1922-1926 City Manager's Report
CITY MANAGER'S
REPORT
CITY OF
SALINA, KANSAS
JANUARY 1, 1922 TO JANUARY 1, 1926
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Salina, Kansas, January 20, 1926.
To the Board of Commissioners,
Salina, Kansas.
Gentlemen:
Owing to the fa~t that the auditor who is auditing our books for 1925
will not be able to complete his audit before January 25th, 1926, it is
going to be impossible for me to assemble the information and to get
out the annual report for 1925 before retiring from office February 1st.
In lieu of this fact I am assembling the information in the varIOus de-
partments of the City Government and giving a brief summary of some
of the major activities in each department during the last four years
beginning January 1, 1922, and expiring January 1, 1926.
This report will necessarily be very brief because of covering the
entire period of four years in which I have been connected with the
city in the capacity of City Manager.
We will be glad to distribute the within report among our citizens
who may call for same at the City Manager's office so that they may
have the information in their hands giving as we have indicated above
a brief 8ummary of the accomplishments of the past four years.
Respectfully submitted,
W. A. Layton, City Manager.
The Memorial Hall was constructed in the year 1922, and dedicated on September 22, 1922, in Memory of Soldiers
and Sailors of All Wars, and located on Ash street between Ninth and Tenth street occupying a space 250 feet east and
west and 300 feet north and south, facing the south The dimensions of the building including projections of outside
stairs, loading docks, ramp, etc. are 110 feet east and west by 240 feet and six inches north and south. It was built
at a cost of $300,000.00 with an additional cost of $35,000 for inside equipment and re-instatement of options in contracts.
It has a seating capacity of 3500 and is so constructed that it is available for all community activities of whatever na-
ture and kind and has proven to be a very va;uable asset to the city.
O'?
Park Views
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Park Department
L. B. KEMPER, Supt.
In 1922 we expended around $4,000 in installing an up-to-dqte water
system in Oakdale Park as well as other parks and also installing
drinking fountains so as to make it convenient for securing water any
place in Oakdale Park, also additional conveniences as to toilet facil-
ities and otheI minor improvements outside of the regular upkeep of
the parks.
In the last four years have put at least 2500 trees, thousands of
shrubbery plants, constructed driveways around and along all parks.
Have leased North Side Park for the convenience of north side people
and made meager improvements within the same and constructed steel
bridge across Dry Creek.
Have constructed a steel bridge across river at the end of Mulberry
Street and also steel, cable foot-bridge connecting Kenwood Park and
Oakdale Park and at the present time are constructing a Club House for
use of members of the Municipal Golf Club.
Have built a swimming pool out of the profits of 1924 at a cost of
about $22,000 including dressing pavilion, machinery, plumbing, lighting
and other Improvements in connection with said swimming pool.
Moved Tourist Camp from Oakdale to Kenwood park and furnished the
same with good toilet facilities, proper lighting for all night service;
constructed Shelter House 28 by 32 and properly lighted the same and
installed gas heating jets on table in building, four in number, as well
as water sink for convenience of tourists and located garbage cans over
the entire park and a sunken garden in one portion of the camp and
expect to locate two more. The building of the steel, cable bridge across
the river from Oakdale to Kenwood park gives tourists all conveniences of
Oakdale park. Built pergola at the entrance of Oakdale at a cost of $1000;
have provided play ground equipment in all parks at a cost of at least
$2500; p:anted a thousand trees in Highland Court Park and begun other
improvements in Highland Court Park which in time will make a beau-
tiful park for the southwest part of town.
Tennis courts, baseball grounds and good football grounds have been
added to several of our parks; better race track improvements in Ken-
wood Park; provided for horse-shoe playing, croquet, tennis and all other
athletic activities within our parks.
The desire of the Commissioners is to so thoroughly equip our parks
in all lines of activities so that our people may make further use of
them and they have enjoyed the increased patronage of the parks by
the public within the last few years and a much larger program for
park improvements is at the present time contemplatd by the officials
of our city.
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The above is a photo of the 75 foot aereal ladder purchased of the Seagrave Fire Engine Company in February 1925,
and delivered June 1, 1925. Additional equipment in the form of 200 feet of fire ladders, salvage covers to be used in
case of fire to cover merchandise and other valuable property, ceílar pipes and ladder pipes and floor nozzels, life
net which is used in rescuing people from burning buildings. The cost of extras amounting to around $2,000.00 was
included in the origir.a1 price of the> ladder of $15,500 with practically no cost for extra equipment as the original price
of the ladder itself $15,500.00. This gives the Fire Department extra equipment which has been needed for severa]
years.
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The Austin Motor Sweeper was purchased in the year 1923 for the street department for the purpose of keeping
streets in better condition at a cost of $7000 and payment was made in three installments one one third each year and las:
payment has just recently been made. The savings in budget of Street Department has provided for the payments as they
become due.
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Building Department
CHAS. M. HAGLER, Inspector
Established within the last two years with much opposition at first,
but one of the busiest departments of the city and all have come to
know it as to one of the most valuable to our citizens by giving to them
at all times proper inspection of plumbing, lighting and building con-
struction and thus saving our citizens thousands of dol'ars and inferior
work that might be done were it not for this department. It is practical-
ly self supporting under the fine management of Chas. M. Hagler,
Building Inspector, who has handled it as he has always handled his
own business in a fine business like manner.
COMP ARATIVE REPORT FOR BUILDING INSPECTION DEP ART-
MENT FOR YEAR 1925
1924
124 Residences ................$438,175.00
38 Business Buildings.. 265,850.00
135 Garages ....".............. 21,123.00
1 School Building ..".. 36,000.00
2 Chureh Buildings .... 117,675.00
0 Service Stations ......
88 Remode1lings ............ 64,937.00
1 Apartment ................ 16,000.00
1925
130 Residences ................$369,500.00
19 Business Buildings.. 130,258.00
149 Garages .................". 27,058.00
1 School Building ...... 60,000.00
1 Church Building ...... 3,600.00
5 Apartments .............. 76,500.00
8 Service Stations ...... 21,242.00
123 Remodellings ............ 104,200.00
389 Permits Total ........$959,760.00
436 Permits Total ........$792!358.00
Milk Department
DR. L. L. SHOEMAKER, Milk Inspector
Four years ago with considerable prejudice we passed a milk ordinance
the intent of which was to give to our citizens the best milk and cream
possible. Under the management of the City Engineer, Wm. Theisner,
and afterwards under the management of Dr. L. L. Shoemaker, our
Milk Inspector, and with additional amendments to the Ordinance, we
are endeavoring to get to the people of Salina the very best and purest
milk and cream that is within our power to do. Semi-monthly inspection
of all milk and cream is made by the Inspector and records of same can
be found in the office of the City Manager and any information con-
cerning these records may be had by calling at said office and making
inquiry of Mrs. Florence Callahan, the stenographer and bookkeeper of
the City Manager. If you desire to compare the condition of the milk
being purchased by yourself with other milk Mrs. Callahan will be glad
to have you call and will be glad to give you this information. . The
office of the Milk Inspector is over the Farmers National Bank and
he will be glad to have you call on him at any time for any information
in connection with his Department and we hope that you may avail
yourself of this opportunity.
Record Department
CHAS. E. BANKER, City Clerk
Visit our City Clerk's office and note the records kept of your City's
business by Chas. E. Banker and Miss Ellen Nyberg. We think records
of which you will feel proud and as to the correctness of same second
to none in the state.
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Memorial Hall constructed in 1922 at a cost including ground of
$300,000 which cost is a part of our general bonded indebtedness as
previously mentioned.
West View, one of the beauty spots of Salina, is an addition added to
our city within the last four years.
Preliminary work leading up to the building of a sewage disposal
plant has been taken up and under the engineering work of C. A.
Haskins a complete preliminary survey and brief has been completed
by said C. A. Haskins and City Engineers, Wm. Theisner and R. J.
Paulette.
Eight to ten miles of paving has been constructed within the last
four years and from three to four miles of sewer constructed within
the same time. Paving includes street car tracks on east Iron and on
Santa Fe south of Walnut.
Ordinances concerning garbage have been passed that provide better
facilities for the disposal of garbage than heretofore.
The purchase of the water plant has been one of the activities and
realizations of the last four years.
All daily balances of the city are drawing two per cent interest and
Sinking Fund as well as monies from other departments are deposited
on certificates of deposit drawing four per cent interest.
Widening Fifth street from Walnut to Ash and also widening Santa
Fe from Walnut to South.
I desire to take this opportunity of expressing the appreciation of
myself and the City Commissioners of the splendid services rendered
by the various commissions of our city and all of said services have been
gratitous in character but very valuable, namely, Trustees of Memorial
Hall, Municipal Band Trustees, Cemetery Board, Library Board, Wel-
fare Board, City Planning Commission, Public Nurse and Americaniza-
tion Center. I wish that we had space in which we might set forth some
of the very fine services that have been rendered by these various
Commission& but suffice to say that without the services as rendered
by these organizations Salina never could have put on the programs
that we have been able to put on, and on the part of the Commissioners
I wish to take this opportunity of expressing to the members of each
Board our appreciation of the fine services as rendered.
This is but a brief synopsis of some of the major activities of the
last four years and whatever credit is due we feel that the citizens
of our city and the heads of our departments are entitled to the major
portion of the same, and with the co-operation hereafter on the part of
the citizenship and the officials as well as heads of departments we can
all help to make Salina 'the best town in our state.
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FUND BALANCES
December 31st, 1925
City Treasurer's Cash Account ................................$
Band Fund ....................................................................
Sinking Fund ..............................................................
General Bonds and Coupons Fund ........................
Special Bonds and Coupons Fund ..........................
Firemens Relief Fund ................................................
Memorial Hall Fund ...."............................................
Fire Department Fund ................................"..........
Unexpended Balance Account ................................
General Improvement Fund ............................"......
Water and Light Fund .................... """"""""""'"
Paving- Fund ....................................................,...........
Judgement Fund .............................."........................
Inv. Acct. (Water and Light) .........".......................
Inv. Acct. (Firemens Relief) ............"..................
Inv. Acct. (Sinking Fund) ............................... .....
23,212.02
$ 275.60
79,986.21
1,454.18
988.6fi
9,023.38
1,093.85
529.35
62.74
209.91
49,401.65
734.60
425.46
37,500.00
5,200.00
74.815.12
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$142,456.36
$142.4fi6.36
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