USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume II > Part 52
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During 1896 considerable legislation for the benefit of Cook county was secured. All measures advocated were not passed, but the Legislature showed a disposition to aid the county so far as its wants were clearly, wisely, frankly and urgently made known. Bills in more or less satisfactory forms, regulating fee offices and revenues and reorganizing the jury system, were passed. Under them there was established a new jury commission with power to audit the pay- roll accounts of fee officers. The board and the newspapers during 1896 deserved great credit for securing desired reforms in revenue measures. The existing method of taxation and assessment was en- tirely reformed, but in the end did not wholly meet the requirements.
In 1896 the equalized valuation of taxable property in Cook county was fixed at $272,920,117. This furnished a revenue of $2,046,900. This amount, together with receipts from other sources, furnished a total revenue for all purposes of $3,246,900. Under the new assess- ment system the total valuation was reduced more than $10,000,000, leaving the county assessed a less sum than for a decade before. This necessitated the severest economy in the management of county af- fairs. It was seen at the outset that the receipts for 1898 would be less than those of 1897 by nearly $100,000. In 1886 the total lia- bilities of the county amounted to $6,154,520.37. In 1897 the total excess showed that from 1886 to 1897 county affairs were success- fully managed, and in addition a saving of $4,283,520.37 was effect- ed. It was also shown that in 1886 the annual interest paid by the county was $254,882, and in 1897 was reduced to $161,500 annually. President Healy summed up the situation of the county at this time in the following language: "The showing as to liabilities is such as to warrant the statement that if the County Board should take its general fund, which is the amount of bank account saved during the ten years, for the purpose of paying for bonds, there would be but the old indebtedness created prior to the constitution of 1870 out- standing on the debit side of the ledger. This is a condition-not a theory-to which I respectfully call the attention of your honorable body and invite the thought and consideration of the public." An
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important fact duly considered was that the system of constantly refunding old bonds had effected an enormous annual saving to the county.
During 1897 the various county departments were well and ably conducted. The institutions at Dunning were in excellent condition. The county agent's office was the pride of the County Board. The superintendent of public service accomplished additional improve- ments and reforms in every detail of his department. All depart- ments of the county showed substantial saving over previous years. Repairs, decorations, insurance, fire-fighting apparatus, improved grounds, surroundings, sanitation, harmony and happiness took the place of the old wretched condition of public doubt, defalcations, ras- cality, stupidity and shame.
In the fall of 1898 Daniel D. Healy, president of the County Board, favored a constitutional convention that would give Chicago a new charter divorcing the rural towns of Cook county from the city and making the latter coextensive with the county. He did not advocate the extinguishment of the county government, but merely favored the territorial coincidence of city and county, the annulment of all unnecessary offices and expenses, and the separation from the county of such towns as did not like the arrangement. His plan was so revolutionary that it encountered both opposition and suspicion. The main object was to decrease public expense by so arranging the local government as to do away with all but one tax levying power. At this date (1898) the county revenues including the parks, schools, city, county, towns and drainage taxes and the revenues from fees and licenses aggregated over $30,000,000 each year, the most of which under the then existing systems was frittered away without adequate return in clean streets and good government. For many years each party had claimed that the election of its nominee meant civic efficiency and honesty, but in the end the elections invariably meant otherwise. The difficulty was with the system and not with the men elected to office. The mayors elected had generally been incorruptible. There had been an honest effort in every department to give clean and satisfactory service. But neither the corrupt nor the honest could change the complicated, cumbersome and objection- able lack of system that had been handed down as a stumbling block heritage from the infancy and childhood of the county and city gov- ernments. Controller Wetherell, whose honesty was never ques- tioned, declared that he was unable to conduct the financial business of the city as prescribed by law. Mr. Healy's plan was to change chaos and complication to system and simplicity in both city and county affairs. He insisted that with an income of $30,000,000 there was no valid reason why the streets should not be cleaned and lighted, the parks be opened, the police be properly supported, the schools be efficiently conducted, the water supply be rendered ade- quate and pure, the drainage canal be completed, the sewerage system
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be rendered perfect, and all institutions be suitably maintained. Enormous expense could be saved by uniting under one centralized head the then existing seventeen taxing bodies of the county. Hon- esty was not the only desideratum. City and county needed consol- idation of local powers; safeguards upon expenditures; centralized government ; a system that would balance books every night; a cer- tain plan that would stop leaks and waste; the abolition within the city limits of county and township governments with their clerks, collectors, supervisors and town boards; the establishment of one department of collection ; the parks placed under a department of the city ; the schools to constitute another department of the city; the same of the drainage board and county institutions; the legislative functions of the city government to be placed in the hands of a coun- cil composed of two branches like the Legislature; all assessments to be another department ; the upper branch of the city government to be elected by districts and the lower by wards; the councilmen of both branches to be paid and made to work. The plan proposed by Mr. Healy, though revolutionary, was the most cohesive and feasible ever presented to the public of Cook county. It holds just as good in 1909 as in 1898. The Tribune alleged that Mr. Healy had on hand at that time two great schemes : One to crowd the city out of the city hall building and out of its right to occupy one-half of the public square for the inadequate sum of $1,000,000, and the other as above described. The paper argued that little was to be gained by such a revolution. It believed that taxes would be increased, that decentral- ization could be carried too far as well as centralization; that the council, if unfaithful in a few things, would be more unfaithful in the many duties of the proposed system. It declared openly that neither the council nor the County Board had always been honest; that the school management had been criminally lax and extravagant ; that the park boards had not been immaculate; that the Drainage Board had been suspected, and that therefore corruption under the larger power proposed by Mr. Healy would not only not be eradicated, but increased corruption might be expected. The Tribune, however, did not seem to consider duly that the proposed new form of government was patterned after that of the United States and that of the several states with their House, Senate and Executive to severally watch each other. Therein safety and purity reposed. Even upon the hypothe- sis that nearly all men are dishonest, the more there are of them in positions of responsibility the greater chance that one honest one will be found to check corruption. It is rare that all of any large body of men are dishonest. The honest ones, by public outcry, can always stir the people to prevent corruption. With two large coordinate bodies to watch each other, and an executive, usually honest, to exer- cise the veto power, corruption can be reduced to a minimum.
On December 5, 1898, President James C. Irwin of the County Board said: "Although we receive the charge of the County Board
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at a time when its affairs are in a condition of the highest excellence, when its finances are in perfect order and its institutions are in a splendid state of equipment and management, we have at the same - time our work cut out for us in disposing of new problems and in continuing the satisfactory course that has marked the past four years of the county history. Our predecessors have been wise, careful, economical, far-seeing, prudent and businesslike." He stated that the County Board was confronted with two horns of a dilemma. First, to continue the policy of supplying the growing demands of the pub- lic charities and second to supply the necessary funds to operate prop- erly the new departments added to the county budget by recent legis- lative acts. He said, "The county revenues for the next year have been seriously reduced by the failure of the local assessors and the State Board of Equalization to provide sufficient valuation upon which to base the appropriation bills. It will require genuine finan- cial talent on your part, as well as the most conservative management on the part of the executive department, in order to prevent the issue of scrip during the coming year."
For the fiscal year ending December, 1899, the total valuation upon which the assessment was made was $249,775,351. Under the law this assessment enabled the board to realize a revenue of $1,875,315. All other resources increased the revenue to a working total of $3,085,315. This sum was $79,248 less than the revenue for the pre- ceding year. It was realized that the expenditures of the previous year were augmented by the expenses of the new departments of Boards of Review and Assessors, the Jury Commission, etc., in the face of a less revenue. It was realized that in all probability to be more than self-sustaining could not be expected from the fee offices. The amounts required by the Boards of Assessors and Review and the Jury Commission could not be forecast with accuracy. While the bill was pending at Springfield the estimates of such expenses were fixed at $250,000 a year. However, as it was the first year of the experiment the expense, it was thought, might considerably ex- ceed that amount. The original cost of setting up the plants would have to be sustained, and unlooked for expense in getting started would have to be met. It was to be presumed that after 1898-99 the Boards of Review and Assessors would so increase the valuation as to cover these additional expenses, but this step could not be ex- pected the first year of the existence of those departments. In the meantime the Board of Commissioners faced the dilemma of meeting a larger expenditure with less revenue. It was thought that appro- priations for several of the departments might be reduced, and there- fore possibly as high as $100,000 could be gained for emergency ex- penses.
It was realized that any cut in the amount expended by the hospital service would be neither wise nor practicable. In view of all the cir- cumstances it was thought that the total tax levy for 1898 would be
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$1,873,315 against $1,952,563 for 1897. It was believed best that instead of adopting a sweeping reduction in salaries and supplies it would be wiser to adopt rigid business methods of economy and ex- penditure. The Legislature was asked to relieve the situation in Cook county by cutting off expenses paid to certain institutions which should be paid by the state, as for instance the industrial schools, dieting persons at the House of Correction, the care of inmates of state institutions, and sums spent on the jury commissions-all ag- gregating a total of about $95,900. It was believed that the expenses for the industrial schools, the asylums for children and for the adult insane, etc., were improperly fastened upon Cook county. It was further thought that the city of Chicago should pay the cost of main- taining the House of Correction, as it was almost wholly a city insti- tution. It was recommended by the president of the board that due attention should be paid to proceedings that would secure necessary changes in the laws affecting the varied interests of Cook county. It was recommended that the present courthouse and county building should be enlarged. This was a matter that had been previously con- sidered by the board, but soon it was realized some definite action must be taken. Several persons advocated two stories built on the top of the existing courthouse, and others advocated an entirely new building. Already the county at great expense was renting rooms outside of the county building. The president recommended the ap- pointment of a special committee on legislation, whose duty it should be to give impetus and finality to the request of the County Board upon the Legislature. He further recommended that the people should favor a constitutional convention that would give to Cook county reforms so sadly and steadily needed and so unlikely to be ob- tained from the Legislature. He also favored the introduction of civil service into the rules of the county hospital. The regulation of the appointment, services and conduct of internes for the hospital were duly considered. A consumptives' hospital was demanded and projected at this date. In December, 1899, the committee on finance reported that in order to meet the current expenses it would be neces- sary to raise by taxation the sum of $2,616,100. In addition, there should be levied $75,000 to meet interest on the old indebtedness and $233,900 to be levied for payment of principal and interest on the new debt.
In his address of December 4, 1899, President James C. Irwin stated that the year 1899, though filled with exacting difficulties, was successfully passed by the County Board. It was noted that the new law concerning assessments added a considerable sum to the fixed expenses of the county and that had it not been for the ex- cellent condition in which the county finances were placed, and had not the administration during 1899 been conducted thoroughly ac- cording to business principles, the board might not have so suc- cessfully passed all obstacles. In passing the new revenue law the Vol. II-31.
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Legislature failed to make provision for its maintenance, which burden thereupon fell to the lot of Cook county. The same was true of the new primary law. Notwithstanding all the obstacles the County Board grumbled not, but paid all obligations and at the end of the year made an excellent business showing. In order to ac- complish this, however, the board found it necessary to eliminate the building fund, to reduce greatly the contingent fund, and to curtail to the minimum the ordinary running expenses of the county offices and institutions. The Boards of Assessors and Review cost over $279,000. As there was a decrease of over $100,000 in reve- nue over that of the previous year, making a total of over $385,000 to be met in 1899, and in addition as the receipts fell short about $300,000, it was highly to the credit of the board that all depart- ments were carried on successfully, satisfactorily, efficiently and honestly throughout the whole year. However, it was recognized by everybody posted on county affairs that additional revenue was absolutely necessary, owing to the fact that expenditures were greatly increased and that only the strictest economy had enabled the board to weather the gale during the past few years. Various items in 1900 increased the expenditures by about $500,000.
At the end of 1899 the total bonded indebtedness, old and new, amounted to $3,766,000. During the year there was paid of the bonded indebtedness nearly $200,000 in principal and interest. The County Board also refunded the $750,000 courthouse bonds at 4 per cent instead of 5 per cent as before. All of the county institu- tions were admirably conducted and all kept within the reduced appropriations for salaries and supplies. The county agent accom- plished better results than ever before with less revenue. With only $110,000 he relieved a total of 36,138 families, of whom 4,946 were those of grand army veterans under the Bogardus law. The county hospital admitted 20,202 patients, and at the Detention hospital 2,229 cases were disposed of. Of the latter, 1,470 were insane and 659 were dependent children. At Dunning the institutions were likewise excellently conducted. The consumptive's hospital rec- ords showed 940 patients admitted and 470 discharged. The num- ber admitted to the poorhouse was 2,001. In the insane asylum at that date were 1,396 patients. The average daily population in the three institutions at Dunning was 2,889. Many new minor im- provements such as sidewalks. painting, fences, boilers, flooring, etc., were made at Dunning. Management of the office of county agent, the county hospital and the Department of Public Service could scarcely be improved, according to the statements of Presi- dent Irwin. It was recommended that a separate building at the county hospital, to be used as a temporary habitation for children under treatment for juvenile offenses. should be constructed at once. Such children thus far were located either in the children's ward of the county hospital or at the Detention hospital, neither of which
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was a proper place for them. It was stated that at least 100 more beds for persons suffering from contagious diseases should be pro- vided. The records showed that there was a notable and alarming increase in the number of insane persons cared for by the county. There was need now for a new morgue and for improvements of the electrical plant at the Dunning buildings. It was thought advisable to have a separate building for epileptic children and adults. The president of the board recommended that the pay of members of labor unions be graduated upon the scale adopted by the union.
It was stated by the president of the board in April, 1900, that the reason why the bonds of Cook county were favored by purchasers was because of the system adopted of retiring them at the rate of one-twentieth each year and that the county for the past twelve years had paid cash on all its obligations. The bonded indebtedness at this date was about $3,572,000. Under the law Cook county could issue bonds to the amount of about $17,000,000. In 1900 an important question before the whole county was the consolida- tion of city, town and county governments.
In December, 1900, President Irwin stated that during the past two years the Dunning institutions and the county hospital were splendidly managed. Although the latter at all times was crowded it performed excellent service and was specially well conducted. The Dunning institutions were in excellent condition. Many improve- ments in discipline, economy and management of departments were inaugurated during 1900. The rate per capita cared-for inmates was reduced. The dieting and care of patients in the consumptive and sick ward were improved. It was stated by the president with pride that the institutions were looked upon by every state in the Union as models of their kind. Particularly was the Department of Public Service well, ably, successfully and efficiently managed. Improvements and reforms scarcely deemed possible were inaugu- rated and established from time to time as the year progressed. An expenditure system of competitive bids and of examining supplies and accounts was carried into effect, with the result that all favorit- ism, graft, fraud and politics were at least for the time absolutely eliminated from the department. The county agent during 1900 accomplished wonders in his difficult duties. Although he had the expenditure of a large sum of money, every dollar was legitimately spent and fully accounted for as a necessity and a benefit.
The act of President Irwin of the County Board late in Novem- ber, 1900, in vetoing several public coal bills, met the approval of the newspapers and the public. It was shown that such bills had not been introduced by Superintendent Lange at Dunning nor by Su- perintendent of Public Service Healy. The importance of a step of this character was realized when it was announced that the annual coal bill of Cook county was about $225,000. The object of this veto was to prevent the unauthorized acceptance of inferior coal on county contracts.
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President Irwin about this time said that the town system was a cesspool of corruption, and that the object of an appropriation which he had recently vetoed was to support "crews of highwaymen who render no service whatever to the people." The newspapers deplored that the president of the board had not previously exercised his right to veto long before during his term, in order to prevent other and numerous acts of extravagance on the part of the County Board. Many salary grabs and improper contracts, it was alleged, could have been prevented by such powers exercised at an earlier date.
Early in December, 1900, the newspapers requested that Presi- dent Hanberg of the County Board should refuse to identify himself with the Republican machine by reappointing the former men to the management of charitable institutions and the heads of departments in the county government. It was declared that the management of county affairs, while clean and honorable in most respects, had be- come contaminated by the bad influences of partisan spoilsmen and therefore should be purified. Upon such pledges, it was declared, Mr. Hanberg had been elected as president of the County Board. It was therefore right for the public to expect vast improvements in the management of county affairs.
In January, 1901, the Citizens' association announced that the City Civil Service commission had shown much greater efficiency during the year than had been shown by the County Civil Service commission. According to the reports the County commission had held but one examination during the year, while the City commission had held 109 examinations. The Citizens' association called attention to the fact that while the county commissioners were drawing each $1,500 per year, they had accomplished nothing in this line of duty. The association threatened to go before the grand jury with the facts in order to secure an improvement in existing conditions.
The press thought that the course taken by the Citizens' associa- tion in attacking the County Civil Service commission prevented, in all probabilty, a reign of graft in county affairs. The County Civil Service commissioners were accused of jugglery and charged with attempts to defeat the civil service law, and to favor political supporters. There were 449 county positions under civil service ap- pointment, and unless the Civil Service commissioners obeyed the law there might result-probably would result-a season of graft that would startle the community. The association publicly declared that the present commissioners were guilty of malfeasance in office. The County Board under Mr. Hanberg had made an honest effort to enforce the civil service rules. It was the determination of the Citizens' association to prevent in the Civil Service department any scandal such as had disgraced the county administration in the pur- chase of coal under contract.
In January, 1901, the Commercial club of Chicago took initial steps to establish a modern reform school. The committee to report
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on this subject was as follows: William A. Fuller, chairman; E. G. Keith, J. H. Bradley, E. B. Butler, and C. H. McCormick. This committee made a thorough investigation of various institutions of this character throughout the country and recommended that Cook county should have such a school.
The County Board in February, 1901, authorized a total expendi- ture during the coming year of $3,402,525. The estimated receipts for the year amounted to the same sum. The salaries of commis- sioners were placed at $3,600. This appropriation bill had been deadlocked in committees for about six weeks. It cut 10 per cent from the salaries of all county officials and employes drawing $3,000 a year or more. The salary of the chief clerk of the Board of Re- view was cut from $6,000 to $3,600. Two members of the board insisted that the salary of each commissioner should be cut down to $3,000. Two members of the board voluntarily reduced their sal- aries to $3.000. One commissioner agreed to accept in full for his year's services, $2,400. The appropriation bill was prepared with the idea of reducing the expenditure $350.000 more than it had been the year past. In 1900 the bill had been $3,693,304.
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