen. Allowme to congratulate you upon the present prosperity as will as rhe glorius future of our City. It is not my purpose or province to weary you, at this time with a lengthy communication, but rather briefly as possible to give you facts and figures which will enable you to intelligently and earnestly enter upon duties to which all, save one of you, are strangers. The bonded indebtedness of the City is a follows: Water Bonds $845,000.00 Sewer Bonds $110,000.00 Grant Street Bridge Bonds $ 20,000.00 Total $975,000.00

the following is a statement of the condition of the Water Fund: Water Bonds $845,000.00 Against this sum the following indebtedness has been contracted Spring Hill Plant $350,000.00 Pipe Ordered $228,600.00

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Outstanding Warrants $191,440.00 Floating Pumping Stations $ 26,000.00 Hydrants Ordered $ 20,000.00 [total] $816,040.00 Balance $ 28,960.00 $845,000.00 $845,000.00 This does not include accrued interest on any outstanding warrants or balance, if any due Mr Williams for engineering. We will receive from the sale of water and sewer bonds immediately $400,000.00 Nov 1st 1890 $ 50,000.00 And the balance of $505,000.00 in amounts of from $10,000.00 to $50,000.00 as required in construction. In view of the fact that the City will soon be in full possession of the water works, I would recommend that a committee of two from the board of Aldermen and three from the House of Delegates be appointed by the respective houses, toact with the Board of Public Works and confer with Benezetti Williams in regard to the adoption of such portions of h is plans as will be of advantage to the city and also to see what arrangements can be made with that gentleman in the way of a full and complete settlement for work already done. The following is a statement of the condition of the Sewer Fund Sewer Bonds $110,000.00 Amount of Road Fund Warrants outstanding issued for sewer purposes not including interest $ 19,200.00 Balance $ 90,200.00 the city indebtedness in October 14th 1890. Not including the $975,000 in Bonds, may be summed up as follows: Outstanding Warrants, Road Fund $387,459.00 Outstanding Warrants, Fire Fund $124,808.00 Amount due W V Rinehart et al; including interest for property purchased on South Third St in round numbers $ 50,000.00 H L Yesler et al for property condemned for Occidental Square $164,000.00 Widening Front Street $ 8,000.00 Widening Commercial Street $ 7,000.00 Widening Second Street $ 10,000.00

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Widening South Second Street $ 11,000.00 Total $762,267.00 I would recommend that the indebtedness be funded by the issue of bonds to runtwenty years. On the first day of November 1890 the contracts made by the City with H L Yesler, W V Rinehart, and the representative of the Starr Estate will expire and by the terms of these contracts a failure on the part of the City to make the several payments on that day will work a reversion of the property to the original owners. As we have not the means at our command with which to make thesee payments, I would recommend that these contracts be extended a suficent length of time to allow us to fund this in connection with other indebtedness, and that all accrued interest on there contracts be paid. We have received during the last three months from fines and licenses in round numbers the sum of $5,000.00 At the present rate of increase it is safe to say that ourincome for the next year from this source will be the sum of $240,000.00 The tax levy for 1890 is as follows: City Fund 2 mills $ 52,000.00 Road Fund 3 mills $ 78,000.00 Fire Fund 2 mills $ 52,000.00 Gas Fund 1&1/2 mills $ 39,000.00 Interest 1&1/2 mills $ 39,000.00 $260,000.00 Total $500,000.00 As the income from the Water Works will pay the interest on the bonded indebtedness, this will insure us a revenue for the coming year of $500,000.00 Owing to the confusion consequent upon the removal of various city offices this statement is not as full as it otherwise would have been and I hope in the near future to be able to give you a complete statement of our financial condition (signed) Harry White mayor

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Communication from the Mayor December 15th 1890 To the Board of Aldermen and House of Delegates Gentlemen. I desire to concur in the recommendation of the Board of Public Works as to the grading of streets petitioned for by property owners but furnish labor and employment for the large number of men during a season of the year when it is most needed. I desire further to recommend that plans for a sewer system be secured at once, and that work upon the construction of a sewer system be at once commenced and prosecuted to completion. I wish further to recommend the immediate creation by ordinance of the Office of Purchasing Agent either thatthe same be ex-official to some other office, or that that office by directly created. The plan now in use is leading to confusion and chaos, and some way must by devised and system adopted by reference to which the City's purchases can be ascertained. I wish further to recommend the discontinuance of the Office of Building Inspector and that the duties pertaining to that office devolve upon the Superintendent of Buildings Bridges and Wharves, and that his salary be made to conform to the services rendered, and that proper and sufficient assistants be allowed said superintendent. Respectfully Submitted (signed) Harry White mayor

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Communication from the Mayor February 5th 1891 To the Board of Aldermen of the City of Seattle Gentlemen. In view of the fact that the present grounds and buildings of the State university located in this city are inadequate in the extreme and in view of the further fact that the present legislature of the State of Washington has manifested a willingness to re establish the institution within a radius of eightmiled from the present site, providing quit claim deeds are givenby all parties having any interest whatever in the present site, so that it may be sold and the proceeds be applied to the firm establishment of thi University neara the City on a broad guage basis and this make it an institution that will command the respect of the entire state; in view of there facts I would urgently recommend that you at once pass the ordinance being prepared by Corporation Counsel Jacobs quit claiming the City's interest in theaforesaid site. (signed) Harry White mayor