v* r . ' ■■ 
 
 Securing Efficient Administration 
 
 UNDER THE 
 
 COMMISSION PLAN 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 FREDERICK W. DONNELLY, 
 
 Mayor of Trenton^ New Jersey^ 
 
 For the American Academy of Political 
 and Social Science 
 
 Reprinted from the February Number 
 of The Annals.” 
 
Results of the First Complete 
 
 4 
 
 Fiscal Year 
 
 Containing references from Price, Waterhouse Com¬ 
 pany’s financial statement, and from report of 
 Director of Revenue and Finance, and 
 excerpts from reports of various 
 city departments, showing 
 efficiency and economy. 
 
 TRENTOK CITY COMMISSION. 
 
 Frederick W. Donneley^ Mayor-Director of Public Affairs. 
 Edward W. Lee^ Director of Revenue and Finance. 
 
 George B. LaBarre^ Director of Public Safety. 
 
 J. Ridgway Fell, Director of Streets and Public Improvements, 
 William F. Burk^ Director of Paries and Public Property. 
 
Chief Characteristics of 
 
 COMMISSION FORM 
 
 *4 
 
 The most interesting innovation in the field of municipal pol¬ 
 itics in the past decade has been the development of Commission 
 Government, so termed because the governmental policies are en¬ 
 trusted to a Board or Commission. It had its inception in the 
 City of Galveston after the disastrous fiood of 1900 had com¬ 
 pletely devastated that city. The remarkable progress that was 
 wrought in rehabilitating Galveston under its new charter made 
 that city the cynosure of national attention. This condition, aug¬ 
 mented by the general dissatisfaction that emanated from many 
 quarters where the old system of municipal government had be¬ 
 come inadequate, caused other Texas cities to hold referendum 
 elections for the purpose of adopting the new and modern plan. 
 In every instance civic awakening followed in the wake of the 
 new charter, and Commission Government was heralded as a rem¬ 
 edy for long existing municipal evils. Other Western and South¬ 
 ern cities, including Des Moines, Iowa, soon followed the example 
 of Galveston, and the change of charter was attended by some 
 amazing and highly meritorious results. The agitation for a more 
 modern system of government gradually spread to the East. One 
 of the first Eastern cities to give serious consideration to the pro¬ 
 position was Trenton, where the subject was first considered at 
 least two years before the campaign for its adoption was com¬ 
 menced. 
 
 To my mind, the long-felt want that the new plan has sup¬ 
 plied lies in the modernization of city charter provi¬ 
 sions. Conditions that were predominant fifty ^ears ago are un¬ 
 important factors in municipM affairs to-day; the plan of opera¬ 
 tion that was effectu al half a century ago can no longer grapple 
 with present day problems. Cities that do not keep apace with the 
 advancement of time, instead of progressing, will find themselves 
 retrogressing. A municipal corporation, the same as a business 
 corporation, must live in the atmosphere of the present day if it 
 desires to take its place among the foremost American cities. 
 
 o 
 
24 H ’14 Z.T* 
 
 T^^ls I 
 
 Commission Government, to an immeasurable extent, met with 
 immediate success because it embodies the modern features that 
 are lacking in the charters of many of our cities. 
 
 The important characteristics of the Commission plan as it has 
 been adopted in American cities, are: 
 
 (1) The placing of the municipal governing autliority in a 
 small body of men. 
 
 (2) Their election at large, instead of by wards. 
 
 (3) The power to exercise administrative and legislative func¬ 
 tions and the privilege of appointment by the Board. 
 
 (4) The placing of each Commissioner in charge of a definite 
 department and making him responsible to the people for its 
 proper and intelligent management. 
 
 (5) The power given to the people to secure honest and effi¬ 
 cient government through the medium of the initiative and refer¬ 
 endum and the recall. The intrinsic value of Commission Gov¬ 
 ernment really rests on these cardinal principles. 
 
 One of the essential characteristics of Commission Government 
 is th e placing of a Commissioner in absolu te co ntrol o f a dist jnct 
 department. Thus the Commissioners are both collectively and 
 individually responsible for the honest and efficient conduct 
 of their duties. Under the ^^ew Jersey statute, the executive, ad¬ 
 ministrative and legislative authority in cities electing five Com¬ 
 missioners is divided into five separate departments, as follows: 
 
 Department of Public Affairs. 
 
 Department of Revenue and Finance. 
 
 Department of Public Safety. 
 
 Department of Streets and Public Improvements. 
 
 Department of Parks and Public Property. 
 
 A Commissioner, on being assigned to any one of these depart¬ 
 ments, has absolute control and is also individually responsible to 
 his fellow Commissioners and the people generally for the actions 
 of himself and his subordinates. The Mayor, who is D irector 
 of Public Affairs is advisory director to each of the other Commis¬ 
 sioners. The Commission meets immediately after election for the 
 purpose of organization. At that time the assignments to the 
 different departments are made. Alth ough the Commiss ioner^ 
 are jn Jiharge of.. separate depa rtm ents they work in conjunction 
 with one another—a spirit of unity permeates the meetings of the 
 Commission. This is one of the principal reasons for the suc¬ 
 cess of Commission Government. The small body that is responsi¬ 
 ble for the governmental advancement of the municipality outlines 
 
 3 
 
/* 0 
 (. f 1 Iz- 
 
 a constructive policy to be pursued by its subordinates. This is 
 surely an improvement over the old system, under which the man¬ 
 agement of every department, no matter how small or unimportant 
 it might be, was placed in the hands of a man who was termed 
 head of that department; This condition led to a confusion of au¬ 
 thority and had a detrimental effect upon the efficiency of the de¬ 
 partment itself. The concentration of power and aut hority s e- 
 curedtl ^ough the e nforcement of Commission Government places 
 stich^jnjnor ^pajtme nts~direet l:y under one head. an^~cdhseque^ly 
 greatly simplifies their management. 
 
 All things considered, however, there is one particularly insep¬ 
 arable feature of Commission Rule that engenders governmental 
 ^ffici^ncy, and that is the recall. An official, realizing that his 
 every act and recommendation decides his continuance in office, 
 will, by forced if not natural inclination, strive for public approba¬ 
 tion. This he well knows, can best be secured by efficient adminis¬ 
 tration. Under the old system of government it is possible for an 
 elective officer to forget that he is simply a public servant and use 
 his official influence towards securing favoritism for some private 
 or corporate interest, because, having been elected for a certain 
 number of years, he is practically beyond the danger of removal 
 until the expiration of his term of office. Under Commission Gov¬ 
 ernment, however, the remedy is very simple and easily applied. 
 Upon adequate proof of inefficiency or dishonesty of an official 
 the dissatisfied voters can resort to the recall, and if the majority 
 so rules the delinquent is legislated out of office, notwithstanding 
 lat he has still several years of his original term to serve. 
 
 To sum up briefly, it might be said that the chief characteristics 
 of Commission Government are embodied in the following muni¬ 
 cipal reforms: Centralizing responsibility upon a small number 
 of elected officials; non-partisan elections;*^bolition of ward lines; 
 economy of administration, greater efficiency, application of busi¬ 
 ness methods; referendum, initiative and recall; simplification of 
 the system and wide publicity. 
 
 Adopted by Trenton. 
 
 Commission Government in I^ew Jersey has made startling 
 progress in the short time during which it has been a governmental 
 fixture in this State. The bill providing for its adoption was in¬ 
 troduced and passed during the 1911 session of the New Jersey 
 Legislature. The law provides that a municipality, on the peti¬ 
 tion of thirty per cent, of the voters who voted for the Assembly 
 
 4 
 
candidates at the last general election, may demand a referendum 
 election on the question of a change of charter. The hill was vigor¬ 
 ously opposed hy the special interests and the old-time leaders of 
 both political parties, but, like all the other progressive measures 
 that were introduced during Governor Wilson’s administration, fin¬ 
 ally secured a place on the statute books of our State. The Trenton 
 Chamber of Commerce being deeply impressed with the necessity 
 of a new and modern charter for the city of Trenton, waged a 
 strenuous campaign for the passage of the hill. 
 
 After floundering around for many years in the throes of Coun- 
 cilmanic Rule Trenton adopted Commission Government at- a 
 special election held in June 1911, thereby gaining the distinction 
 of being the flrst city in R^ew Jersey to try out the ^AValsh Act.” 
 The change became operative August 22d, 1911, so that the city 
 has now had more than two years’ experience with its new charter. 
 
 Since that time many other municipalities in the state have voted 
 favorably on the ^Walsh Act” and are now operating under its 
 [provisions. The cities besides Trenton that now have Commission 
 Government charters are: Jersey City, R^utley, Vineland, Atlan¬ 
 tic City, Ocean City, Longport, Millville, Passaic, Ridgefleld 
 Park, Long Branch, Sea Isle City, Wildwood, Paterson, Beverley, 
 Bordentown, Margate City and Haddonfleld. __ 
 
 The results obtained in Trenton have clearly demonstrated be¬ 
 yond the dreams of its staunchest supporters, the superiority of 
 the new system. Both in economy and efficiency the city has ad¬ 
 vanced with rapid strides. _ Por the flrst few months we contented 
 ourselves with reorganizing the various departments and straighten¬ 
 ing out affairs generally which we found to he in a deplorable con¬ 
 dition. After grouping the different branches of the government 
 under the five heads provided for we turned our attention to the 
 establishment of a modem and simplified system of municipal ac¬ 
 counting, which was installed hy a recognized firm of accountants, 
 Price, Waterhouse Company, of New York City, to supersede 
 the obsolete form of bookkeeping that the old Councils had toler¬ 
 ated for years 
 
 Finances Under New Administration. 
 
 Recently we had this same firm of accountants audit the city 
 books for the last fiscal year—the first entire year for which the 
 Commission could justly be charged with responsibility—which 
 disclosed the following pertinent facts: 
 
 s 
 
(1) The cost of administering of the government for the last 
 fiscal year was $4,377.31 less than during the preceding one. 
 
 (2) The ratables of the city were increased 3.76 per cent, dur¬ 
 ing the year. 
 
 (3) The bonded debt of the city was decreased more than 3.50 
 per cent. 
 
 (4) The tax rate for the first fiscal year was reduced two cents 
 on each one hundred dollars of valuation. 
 
 The tax rate for the second year under Commission Government 
 shows an increase of .08 or $2.18 compared to $2.10 last year. 
 This increased rate is not chargeable to the City Commission, 
 but is due to an increase in the county budget, to an increase in 
 the State School tax and to an increase in the local appropriation 
 for school purposes, over all of which causes the City Commission 
 has no control. For local purposes only, meaning what the city 
 must realize to meet its own expenses, the rate is $1.47. 
 
 The total increase in the city budget, both for fixed charges 
 and operating expenses, is $54,956.18, while the total increase in 
 tlie city’s revenue for 1913 over 1912 aggregates $69,491.45. So 
 that with a tax rate of $2.10 instead of $2.18 for this year the city’s 
 revenues would have been $14,535.27 in excess of city expenses. 
 The higher tax rate is due to an increase of $24,750 in the city 
 school appropriation, an increase of $17,483.70 in the State school 
 tax, and an increase of .$31,358.52 in the county tax. Deducting 
 from these increases the $14,535.27, or the surplus revenue the 
 Commission would have had available to reduce the tax rate, there 
 remains $59,056.95 to be taken care of by an increased tax rate. 
 And in order to provide this $59,056.95, over which the Com¬ 
 mission has no control, there is necessary an increase in tlie tax 
 rate, on the basis of $75,000,000 of city ratables, of approximately 
 eight cents. 
 
 In connection with the tax rates under Commission Government 
 it is a matter of interest to note that for three years preceding the 
 adoption of the new form, the rate had been advancing at an av¬ 
 erage increase of seventeen points a year, and that if that ad¬ 
 vance had continued under the present administration, the tax 
 rate would now be about $2.46 on every one himdred dollars of 
 valuation. 
 
 (5) The revenue deficit of $37,808.31, that existed at the close 
 of the fiscal year 1912, was reduced to $12,361.18. When the 
 Board of Commissioners took office the revenue deficit was 
 $61,807.39. 
 
 6 
 
(6) The apparent necessity for issuance of bonds, when the 
 Board of Commissioners took office, to fund the revenue deficit 
 has disappeared, and it is reasonably certain that at the close of 
 the current fiscal year the revenue deficit will have been entirely 
 wiped out and that instead of it the city will have a revenue sur¬ 
 plus. 
 
 (7) The appointment of a collector of delinquent taxes brought 
 about a material increase in the amount of back and current taxes 
 collected, and, at the close of the fiscal year 1912, the tax collec¬ 
 tions for the year amounted to 81.19 per cent, of the entire levy 
 for that year. 
 
 (8) During the present fiscal year, up-to-date, the city has not 
 been obliged to negotiate any temporary loans. This is an unpre- 
 cendented condition as it has always been an annual custom to 
 borrow about $250,000 for maintenance and operating expenses, 
 pending the collection of anticipated taxes. 
 
 The city’s fiscal year begins on March 1st and the taxes for the 
 • year are not due until the following December and in the past it 
 has always been necessary to borrow money to liquidate the expen¬ 
 ses occurring during the intervening period. Under the present 
 well-regulated financial system of our municipal government, the 
 Comptroller used for operating expenses funds that were available 
 for other purposes but which were being unused at that time. By 
 so doing he has saved the city between $3,000 and $4,000 in inter¬ 
 est charges that would have occurred had the money been borro’wed 
 from the banks. Another contributing cause that has led to this 
 condition is the collection of back taxes through the efforts of the 
 Delinquent Tax Collector. Thousands of dollars have been 
 brought into the City Treasurer by the energy of this official and 
 the money thus collected . has been appropriated for current ex¬ 
 penses. 
 
 (9) The value of fixed property, equipment, furniture, tools, 
 supplies, etc., owned by the city is $6,833,130.42. 
 
 Prior to the adoption of Commission Government in Trenton, 
 the officers’ annual statements were vague. No general scheme 
 of keeping the city’s accounts, as those of one corporation, had 
 ever been adopted; consequently, city funds were badly entangled. 
 Over $35,000 of unexpended proceeds of bond issues for improve¬ 
 ments were used to run the city, and $114,000 had been expended 
 unknowingly on sewer construction out of administrative revenues. 
 Over $30,000 of collections from streets improvement assessments, 
 intended to be used for bond redemption, were expended for cur¬ 
 rent purposes. On the date of the inauguration of Commission 
 
 7 
 
Government, there was a current administrative deficit of over 
 $110,000, although some few years prior the city had issued 
 $509,000 of bonds to pay the deficit then outstanding. 
 
 On September 19th, 1904, the Common Council authorized 
 a bond issue of $569,000, hearing interest at 4 per cent., for th# 
 purpose of funding the city’s ‘^floating indebtedness” then ex¬ 
 isting. !;[ 
 
 The ordinance recites that the ^^floating indebtedness” was over 
 $750,000, the relation between this amount and the current deficit, 
 which is the excess of such a debt over the assets applicable to its 
 reduction, is not determinable for the reason that there are no re¬ 
 cords from which such information could be gathered without 
 considerable labor. It is fair, however, to assume that the bond 
 issue was at least sufficient to refund the entire deficit. 
 
 I7otwithstanding this, at the time of the inauguration of the 
 Commission, six years later, the financial statement disclosed a 
 deficit of $01,000. By February 29th, 1912, under Commission 
 Government, it had decreased to $37,000, and by February 28th, . 
 
 1913, the end of the last fiscal year it had further decreased to 
 $12,000. At this rate it is fair to assume that the deficit will no 
 longer exist at the end of the present fiscal year, February 2Sth, 
 
 1914. ' 
 
 For the purpose of comparison let us form a hypothesis as to 
 the state of the deficit under C'ouncilmanic Government at Febru¬ 
 ary 28th, 1914. We find that from October, 1904, to August, 
 1911, a deficit of $61,000, or at the rate of $8,800 a year, had 
 been incurred. If we assume that the deficit would have increased 
 all the same rate to February 28th, 1914, the amount would bo 
 approximately $84,000. If at this date the administration de¬ 
 sired to issue bonds to make good the amount and the same class 
 of bonds were issued as in 1904 we would find the city obligated 
 
 to pay: 
 
 Principal of bonds. .. .. $84,000 
 
 Interest for 30 years at 4 per cent. 100,800 
 
 Or a total of.$184,800 
 
 an expense which the Commission has made unnecessary. 
 
 Itemized Savings. 
 
 The city’s financial statements are now model and each Depart 
 ment is furnished with a statement of assets and liabilities and in- 
 
 8 
 
come and expenditures, monthly. It is easy to understand that 
 with this information constantly available no excuse exists for a 
 recurrence of old conditioijs. 
 
 The income for the year ending February 28th, 1913, waa 
 $26,000 more than the expenses. The expenses for the last four 
 years prior to Commission Government had increased at an average 
 of $66,000 each year. Expense of last year immediately prior to 
 Commission Government’s adoption showed $102,000 increase 
 while the first complete year of Commission Government showed 
 decrease of over $4,000 under the year prior. 
 
 On official advertising and city printing we have saved approxi* 
 mately $10,000 a year. Other savings, that have been realized by 
 the policy of retrenchment which the Commission is following, are: 
 
 Pumping Station, salary saving. $4,375 60 
 
 City Hall, salary saving. 1,807 48 
 
 Municipal Parks, salary saving.. 1,500 00 
 
 Public Properties, savings in purchasing 
 
 coal supply. ... . . . 5,256 00 
 
 Tax Office, salary saving.. . 2,400 00 
 
 Treasurer’s Office, salary saving. 2,100 00 
 
 Assessor’s Office, salary saving. 3,300 00 
 
 Cbmptroller’s Office, salary saving.. . 1,200 00 
 
 Water Department, salary saving. 4,800 00 
 
 Street Department, saving on cost of work. . 15,000 00 
 Cost of repairing asphalt streets reduced from 
 
 $1.50 to .97 cents a square yard. 
 
 Cleaning Streets, salary saving. . 4,700 00 
 
 Overseer of Poor maintenance saving. 1,000 00 
 
 Elections .. .. 5,000 00 
 
 Legal Department, saving of fees. . . .. 4,500 00 
 
 Almshouse, maintenance saving. 6,000 00 
 
 License Tags ..... .. 500 00 
 
 City Clerk, salary saving. 1,000 00 
 
 Abolition of Fees. ... 1,000 00 
 
 Police Courts, salary saving. 1,600 00 
 
 Saving in Drugs.. 723 00 
 
 Garbage and Ashes Dept., salary saving. . . 1,200 00 
 
 Board of Health, salary saving. 400 00 
 
 Police Department, salary saving. 2,500 00 
 
 Fire Department, salary saving.. 1,700 00 
 
 ( The savings made in the Police and Fire Departments are ex¬ 
 clusive of the salaries of the members of the Departments "which 
 
 9 
 
are fixed by State law that provides for a mandatory increase 
 
 until a certain maximum is reached.) 
 
 Excise Department, salary saving. 1,500 
 
 Saving in Dog Catcher’s fees. 1,316 
 
 Departmental Elxpenditures. 
 
 f 
 
 The Department of Public Affairs for the fiscal year ending Feb¬ 
 ruary 28th, 1913, showed a decrease in expenditures under the 
 previous fiscal year of $15,542.75 or 18.18 per cent. This De¬ 
 partment for three years previous had shown an average yearly 
 increase of $10,509.42 or 19.15 per cent. 
 
 The Department of Revenue and Finance for the same period 
 showed a decrease of $5,508.19 or .64 per cent., while the average 
 yearly increase of this Department for the three previous years was 
 $5,164.26 or 7.58 per cent. 
 
 The Department of Parks and Public Properties also made a 
 substantial decrease in expenditures during the past fiscal year 
 amounting to $3,330.10 or 2.78 per cent. The average • yearly 
 increase of this department for the previous three years was 9.57 
 per cent, or $9,319.85. 
 
 The Department of Public Safety showed an increase in expen¬ 
 ditures during the past fiscal year of $14,536.67 or 4.09. This 
 increase, however, is entirely unavoidable because of the increases 
 in policemen and firemen’s salaries made mandatory by enactments 
 of the State Legislature. This Department has made remarkable 
 progress and is one of the best attestations to the superiority of 
 Commission Government. The increase during the past year is 
 entirely overshadowed when compared to the average increase that 
 was shown during the three previous years. During that period 
 the Department showed an annual increase of $20,109.02 or 6.57 
 per cent. 
 
 The Department of Streets and Public Imrpovements also showed 
 an increase in expenditures amounting to $467.07 or .42 which is 
 explained by the fact that Commission Government became opera¬ 
 tive at a time when many of the guarantees on street pavements 
 were just expiring and this Department was under an unusually 
 large expense in repairing these pavements. Convincing proof of 
 the economic policy that is being pursued in the Department of 
 Streets is shovm by the fact that the average yearly increase for 
 the three years previous was $11,483.18 or 14.55 per cent. 
 
 lO 
 
City’s Assets and Liabilities. 
 
 On February 28th, 1913, the city’s capital assets, exclusive of 
 those of The Trenton Water Works, as shown by the report of the 
 Director of Revenue and Finance, amounted to $10,179,128.98, 
 
 The assets were divided as follows: 
 
 Fixed Properties. $6,010,246 63 
 
 Equipment, Furniture, Tools, supplies, etc. 667,494 54 
 
 Cost of Uncompleted Improvements. 255,389 25 
 
 Assessments Outstanding . 443,471 85 
 
 Sewer Spread Assessments in Suspense. 253,895 64 
 
 Assessments Unlevied . 604,887 53 
 
 Street Improvement Assessments (City’s Share).. 193,934 27 
 
 Cash on hand and in Bank. .. 111,274 50 
 
 Cash, School Improvement Fund. 16,460 19 
 
 Sinking Fund, Cash and Investments. 1,722,074 58 
 
 $10,179,128 98 
 
 The city’s liabilities, as shown by the report, excluding the Tren¬ 
 ton Water Works, amounted, on February 28th, 1913, to 
 $5,573,794.47, as follows: 
 
 Bonded Indebtedness. $5,172,310 00 
 
 Temporary Improvement Certificates. 189,100 00 
 
 Stamped Warrants, for Street Improvements. . . . 151,670 01 
 
 Accounts Payable. 8,009 55 
 
 Reserves . 21,790 00 
 
 Advances from General Fund. . . .. 30,914 91 
 
 $5,573,794 47 
 
 Capital Surplus.. 4,605,334 51 
 
 $10,179,128 98 
 
 Financial Condition of Water Department. 
 
 The following condensed statement shows the financial condition 
 of the Trenton Water Works wliich is owned by the City: 
 
 Fixed Properties and Equipment.. . $2,019,366 69 
 
 Sinking Fund .. 452,423 53 
 
 Accounts Receivable . .. .. 10,492 70 
 
 i 
 
 11 
 
Cash 
 
 7,170 98 
 
 Total .-$2,489,453 90 
 
 Less Bonds Outstanding. 945,500 00 
 
 Surplus . $1,543,953 90 
 
 Business Supersedes Politics. 
 
 To enumerate the many improvements and accomplishments 
 that have been witnessed in Trenton under Commission govern¬ 
 ment administration, aside from the financial curtailments, would 
 be bordering on the impossible. We have witnessed the destruction 
 of partisan politics in the deliberations of our governing body, not 
 one partisan vote having been taken during the two years of its 
 existence, and this in face of the fact that the Commission Com¬ 
 prises three Democrats and two Bepublicans. 
 
 During our administration we will erect and put into operation 
 a filtration plant, costing approximately one-half million dollars 
 and will have plans designed and probably commence actual work 
 on the construction of a sewage disposal plant and garbage incin¬ 
 erating plant, the latter to supersede our present Crematory. 
 We have also provided for two new fire stations, twenty-five addi¬ 
 tional policemen, improved streets, better lighting facilities, in¬ 
 creased park territory, harbor facilities and many other improve¬ 
 ments. 
 
 The filtration plant, the building of which the old Common 
 Council avoided for years, is now in course of construction and 
 will be completed at a saving of $5,000 per million gallons. With 
 30,000,000 gallons capacity, which this plant will have, a saving 
 of $150,000 will result as compared with the cost of similar plants 
 at Grand Rapids, ISTew Orleans and Montreal. 
 
 We have also arranged to increase our parking spaces and re¬ 
 creation centres by additional land deeded to the city by the Penn¬ 
 sylvania Railroad Company and other water front properties that 
 have been secured. Under contemplated plans, there will be when 
 completed a continuous park bordering the Assanpink Creek which 
 runs nearly the entire length of the city and out into the adjacent 
 country for a distance of five or six miles. Besides, in conjunc¬ 
 tion with the State of R^ew Jersey, we are developing a spacious 
 park of 47 .acres in the rear of the State Capitol which will extend 
 along our water front. 
 
 As the result of the deepening of the Delaware River in front 
 of Trenton which stream will then be navigable from Philadelphia 
 
 12 
 
up to our city, we will secure over 500,000 cubic yards of 
 dredged material that we have already planned to utilize in various 
 ways. The material will he used as for a levee in connection 
 with the proposed sewage disposal plant; also for the filling in of 
 lowlands in the southern section of the city, along the river, where 
 we intend to establish a beautiful park. A new street is planned 
 along the river in the southern part of the city that will lead from 
 the docks to the very heart of Trenton and which will be a valuable 
 outlet for our manufacturers and business houses who will use the 
 Delaware Diver for their shipments. ■ 
 
 Standards of Efficiency Increased. 
 
 In the line of efficiency we can point to the devoted subordinate 
 who devotes his entire time to the conduct of his office and who is 
 to be found at his desk on every working day from 9 A. M. to 5 P. 
 M. Other marks of the efficient manner in which our city is be¬ 
 ing operated lies in the abolition of all salaried boards, the instal¬ 
 lation of a modern system of accounting, open meetings for the 
 transaction of public business and a business-like method of pur¬ 
 chasing supplies. 
 
 The Commission is about to give some attention to taxation, and, 
 if possible, ascertain new legal sources of revenue. The Mayor 
 has suggested the employment of ^Tax ferrets’’ to delve into the 
 records of the tax ^^dodger,” who habitually swears off his personal 
 taxes, with the result that the city annually loses several hundreds 
 of thousands of dollars to which it is justly entitled. 
 
 We have secured improved trolley service for our citizens by 
 making the trolley companies live up to the provisions of their 
 franchises, and are endeavoring to bring about amicably a system 
 of inter-line transfers whereby passengers can be transferred from 
 one line to another, at designated junctions. 
 
 Our Water Department has been made self-supporting and dur¬ 
 ing the first year new mains to the extent- of $70,000 were con¬ 
 structed and paid for from the revenue of the office. 
 
 Our Street Department is in better condition than at any 
 time in the city’s history. We have eliminated patented pavements 
 and are giving out the work under open specifications 
 and alternative competitive bidding. Dearly $200,000 of 
 street paving work has been done by the Department un¬ 
 der Commission rule, at an approximate saving of $20,000. 
 We have our own street repair plant, and have secured 
 the services of a chemist, who analyzes the material for 
 street work before, it is accepted. Our streets are kept in a 
 
 13 
 
cleaner condition at smaller cost. The police, besides being tbe 
 guardians of peace and order, also act as street and garbage in¬ 
 spectors, and report boles in streets, poor sidewalks, and all pave¬ 
 ments that are in need of repair. One Police Judge and Clerk 
 no^v do tbe work of two Judges and two clerks at a great saving 
 and more efficiency. 
 
 The city’s lighting facilities have been increased and improved 
 by the introducton of circuit lights in the business centre that 
 form the nucleus of a ^^white way.” It is our policy to make 
 Trenton one of tbe best lighted cities in tbe East. 
 
 Million Dollar Bond Issue for Permanent Improvements. 
 
 Since taking office nearly $1,000,000 worth of bonds have been 
 issued for peimianent improvements to city property. This in¬ 
 cludes new schools, paving and repaving of streets, new^ streets 
 a retaining w^all along tbe Delaware Piver, and improvements 
 to tbe Police and Fire Department. Under our administration tbe 
 salaries of tbe school teachers of Trenton have been increased by 
 a total of $20,000, which applies exclusively to grade teachers. 
 About 350 teachers are benefitted. 
 
 An excise policy of limiting the number of saloons in Trenton 
 to one for every 500 of population was adopted by the Board of 
 Commissioners. We also voted an increase of $50.00 in the retail 
 and $100.00 in wholesale license fee, which already has shown a 
 tendency to elevate the traffic. The character of an applicant for 
 license is thoroughly investigated under our new policy, and excise 
 laws and regulations are rigidly enforced. 
 
 An Excise Detective, who investigates all character of license*} 
 is another innovation. 
 
 A substantial reduction in yearly expenses has been effected 
 in the City Clerk’s office by the abolition of all fees for officials, 
 who now work on a salary basis. 
 
 New Source of Revenue. 
 
 Through the recent efforts of the Director of Streets and Public 
 Improvements the city’s revenue has sustained a substantial an¬ 
 nual increase. For years past Trenton has been supplying the 
 surrounding townships with fire plugs for an annual rental, hut 
 under Councilmanic regime the collection was never enforced. 
 The Director of Streets has effected a compromise with the Town¬ 
 ship of Hamilton for the payment of approximately $2,200 for 
 arrearages and a new contract has been made by which the town- 
 
ship will pay the city $10 per year for each connection. As there 
 are over three hundred fire plugs in Hamilton Township, the city’s 
 revenue will be increased over $3,000 from this source alone. Ne¬ 
 gotiations are now under way for the arrangement of similar con¬ 
 tracts wdth the other townships in Mercer County that are using 
 the' city’s fire plug connections. 
 
 One of the most remarkable displays of the effectiveness of 
 Commmission Government is to be seen in the office of the City 
 Sealer of Weights and Measures. During the eighteen months 
 of his administration this ofificial has tested 25,307 different 
 weights and measures and has made periodical visits to every 
 itore, firm and business house in Treiiton that use any character 
 j)f weights or measures. He has condemned and confiscated 2,248 
 articles that did not measure up to the required standards, a great 
 nmnber of which are on exhibit at his offices in the municipal 
 building. He has also hailed all offenders into the local 
 police court on charges of using short weights. His persistency 
 and never failing vigilance have had the effect of breaking up a 
 pernicious habit that was formerly allowed to exist in Trenton to 
 the detriment of the house wives and the public in general. 
 
 Indigent Settlement. 
 
 The Mayor is now considering plans for the formation 
 of an Indigent Settlement by which we will secure the centrali¬ 
 zation of all public charities. The plan under discussion con¬ 
 templates the erection of a new Almshouse on land adjacent to 
 the site of the present Municipal and Tuberculosis Hospitals. The 
 Mayor has suggested that the present Almshouse wdiich has out¬ 
 lived its usefulness, be abandoned and the site utilized for the 
 erection of a new High School. 
 
 Under the Direction of the Tuberculosis and Sanitation League, 
 we are giving considerable study to tuberculosis and during the 
 past summer conducted an open air camp at Neptune Heights, 
 where anemic children of Trenton were given the benefits of pure 
 air, proper exercise, rest and food. Public lectures on Tubercu¬ 
 losis, under the direction of the league, are given at stated inter¬ 
 vals for the benefit and instruction of our townspeople.’ 
 
 The old Almshouse has been improved, a City Dispensary has 
 been established in the Municipal Building, and a Dental Clinic 
 is in operation in the same building. We have three City Physi¬ 
 cians, a competent nurse, and a splendid medical equipment to 
 care for the indigent. Our Tuberculosis Hospital is one of tho 
 best of its kind in the State. 
 
 15 
 
Summary of Accomplishments. 
 
 In a brief summary of some of the improvements that have 
 resulted in Trenton under Commission rule, can be included: 
 
 (1) Over 48,000 feet of water pipe have been cleaned during 
 the past year, and the balance of the mains will be treated likewise 
 before the new filtration plant is put in operation. This work 
 will cost approximately $25,000. 
 
 (2) Unsightly telegraph and telephone poles have been removed 
 from our principal streets. 
 
 (3) Appropriation for School of Industrial Arts has been in¬ 
 creased to enable the institution of day classes. 
 
 (4) Abolition of all boards except School and Library Boards, 
 both of which are non-salaried bodies. The Board of School Esti¬ 
 mates consists of three members of the City Commission and two 
 members of the Board of Education. 
 
 (5) Many new miles of sidewalks and the extension of many 
 streets. 
 
 (6) Careful supervision in the laying out of new streets to con¬ 
 form with the established building line. 
 
 (7) Ordinances to insure the proper clearance on public side¬ 
 walks prohibiting sidewalk displays beyond a certain limit. 
 
 (8) Plan being prepared for development of a park system 
 along Dela'ware Biver on city’s front. 
 
 (9) Tuberculosis Clinic and modem Dispensary have been es¬ 
 tablished in the Municipal building. 
 
 (10) How acquiring land both by purchase and condemnation 
 for proposed municipal docks. 
 
 (11) Closer supervision of alleys and repairing of same. 
 
 (12) Many miles of new sewers and drains have been built. 
 
 (13) Ordinance passed setting standard of ice to be sold in the 
 city to insure consumers against impurities of ice taken from pol¬ 
 luted ponds, lakes, etc. Also a new trafiic ordinance and plumbing 
 
 . code have been adopted. 
 
 (14) Many miles of new street pavements have been laid and 
 many more miles of existing pavements repaired. We took office 
 just at a time when a number of guarantees on street pavements 
 had expired, which increased our expenses for street work. 
 
 (15) Theatres and moving picture houses are kept under closer 
 surveillence than ever before. 
 
 (IG) All city bills are now paid promptly and the city’s busi¬ 
 ness is transacted with greater expedition than formerly. 
 
 (17) Open air school rooms for the express benefit of the chil- 
 
dren whom the medical authorities of the schools decide axe in 
 need of fresh air treatment. 
 
 (18) Our Municipal and Tuberculosis Hospitals have been 
 greatly improved. 
 
 (19) Besides adding two new companies to our Fire Depart¬ 
 ment, we have purchased several new fire engines, a new truck 
 and other equipment. 
 
 (20) The Poor Department has installed a new system of re¬ 
 cording its cases, and an extra clerk has been provided. Holwith- 
 standing these additional expenes the Department has effected a 
 saving in maintenance and operating expenses. 
 
 (21) The police ofiicers are instructed to keep a vigilant look¬ 
 out for dog-owners and venders, who seek to defraud the city by 
 not obtaining the required license. In this way the city’s reve¬ 
 nues have been increased several thousands of dollars. 
 
 (22) In order to prevent unnecessary consumption of our water 
 supply, water meters have been installed in factories and manufac¬ 
 turing plants, hotels and other large buildings, with favorable re¬ 
 sults. 
 
 (23) A municipal garage has been established where all the 
 automobiles used by the various departments of the government 
 are housed. Several automobiles have been bought by the city 
 to increase the efficiency of the service. These machines also save 
 the employment of additional subordinates. 
 
 (24) Our Health Department has been increased, both numer¬ 
 ically and in point of efficiency, by the addition of a dairy 
 inspector, and other employees, who give attention to health and 
 sanitary matters. 
 
 (25) Under Commission Government the standard of public 
 morals in Trenton has been materially raised. All city ordinances 
 and State laws are rigidly enforced and the freedomi of policemen 
 and firemen from the political yoke that formerly encompassed 
 them has unquestionably made Trenton a better city from every 
 viewpoint. 
 
 Concessions Gained from Pennsylvania Railroad. 
 
 As the result of a controversy, back in the summer of 1912, be¬ 
 tween the Mayor and the Pennsylvania Bailroad Company, over 
 the location of a bridge the company proposes to place across the 
 Delaware Biver, the city gained the following valuable concessions: 
 
 (a) The proposed bridge over the Delaware that was 
 to have been built one mile below the present bridge and 
 
thus bottle up the Trenton Harbor will now be located at 
 nearly an additional mile further down the river, thus 
 giving the city two miles of docking grounds for pres¬ 
 ent and future development. 
 
 (h) The Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed to 
 replace 12 of its old bridges over the canal and feeder by 
 new steel bridges of ornamental design and entirely ade¬ 
 quate to accommodate the traffic of the city. 
 
 (c) The Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed to 
 immediately relieve the congestion at Prospect Street, by 
 the erection of such a bridge as will meet with approval 
 of the residents of that vicinity, and thus end the long 
 protest as to danger and inconvenience at that point. 
 
 (d) The Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed to 
 equip the bridge over the canal at South Broad Street 
 with a power plant to facilitate traffic there. 
 
 (e) The Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed not 
 to oppose the condemnation proceedings that have been 
 started to acquire land along the Delaware River for the 
 purpose of harbor development. 
 
 (/) The Pennsylvania Railroad agi'eed to sell to the 
 city of Trenton at a fair price, various tracts of land 
 along the Assanpink Creek, north of State Street, 
 needed for park purposes. 
 
 (g) The Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed to 
 give to the city of Trenton its rights to the bed of the As¬ 
 sanpink Creek from Clinton Street to the Delaware 
 River. 
 
 (/i) To erect safety gates at all railroad and canal 
 crossings for the protection of life and limb. 
 
 In addition to the above the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 Company asserted its willingness to co-operate with 
 the Mayor and the City Commissioners in any improve¬ 
 ments that would be of mutual advantage. This agree¬ 
 ment facilitates the opening of negotiations for a new 
 freight station and passenger station, and other improve¬ 
 ments that Trenton will shortly receive. • 
 
 During the present Winter the Railroad Company will 
 construct a new ornamental street wide brid^re at the 
 State Street dossing. This bridge will be built wide 
 enough to allow eastward and westward trolley and ve¬ 
 hicular traffic to pass at the same time. The Company 
 will also beautify its surroundings in the vicinity of the 
 bridge. 
 
 i8 
 
Page after page could be devoted to our accomplishments and 
 T’esults under Commission Government. But this is unnecessary. 
 Commission Government has come to stay, not only in Trenton, 
 but in every municipality that has adopted it. Convincing proof 
 of this rests in the fact that over three hundred American cities— 
 of all sizes and descriptions—^have forsaken their old system of 
 government for the Commission form, and in not a single instance 
 has a city reverted to its former antiquated rule. 
 
 Personnel of Commission. 
 
 Numerous inquiries are made as to the character and calibre 
 of men who were chosen by the people of Trenton toi administer 
 city affairs under its Commission charter. The five men who are 
 holding Commissionerships at the present time were elected from 
 a field of sixty-seven candidates, who filed petitions at the pri¬ 
 maries. All of them have had wide experience in business and 
 public life. Poliowing the election, the Commissioners met and 
 decided upon Frederick W. Donnelly as Mayor. 
 
 Mayor Donnelly has been a retail merchant for years and is 
 head of the Frederick W. Donnelly Clothing Company. For a 
 long period he has taken an active interest in waterways and other 
 public movements. At the present time he is President of the New 
 Jersey Ship Canal Commission; President of the Trenton-Phila- 
 delphia Waterways’Association; Vice-President of the National 
 Eivers and Harbors Congress; Vice-President and one of the char¬ 
 ter members of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Association, all cf 
 which projects Trenton is vitally interested in. The Mayor is 
 President of the Mercer County Tuberculosis and Sanitation 
 League and is also President of the Mayors’ Society of New Jer¬ 
 sey. For years he has been actively engaged in the project for a 
 deeper channel in the Delaware Fiver between Trenton and Phil¬ 
 adelphia, for which the National Government has appropriated 
 over one-half million dollars and for which we are now acquiring 
 land for the purpose of building municipal docks to meet this im¬ 
 provement. 
 
 The Department of Public Affairs, which is supervised by 
 Mayor Donnelly, includes the following departmental heads: City 
 Clerk, City Counsel, City Attorney, Overseer of Poor, Steward 
 of Almshouse, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Supervisor of 
 Municipal-Tuberculosis Hospital and City Physicians. 
 
 Commissioner Edward W. Lee has been in the public service 
 for many years. He is an accountant of recognized ability and at 
 
 19 
 
the time of his election as City Commissioner he was City Comp¬ 
 troller. He is an expert in municipal financing. 
 
 Mr. Lee, as Director of Kevenue and Finance, has in his De¬ 
 partment the City Treasurer, City Comptroller (in which capac¬ 
 ity he serves, himself), Keceiver of Taxes, Secretary and clerical 
 force of Water Office, Board of Assessors and Delinquent Tax 
 Collector. 
 
 Commissioner George B. LaBarre, because of his long service 
 in public life, is regarded as an authority on municipal laws and 
 governmental matters in general. He was formerly engaged in 
 the real estate and insurance business. Years ago he was clerk 
 to the old Board of Works. He has served the city as a member 
 of Common Council, as Police Commissioner and as City Assessor, 
 filling the latter office at the time of his election as Commissioner. 
 
 As Director of Public Safety, Mr. LaBarre has control over the 
 Police Department, Fire Department, City Crematory, Municipal 
 Police Courts, Building Inspector, Health Department, Sanitary 
 Inspectors, Meat Inspector, Excise Inspector, Plumbing Inspec¬ 
 tor, Dairy Inspector and Milk Inspector. 
 
 Commissioner J. Ridgway Fell, at the time of his election, was 
 in the real estate and insurance business, with which he still main¬ 
 tains his connection. He is a graduate of the engineering de¬ 
 partment of Rutgers College, and served as City Engineer under 
 the old Board of Works. He has had extensive experience in his 
 profession. 
 
 The Department of Streets and Public Improvements of which 
 Mr. Fell is the administrative head is composed of the following 
 branches of the municipal government. Superintendent of Streets 
 Engineer of Streets, Engineer of Sewers and Water, Superinten¬ 
 dent of Sewer Maintenance, Superintendent of Water Depart¬ 
 ment and City Chemist. 
 
 Cbmmissioner William F. Burk was Street Commissioner of 
 Trenton, at the time of his election Previous to that time he had 
 served in the General Assembly of the State of ISTew Jersey and 
 was also a member of Common Council. 
 
 As Director of Parks and Public Buildings, Mr. Burk has sup- 
 visory powers over Cadwalader Park, Monument Park, Tenth 
 Ward Park and all public recreation centres and playgrounds in 
 the city. He is also in charge of the City Hall, Pumping Station, 
 and other public buildings owned and operated by the city. 
 
 20 
 
Smith Press