Council Proceedings: April 20, 1900: Part 1 of 2

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to the department by reason of the digging of these wells and connecting consumers thereto amounts to the sum of $44,480.00 per annum. In other words, if the Water Works Department had retained the water consumers which have abandoned the Water Works for private supply, the revenue of the Water Works would now be increased by the sum of $44,480.00 per annum. As the total receipts of the Department are now in round numbers, $52,000.00, it will be seen that the receipts of our Water Works have been practically cut in two by the digging of artesian wells in the City of Fort Worth.

There is delivered to consumers by water wagons, in the City of Fort Worth, artesian water to the estimateded value in the amount of $40,000.00 every year. I call the attention of the Water Works Committee carefully to these figures and trust that some way may be devised by which both our supply and consumption may be increaeed, and earnestly request them to investigate the matter of artesian water supply in a thorough and business like way.

OUR PUBLIC FREE SCHOOLS

The education of the masses by the public is justified onlyas exercise of the police power. If the doctrine promulgated by Mr. Jefferson be correct "That governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed" then we must prepare the masses to rightly understand the responsibilities and duties of citizenship. This requires education and I contend, first of all, that ample means must be provided for this purpose. The financial support of the schools is derived from the state appropriation depending upon the number of children from the ages of 8 to 17 years. Second, from appropiation from the statecity, and also county, and tuition fees from non-residents. The first requires accurate, full and complete census and I recommend that this census be instructed to the most competent parties to be found in our City. The second is for the largest amount and is collected from the taxpayers of the City, who willingly contribute these funds, and there is therefore an obligation resting upon the managers of the schools to see that the very best use shall be made of these funds--this money. I conceive that the fundamental ideas

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in public instruction are economy and efficiency. These two ideas must be preserved in the administration of the schools. The economic features depends upon the management. Theefficiency feature lies in the instruction--in the teachers and principals and the superintendent. The teachers must not only be scholarly but they must be apt to teach and govern and to place before the pupils examples of character worthy of imitation. Having only in my possession the report of the schools for session 1898-9 I can not go into the details, still I feel obligated to say that the course of study seems to much crowded and the time for completing this course--eleven years extending from 7 to 18 from childhood to advanced youth-- is too long a time, required requiring too much of human life to accomplish what seems to be the only object of the course, viz; a common school education. There seems to be a lacking in this course of education, the education that prepares for the duties and demands of life. A course of instruction should as far as possible, prepare these students to do something. I repeat that the teachers must be scholarly and at least, well preapred for their work-- their particular work. Our state and city regulations in regard to the teachers prescribes-- provided for their examination-- by competent boards for the various certificates, for the proper recognition of proficiency by promotion and yet I find of 84 teachers including the high school as well as grammer and primary grades of the session of 1898-9, that 43 of these have primary grade certificates only. The people willingly meet the expense and in turn it is the duty of the management and the teachers to see that there part is also fulfilled and carried out. Being, as I am, a friend of the schools and the teachers I shall lay before board council what I may deem worthy of its consideration and what will result I hope in the good of the schools. I recommend first a proper recognition of the fidelity, competency and efficiency of both teachers and principals. Second, that promotion of teachers and principals shall be made solely on the ground of merit. Third. That the promotion remuneration shall be commensurate in every case with the character of services rendered, under civil service rules. I shall from time to

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time suggest wherein I think the course of study can be improved. by substituting other studies, if at theexpense of some branches now in the currulum. To physical culture should be added manual training. The classroom should have a companion in the workshop.

A recent decision of our Supreme Court in construing the crossed out word law of the City of Houston in regard to the school board crossed out phrase , which is similar to that of our own charter, was unconstitutional, and as our City was excepted in the school law recently passed by the Legislature, the legal status of our school board is very much complicated. It is very unfortunate that the exception was made for the reason that we are not now governed by the new law and the charter provision similar to our own that was held by the Supreme Court to be unconstitutional. In such a condition we must rely upon the opinion of our City Attorney, and I am inclined to the opinion myself that we have no legal school board, and it is probable that the City Council will be compelled to directly conduct our City Schools. I recommend that the Comittee on Public Schools take this matter up with the City Attorney and carefully investigate the matter and report back to the Council for action as to what is our duty in the premises.

F_I_R_E_ D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T

So far as I can see the Fire Department seems to be well managed and economically run, save and except the fire alarm system which, though connected with the Fire Department, is handled by another department. I believe it would be advisable for the Chief of The Fire Department to have control of some man capable of keeping the Fire Alarm System in thorough repair.

S_T_R_E_E_T D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T

This department of the City is in a deplorable condition on account of lack of funds, and it seems to me that with the City Engineer and an Assistant Engineer and Street Commissioner, that too much salary is paid out in this Department for officials, and I ask the Council's consideration of this subject. The average bank gravel placed on our streets does but little good other than stopping holes. Lately we have had some very good rock placed upon the principal

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thoroughfares which have improved them considerably. I trust the Council will be able to devise ways and means of improving our thoroughfares by making larger appropriations in the next annual budget.

The annual appropriation for our streets in the budget of last November was $15,000.00 and on the 1st of April with only one half of the year gone and the worst of it yet to come, the Street Department has paid our $21,000.00, being $6,000.000 over the annual budget in the first six months of the current year. This ought not to be allowed or tolerated by the City Council. In my judgment, the next annual budget should divide the appropriation and apportion it for each of the 12 months of the year as near as possible the amount of taxes and in my judgement the total amount of the street fund should be spent as near as possible in the various wards according to the amount each ward pays into such fund.

E_L_E_C_T_R_I_C_A_L D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T.

We have a City EpectricialElectrician in the City of Fort Worth whose bus iness it is to enforce the ordinances regulating electrical power in the City of Fort Worth, but I am informed by the insurance men and by their reports that the City of Fort Worth is the poorest wired town in the State. It may be that the Department is over-worked, but if so, the City Council should provide sufficient men to see that the ordinances are properly carried out.

E_N_G_I_N_E_E_R_I_N_G D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T.

This Department is now charged by charter and ordinances with duties of the most important and responsible character. The alignment and grades of streets, alleys and sidewalks, drainage and sewerage matters, supervision of bridges and street railways, design and supervision of new and repair works of all sorts, the systematic untangling of the slip-shod survey work of the past, the issuance of proper permits to parties desiring to carry on the different kinds of construction work, the preparation of data and evidence to be used by the City Attorney in the numerous suits brought against the City by reason of physical conditions, the condemnation of unsafe structures, concurrently with the City Council, in all, a list of duties whose proper discharge de-

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mands engineering skill, sound judgement and great industry. The present management of this department has given satisfaction to our predecessors and merited their entire confidence, and its good work should receive your cooperation and support.

P_O_L_I_C_E D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T.

The character of our Policemen should be one of the tests applied in their employment. They are the guardians of the lives, peace and property of the Citizens. They perform arduous duties and are subjected to many trials and should be accorded great consideration by the City Government. The exercise of a police power is necessary in all government but it is a dangerous power unless held closely to an application for the public good, of public peace, public comfort and public convenience. To this end the police force should be subject to promotion from the various grades on civil service rules for merit only. When on duty and clothed with police power they should interfere in no manner with anything that does not tend to preserve the public peace and work for public good. It has been the practice of the police force while on duty, clothed with police power, to take partisan part in elections that have been held in Fort Worth in a manner calculated to disturb rather than preserve the public peace, and in my judgement, no man clothed with police power of the government should be allowed, while on duty, to actively participate in elections, except to exercise the privilege of voting. I therefore recommend that the City Council adopt civil service regulations in regard to the Police Force, prohibiting them from taking part in the elections while wearing their uniforms, except to vote as a citizen.

H_E_A_L_T_H D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T.

I call the attention to of the Health Committee to the report of the City Physician, which deals with the health of our City in a very satisfactory way. Every effort in the power of the Committee and of the City Council should be made to improve the sanitary condition of Fort Worth. I am unable to make any recommendations to this Department as my own judgement would be subordinated to that of the Health Committee Department.