Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, February 15, 1912, page 3, column 2


    Issue of having six-man paid fire department to be decided. "The councilmen are said to be in favor of the movement, inasmuch as the new fire wagon gets away from the fire hall so rapidly as to make it almost impossible for the fire boys to board it after it starts, as was the custom with the team-drawn chemical."
Medford Mail Tribune, February 20, 1912, page 6, column 4


    City council meeting next session to consider plans for public market. "The plans for the addition to the present city hall will also be considered at the next session of the council."
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, February 29, 1912, page 6, column 1


    Paid fire department authorized. Six men, a chief, assistant chief and four firemen at $85, $75 and $60. Firemen want more money: $100, $80 and $70.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 6, 1912, page 7, column 1


    "New City Hall proposition discussed and reported by the finance committee as inadvisable at present."
Medford City Council Minutes, March 12, 1912, volume 4, page 260


    Firemen will disband unless requested salaries are allowed.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 19, 1912, page 4, column 1


    No decision made at city council regarding wages, but firemen agree not to quit yet.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 20, 1912, page 2, column 1


    Chief Amann, assistant chief Harry Ling will stay on. W. J. Lawton resigned as driver. Frank Lindsey, Charles Boussum, Victor Danielson and Con Cady are the firemen. They accept the city's wage schedule, but will get a raise in six months, $5.00 and another $5.00 at the end of one year. Amann is also building inspector, so he will get $100 a month. Others will be hired soon.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 21, 1912, page 3, column 1


    Election pending to decide if a municipal court should be started. Creates new office just for judge instead of having mayor do it all. Last year, the "city court" (which the new municipal court would replace) collected $1101. "Nearly all of the cases were plain drunks." Says if judge is needed the council should appoint one and not have an election.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 4, 1912, page 4, column 2


    Frank C. Clark paid from general fund $92.35 for drawing plans for City Hall and City Market.
Medford City Council Minutes, May 7, 1912, volume 4, page 278


    Now compiling data for 1912 Polk's directory.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 8, 1912, page 3, column 2


Police Department:
Chief--J. F. Hittson
Patrolmen--Harry L. Cingcade, Wm. Crawford, C. Hellem, Hector Cady
Fire Department:
Chief--Eugene Amann
Assistant Chief--H. D. Ling
Second Assistant Chief--Harry Butler
Foreman--Jack Dent
Hosemen--Con Cady, Charles Boussum, Victor Danielson
Driver--Frank Lindley
1912 Polk's Directory, page 23


    1910 Census 8842, gain of 393½% in 10 years. Only places in U.S. that exceeded this growth were Oklahoma City and Muskogee, Oklahoma. 1912 estimated population 10,500.
    Eighteen miles of asphalt paved streets, 32 miles cement sidewalks, 26 miles sewers, 27 miles iron water mains, all built in the last two years at cost of $1,700,000.
    Twenty business blocks and 602 homes built in 1911. Hotels Holland and Medford opened October 1911. Sisters of Providence Hospital recently completed. Roosevelt and Jackson schools built.
    Pacific Coast states record for number of telephones per capita and national record for autos. Two daily papers.
1912 Polk's Directory, pages 21-23


    First escape from jail. William R. Archer, wanted in San Francisco for passing bad checks, was arrested here. A friend passed a heavy piece of iron to him through the window. He used it to break off the lock and escaped.
Medford Mail Tribune, June 24, 1912, page 2, column 4


    The old fire wagon has been converted to a "three-line nozzler." A huge nozzle was mounted on the rear, to which three hoses can be attached. Will tear down a brick wall at close range and shoot water to the top of any building in town.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 11, 1912, page 4, column 4


    The fire bell rings three times for fire. Residents are supposed to turn off water used to irrigate to build up pressure, but they don't always hear the bell. Want new system.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 11, 1912, page 4, column 5


    "PETITION to remodel building by putting in a permanent front at No. 16 North Front Street, together with the necessary inside partitions for store rooms, was presented and read; it was moved by Emerick and seconded by Millar that the petition be granted, motion carried and so ordered."
Medford City Council Minutes, July 16, 1912, volume 4, page 316


    Medford Fire Department's new officers: President Jack Dent, Vice President E.  E. Eads, Secretary Con Cady, Assistant Secretary J. W. Lawton, Treasurer Basil Gregory, Sergeant-at-Arms Jack Fredenburg. Trustees: Horace Roberts, Frank Lindley and J. W. Lawton. Foreman Jack Dent, Assistant Foreman P. C. Bingham, Chief Eugene Amann.
Medford Mail, August 9, 1912, page 2, column 5


    "APPLICATION of J. L. Helms for building permit on ground next to City Hall, having a party wall city city building, was made. The application was referred to the Building and Fire Committee to report at next meeting." (no such report made)
Medford City Council Minutes, January 21, 1913, volume 4, page 364


Medford Mail Tribune, January 17, 1914, page 1




    Following is Professor Don Sowers' survey of the city government of Medford:
    The council committees are really responsible for the administration of the city's business and not the mayor or other administrative official, and yet it is almost impossible to lodge responsibility definitely with a board or committee or group of men. The definite location of responsibility is the first step in any reform. The mayor has little power to administer affairs and the present heads of departments exercise scarcely more power or authority than employees. Under either a commission government plan of organization or a city manager plan, each administrative official is given power and authority commensurate with the duties of his office. He is held to strict account for the work of his department; responsibility can be definitely located and lodged with one man, and the facts of public business become matters of common knowledge. Careful consideration should be given to the city manager type of city organization.
    It is a common occurrence to put ordinances on their second reading and adopt them at the same meeting at which they are introduced. This is a dangerous policy in that it does not afford the public adequate notice of proposed legislation. It is suggested that the charter provide that all ordinances, before adoption, shall go over to the second meeting and be published in the interim and that at least three days shall elapse between the introduction and final passage of all ordinances except emergency measures.
    (a) The Budget. The city has no budget. Under the present charter funds are raised by making mill levies for at least seven different funds, as follows: General fund, water fund, fire fund, street and road fund, park fund, general sewer fund and library fund. These levies are not based upon carefully prepared estimates of the needs of the various departments during the coming year. The charter does not provide for public hearings on the budget, and no information is published respecting proposed appropriations. The service which the city proposes to give the public during the year is largely left to one's imagination.
    In order to secure the adoption of scientific budget making, it is suggested that the code prepared as Appendix A to this report might be adopted and the charter provision regarding budget might follow closely the county budget law.
    (b) Bonded Debt. The charter limits the indebtedness of the city to $100,000, but in the succeeding sections of the same act, by means of amendments, the limit is increased to $423,000. For retiring these bonds, it provides for a tax of not less than one-half mill and 5 percent of the gross receipts of the water plant, a sum which is woefully inadequate to retire an indebtedness of over half a million dollars. These two sources yielded $4411.57 for the year 1913, which would not be sufficient to retire more than $130,000 of twenty-year bonds, and thus there is at the present time over $350,000 of indebtedness for which no provision whatever has been made.
    It is suggested that chapter IX of the present charter be so amended as to provide that the total indebtedness for any and all purposes shall never exceed ten percent of the assessed valuation, and that all future bond issues shall be serial bonds.
    The charter does not establish any framework of government. It simply gives the council power and authority over all municipal activities without establishing any administrative machinery for performing the various municipal functions. It does not even create departments for carrying out the work of the city, nor does it provide that heads of departments may appoint subordinates.
    In order to secure economy and efficiency in the administration of public affairs it is suggested that definite city departments be created by the charter, that heads of these departments shall be appointed solely on merit, and that they shall be held to strict accountability for the work of their departments.
    Significant facts disclosing situations which may be easily corrected by order or resolution of the council or by the action of city officials.
    The accounting system is inadequate. It does not provide for showing current abilities in respect to invoices, when they become due, or contingent liabilities on account of contracts let and open market orders issued. It is, therefore, impossible to ascertain the true condition of the city's finances.
    In order that the accounting records of the city may furnish all of the information desired and protect the interests of the city and the officials, there is attached to this report in Appendix B a complete system of accounting procedure based upon the best practices now in use in other cities.
    1. Although the council passes upon all claims against the city, it is not supplied with the information and documents necessary to a proper auditing of bills. An adequate system should be adopted as outlined in Appendix B.
    2. Orders have been issued and debts incurred against appropriations without ascertaining whether there was a balance remaining in the fund to meet such expenditure. The appropriation ledger (form 6) would make it possible to ascertain this information before the order was issued.
    1. Each department or official buys its own supplies--naturally in small quantities and at retail prices. A saving might be effected by
    a. Standardizing all equipment and supplies.
    b. Establishing a central purchasing agency.
    c. Letting all orders and contracts to the lowest bidders.
    In spite of the charter provision (sec. 38) requiring: "depositories to furnish sufficient bond to indemnify the city against loss," the city depositories furnish no bond whatever.
    They should be required to furnish surety company bonds, in amount equal to the amount on deposit with them. The amount of city funds which may be deposited with any bank should be limited to 25 percent of the capital and surplus of that bank.
    Adequate provision is not being made for retiring the bonded indebtedness. Each year the budget should contain an amount sufficient to pay the interest and provide a sinking fund for the payment of the principal when it becomes due.
    1. Records are lacking to show how each policeman spends his time while on duty, the number of calls received each day, and the number of times a vehicle has to be hired to visit outlying sections of the city.
    2. The possibility of transferring the automobile from the city engineer's office to the police department should be considered.
    3. A record of the number of homeless men lodged in jail would reveal the need for a municipal lodging house.
    1. Inspection by firemen of every building in the city should be inaugurated.
    2. The local department has not sought the cooperation of the schools in instructing the people in methods of fire prevention.
    3. There is a need for cost records showing the cost of maintenance of the new fire engine.
    4. The work of the electrical inspector might be enlarged to include that of the inspection of buildings under construction. This is badly needed.
    5. A complete new building code should be adopted.
    1. Out of a total payroll expenditure for the year of $35,000, less than $1000 is spent on health protection.
    2. There is urgent need for a sanitary and food inspector.
    3. The health code needs to be modernized in several important ways. Food dealers should be obliged to take out a license.
    4. Garbage collection should be undertaken by the city.
    1. A possible reorganization, combining the functions of the city engineer and street commissioner, is suggested.
    2. Daily time reports should be installed in the department to eliminate waste time and to assist in securing more accurate accounting.
    3. Assignment routes of the street cleaning forces should be mapped. It would then be easy to trace complaints and fix responsibility. The daily reports of streets flushed or swept should be made on standard forms and filed.
    4. Adequate equipment for the maintenance of streets should be provided.
    5. The cost of supervision, plans, inspection and tools has not been properly included with direct expense in charging private individuals for work done by city labor.
    6. The equipment of the department, including steam roller and street flushers, should be properly housed and not be exposed to the weather.
    7. An effort should be made to purchase all supplies in quantities after competitive bidding.
    8. There is need for subsurface maps showing the exact location of every water main, sewer, pipe or conduit.
    9. The annual report should be considerably extended to show in work and cost units what has been accomplished during the year, and it should be published.
    1. The city's departments should pay for the water used by them the same as other consumers. The present arrangement is unfair to consumers.
    2. Every service in the city should be metered, and the city should own the meters. The metering of large users should be undertaken at once.
    3. Greater attention should be paid to the classification and distribution of expenditures.
    4. A profit and loss statement should be issued as a part of the annual report.
    5. The cost of extensions and additions should at least not be a charge against water rates until after provision has been made for retiring outstanding bonds.
    1. Instead of publishing assessment notices in detail, provision might be made for notifying each property owner affected by serving notices in the manner provided for serving summons in civil action. The money saved thereby might be profitably spent in publishing the annual reports of the city departments so that the citizens who are the stockholders of the City of Medford might know how their money is being spent.
    The city has made a good start toward keeping the city from being disfigured by unsightly poles. All additions to present systems and all new systems should be required to be placed in underground conduits.
    Although the Southern Pacific tracks run through the heart of the city, no signal, warning bell, or gates are in use to protect the public.
    The establishment of a quarterly date for the payment of licenses, similar to the system of water collections, would make it possible to exercise greater administrative control over this important branch of revenue.
    Each department should keep a record of all complaints received. They show where the machinery of government is failing or breaking down and where to direct attention in planning the work of the department. If the mayor would see that complaints which come to him reach the proper administrative official, they would serve an important administrative purpose. A record of the number of applications for charity and poor relief would reveal the need for some organized agency to deal with this problem.
    The city's accounting system is woefully inadequate. The accounts are not kept in such a manner that one can tell at a glance daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly:
    1. How much the city owns.
    2. How much the city owes.
    3. The liability of the city on unfilled orders, contracts, etc.
    4. The balance of appropriations unexpended or the balance unencumbered.
    5. How much the city spends for salaries, supplies, equipment, repairs, debt service or fixed charges.
    6. How much the various city departments cost the city each year.
    7. Whether bills presented one month have been previously paid.
    At the present time there is no complete record showing how much property the city owns. The superintendent of the water department and the street commissioner keep a list of the tools used in their departments on a sheet of paper, but there is no property ledger maintained in the recorder's office by which to establish control over all other departments in which all new equipment and purchases of the city might be entered. The books of the city do not even show the number of street lights, classified as to kind, which the city maintains and pays for each month. The only record which the city has is found on the bill which the electric light company renders monthly. While the auditing committee of the council is supposed to check up the number of lights charged for on the bill by actual count each month, yet the city has no legal evidence whatever as to the number of lights for which it should pay monthly. The city should install a property ledger immediately and an inventory of all land, buildings, equipment, and personal property should be made. The inventory should show not only the cost of the equipment or property, and the date of purchase, but the estimated life of the property so that the cost of replacing it could be foreseen and allowed for in making up the financial program of the city.
    No charges are made against funds until goods have been delivered and a bill reaches the recorder's office. In many cases, the first information he has that a purchase has been made and a liability incurred against the city is when the bill is presented for payment. It is evident that then it is too late to exercise any control whatever over expenditures and thereby prevent officials from incurring debts in excesss of the annual appropriation.
    Proper administration of appropriations demands that whenever a purchase order is issued or a contract certified, the actual or estimated amount thereof shall be charged immediately as an encumbrance on the appropriation against which it is issued. It then acts as a reserve to ensure the retention of a sufficient balance on the account to take care of the invoice or bill when rendered. This is the only system by which the exact condition of such authorizations may be correctly ascertained and departments prevented from overencumbering the amounts allowed them.
    The books kept by the recorder do not show how much is spent for salaries, supplies, equipment, repairs, or debt service for each department of for all departments. Such information can only be obtained after long and tedious examination of every bill audited during the year. It is a fundamental principle of accounting that any account which has to be analyzed in order to arrive at its significance is worthless. The records should be so kept as to reveal at a glance information such as this which is of primary importance. In the absence of knowledge regarding the amount and character of supplies and equipment purchased during the year, there is no means of knowing the saving which might be effected by purchasing supplies and tools in quantities or under contract.
    The books do not show how much each department of the city costs, and hence it has no basis for comparing its expenditures with that of other cities of similar size. It is suggested that the council seriously consider departmentizing the work of the city, so as to conform to the grouping of functions adopted by the United States census in its report on the statistics of cities, and in this way it will be possible to make comparisons between the expenditures of Medford and other cities of similar size.
    At the present time the only way to find whether a bill presented one month has been previously paid is to look through all the audited claims or to rely upon the memory of the recorder. A ledger should be installed which would show the financial standing of every individual or firm with which the city engages in business, how much is due the firm, and when the account was paid. This would enable the city to pay its bills promptly and thus secure the usual trade discount. Since the installation of such a ledger in [the] auditor's office of Multnomah County the amount received by way of discounts was more than the auditor's annual salary. Furthermore it will prevent the city's paying the same bill twice, which might easily happen under the present arrangement.
    Bills against the city are passed upon by
    1. The financial committee of the council.
    2. The council.
    The evidence presented to both these bodies is insufficient as a basis for auditing claims. The bills presented by the vendors are marked O.K. by the department receiving the goods.
    With the exception of the water department, each department head relies solely upon his memory when he marks the bills O.K. The auditing committee is not furnished with written evidence to show (a) that the bills were incurred by a person authorized to incur indebtedness against city funds (requisitions); (b) that the articles or services were necessary for the proper transaction of the business of the department (requisition); (c) that it was incurred solely for the benefit of the city (requisition); (d) that the articles have been received or services rendered (tally slip); (e) that the claim is correct as to price and amount and that the extensions and calculations have been verified (purchase order); (f) that the amount of the claim does not exceed the unencumbered balance of the appropriation against which the bill is chargeable (voucher) and that the claim has not been previously paid (voucher).
    The council should immediately install a complete new system of controlling expenditures based upon requisitions, purchase orders, tally slips, invoices and vouchers, so that it can have presented to it the necessary information for making an intelligent audit of claims against the city.
    In Appendix B there has been prepared a code which gives in detail the forms and accounting procedure necessary to install an up-to-date accounting system.
    The City of Medford might save considerable by the centralization of purchasing power in the hands of one man. Such official should be selected solely on merit and should have previous experience as a purchasing agent. Some arrangement might be made whereby this official could assist the recorder in keeping the city's books. The appointment of a man who could combine the duties of purchasing agent and bookkeeper would, without doubt, result in a saving to the city.
    The first step involved in the establishment of a central purchasing agent is the standardization of supplies and the preparation of standard specifications. This work might be started at once by the appointment of a small committee who should advise with all city officials to ascertain what supplies and equipment are purchased annually and in what amounts and to determine the kind, grade, style, etc., best adapted for each particular need.
    In order to secure economy in purchasing a yearly supply should be purchased in advance. This does not necessarily mean that all supplies must be delivered at once and kept in a central storeroom. Contracts may be based on unit costs without record to the quantity needed. Furthermore, contracts may be arranged whereby periodical deliveries may be made as needed.
    Although no audit was made of the treasurer's accounts, the business methods of the office were examined and the office was found to be well administered.
    The funds of the city are deposited with four local banks which are selected by the council, and an effort is made to distribute the amount on deposit equally among the four banks. The rate of interest paid on city deposits is 2½ percent.
    The amount on deposit for the year 1913 varied from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $100,000. This suggests the possibility of placing a definite amount on time deposit for a definite number of months and thus securing a higher rate of interest. It also raises the question whether the amount of the treasurer's bond which is at present fixed at $25,000 is sufficiently large.
    The chief criticism to be directed against the handling of the city's finances is that the city depositories are not required to furnish surety company bonds or to deposit with the treasurer bonds of municipalities, counties or school districts within the state of Oregon or other approved bonds, the face value of which shall at all times be equal to the amount of money on deposit by the city with the depositories.
    Business prudence would also suggest that the amount of the city's money which may be placed on deposit in any one bank be limited to a percentage of the capital and surplus of that bank and not be unlimited as at present.
    On November 1, 1913, the city had a bonded debt of $513,000, for which practically no provision had been made for its payment. The total amount in the sinking funds amounted to only $7272.56. The following table shows the character of this debt, the amount in the sinking funds, the amount which should be in the funds if adequate provision had been made to pay off the debt and the amount of annual installments which should be annually included in the budget to retire the debt.
    It will be noted from this table that $30,000 of these bonds are refunding bonds and that inadequate provision is being made to retire the $45,000 of water bonds due in 1917 and the $25,000 of City Hall bonds due in 1918. If the present policy is pursued the only recourse open to the city will be to refund these bonds also. It is not fair to future taxpayers thus to throw the entire burden of debt payment on the future citizens of Medford when the present citizens have issued the bonds, spent the proceeds and are reaping the benefits of the expenditure. To neglect next year and each succeeding year to set aside a reserve to pay these bonds when they come due is not consonant with sound financing. It is false economy for the city to deceive itself by keeping down the present tax rate in such a manner.
    The charter provision requiring the council to levy a tax of not less than one-half mill and to appropriate 5 percent of the gross receipts of the water department toward the establishment of a sinking fund is wholly inadequate to meet the situation. The total amount set aside from these two sources in 1913 amounted to only $4411.57, whereas from the table above it will be seen that in order to establish adequate sinking funds beginning in 1914 over $14,000 will be required.
    Throughout the country sinking funds are becoming obsolete as a method of paying indebtedness. Both cities and states each year are becoming more committed to the serial method. Massachusetts has a state law which makes the serial method compulsory for all cities throughout the state. The sinking fund method is (a) cumbersome, complicated and difficult to administer; (b) in spite of express provision in the charter it is often disregarded with the result that funds are not available to retire the debt when it matures and refunding is the inevitable result (c) and it is more costly than the serial method.
    The following figures will show the saving to be effected by the adoption of the serial method over the sinking fund method on a million-dollar debt.

	Interest at $1,000,000 at 4 percent for 20 years	$	800,000
	3½ percent basis		707,221
	Total cost	$1,	507,221

	Interest at 4 percent	$	420,000
	Installments or payments	1,	000,000
	Total cost	$1,	420,000
	Saving in favor of serial method	$	87,221

    (1) That the charter be so amended as to limit the total bonded indebtedness for any and all purposes to ten percent of the total assessed valuation, instead of the present arbitrarily fixed amounts.
    (2) That all future bond issues shall be serial bonds.
    (3) That each year the budget shall contain an amount sufficient to pay the interest on all outstanding indebtedness and to provide a sinking fund which will be sufficient to retire the present outstanding bonds at maturity.
    The police force consists of four men divided into two shifts of twelve hours each, the hours being from 6 o'clock. By special arrangement with the telephone company, the telephone operator flashes red lights located near the police station, and at the corner of Library Park, whenever any citizen wishes a policeman. The men on duty thus remain within visible distance of these lights and go to the nearest telephone to inquire where they are wanted as soon as the red lights are turned on.
    No records of any kind are kept by the police department. For want of records which would show how many calls are received each day, the difficulties of getting to the scene of action, the number of times it is necessary to hire an automobile and for what purposes vehicles are hired, it is not possible to determine whether the number of policemen is adequate or inadequate. For want of records which would show how much the police department spends for auto hire during the year, it is not possible to determine whether it would be economical for the city to purchase a motorcycle for the police department. In view of the fact that there is little demand on the part of the city engineer for the automobile belonging to his department, since very little construction work is under way, the advisability of making this machine available for the police department should be carefully considered.
    Either the chief of police or the police judge should keep a record of the number of homeless men lodged in jail for the night in order to determine the need for a municipal lodging house.
    The fire department is well equipped and adequately manned. The plan which has been adopted of making use of the fire team on the street department is apparently working satisfactorily and might be followed by other cities.
    It was not learned whether or not hose is bought on a pressure test and time guarantee but the plan now adopted in several cities of buying on specifications approved by the National Board of Fire Underwriters is suggested for consideration.
    The chief makes periodic inspection of the downtown districts in the interest of fire prevention. This is an excellent plan and the inspection should be extended throughout the city and if necessary ordinances should be passed giving the firemen authority to inspect all buildings within the city limits. By a proper districting of the city and by assigning the firemen to this task a complete inspection might be made every month. Each inspection should be made on printed forms dated, signed by the inspector and filed in the office.
    The chief should send his men frequently through the buildings of the downtown district to familiarize them with conditions, the location of hydrants, exits, etc.
    Carefully kept cost records should be maintained showing the cost of supplies, new equipment and repairs needed on the new auto fire engine. This information is important in buying new engines.
    Out of a total of 55 fires in 1913, fifteen were started from defective flues and twelve were in residences. In other words, thirty-seven fires were in the residential part of the city, presumably outside the fire limits established for the city. This suggests the need for some inspection of buildings under construction.
    At present the inspection of buildings under construction is confined to an examination of the electrical wiring and fixtures. The work done by the electrical inspector seemed to be efficiently performed and the suggestion is herein made that the scope of inspection work be enlarged to include line work and the inspection of buildings under construction or alteration.
    While a permit is required before the construction of a building can be undertaken, yet this serves no useful purpose other than to ascertain the amount of building that is being done. The ordinance does not require that plans shall be submitted and approved by a competent engineer or architect before the permit is granted, and there is no inspection to see that the building code is not violated. A complete modern building code is needed in Medford and a building inspector is essential to see that the code is enforced.
    Out of a total payroll expenditure for the year of $35,000, the city of Medford spends less than $1,000 on health protection. This is no doubt the reason why the health officer has not enlarged his functions beyond exercising control over contagious diseases and making sanitary inspections. In most progressive cities the duties of the health officer have been enlarged to include the following important functions:
    1. Exercise control over communicable diseases.
    (a) By requiring prompt reports from physicians, heads of families, teachers, proprietors of hotels and lodging houses, etc., under penalty of prosecution.
    (b) By compelling druggists to report sales of diphtheria antitoxins.
    (c) By establishing quarantine in all cases of typhoid fever, whooping cough, mumps, chicken pox, and German measles. By isolating all cases of smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, cerebrospinal meningitis and poliomyelitis.
    (d) By investigating all facts having a bearing on the source of infection, as unsanitary premises, learning the address of stores where milk and food are procured, water supply, presence of flies, etc.
    (e) By notifying schools of the presence of communicable diseases.
    (f) By keeping records of location and spread of diseases.
    (g) By disinfecting quarantine premises.
    (b) By not allowing a public funeral of any person dying of smallpox, diphtheria, membranous croup, measles, scarlet fever and cholera.
    2. Control over sanitary arrangements.
    (a) By inspecting all places to determine whether there are violation of the sanitary code governing nuisances, privies and cesspools, hotels, laundries, barbershops, spitting, smoke nuisance, common drinking cup, common towel, etc.
    (b) By issuing notices to abate nuisances within a stated time and prompt prosecution on failure to abate.
    (c) All plumbing to be passed upon by plumbing inspectors.
    3. Control over food:
    (a) By compelling all persons engaged in the sale of food to take out a permit and to keep food in a sanitary condition, screened from flies and insects.
    (b) By destroying impure, unclean or adulterated food.
    (c) By inspecting dairies, milk stores, ice cream factories, meat markets, bakeries, restaurants and candy factories, etc.
    4. Control over child welfare:
    (a) By requiring permit to practice midwifery.
    (b) Prompt investigation of all cases of still birth.
    5. Control over hospitals and clinics:
    (a) Provide hospitals for isolation of contagious diseases.
    (b) Provide hospitals for care of advanced tubercular patients.
    (c) Free vaccination of school children.
    (d) Free clinics for treatment of all defects found in school children.
    6. Control over registration of vital statistics.
    (a) By furnishing blanks for reporting of deaths, births, and marriages, and prosecution for failure to report.
    (b) By keeping records of geographical location.
    7. Publicity:
    (a) By informing the public through newspapers, bulletins, lectures or other methods upon public health subjects and to enlist the cooperation of the citizens.
    Either the salary of the health officer should be increased to such an amount as will enable him to devote all his time to the work or else a sanitary and food inspector should be appointed and paid a fixed salary, who should devote all his time to the work.
    In order to make the work effective a license should be required by every person intending to go into a business where food is kept, prepared for sale or sold, and a permit from the health officer should be required before the license is granted.
    Although no complaints were heard against the present system of garbage collection and disposal, yet the city should carefully consider the advantages of a comprehensive municipal service. Where local scavengers make collections and charge each family for the work, there are many families who do not consider the service sufficiently important to warrant the cost. They, therefore, often cause discomfort to their neighbors and endanger the health of the community by affording opportunities for flies to breed. This method is costly when compared with the annual cost of the service if the work is done by a city department when one considers that the collection service by local scavengers usually reaches only about one-fourth or one-third of the total population.
    The garbage is apt to be disposed of in unrestricted ways. Three common methods of disposal are now in use in small cities: (1) Burying the garbage; (3) feeding to pigs; (3) burning. Garbage crematories to burn garbage and rubbish are the commonest type of furnace in small communities. One ton per day per thousand inhabitants is a fair estimate for garbage and refuse, which would mean for Medford a plant of 10 tons daily capacity. The cost of construction will range from $600 to $1000 per ton daily capacity. The cost of operation will range from almost $1.00 to $1.50 per ton but local conditions may alter these limits.
    Medford is to be congratulated upon the success of its municipal market. The success of a municipal market depends in large measure upon the good judgment and business ability of the market master, and he should not be hampered by hard and fast rules. It must be continually kept in mind that the public patronizing the market must save money by doing so and hence the rents to tenants must be kept down as low as possible. A city can well afford to operate a market at cost. It is recommended that no leases be given to the various stall holders so that the market master can declare vacant the stall of any occupant who deals dishonestly with the public. The absence of telephones in the various stalls is also to be commended. The introduction of telephones would sooner or later result in patrons ordering supplies by telephone, with the increased cost of delivery service and the opening of a credit account. Good food inspection is also very essential to the success of a municipal market. The council should see that sufficient screening is supplied the market so that all doors and windows may be properly screened during the fly season.
    The efficiency administration of the construction and maintenance of streets, sewers, and sidewalks, and the  cleaning of streets and sewers demands that a high-grade business executive be selected solely on merit. The head of this department should have technical engineering training, but he should, above all else, have an appreciation of the value and administrative use to be made of accurate and complete records. The present offices of city engineer and street commissioner should be combined into a public works department and bureaus created within the department, if needed to conduct the work. The two bureaus recommended would comprise the construction, maintenance and cleaning of streets and sidewalks and the construction and repair and cleaning [of] sewers.
    Thus far the engineering problem of Medford has been one of construction, but from now on the chief factor will be that of maintenance. The problem of maintenance consists first of all of an adequate inspection service to ascertain where and what repairs are needed. Inspectors should make reports on standard forms which could be filled in and filed in the office and become the basis for issuing work orders.
    Complaints should also be recorded and promptly investigated. Definite work orders should be issued to the foreman of the repair squad; each work order should be given a number against which the labor and material used could be charged and thus would be laid the basis for a cost accounting system by which the cost of maintaining streets or sewers could be determined.
    Individual time reports are essential in the public works department where the men are assigned to numerous duties during the day, in order to make up the proper charge against the proper accounts. Not even daily summary sheets are used by the present street commissioner, but all time reports are kept in a field memorandum book.
    The city forces very often do work for private individuals on sidewalks, cut repairs, sewers, etc., and the amount is collected by the tax collector. The basis for these charges are the reports showing labor cost. The charges for material are very crude and could be made more accurate by the introduction of proper job cost accounts. The distribution of overhead costs, such as tools, special equipment and supervision, is on a very loose basis and in many cases has been omitted entirely. The cost of cleaning streets per block is obtained by dividing the total number of blocks cleaned into the total payroll cost thus omitting the wear and tear of equipment altogether and making no charge whatever for the water consumed.
    The department keeps no ledger account to show the amount of equipment on hand or its location. Street flushers and road rollers are not properly protected from the weather. At small expense a shed could be built at the yard where they are now kept for housing this equipment.
    By letting contracts for the purchase of the principal materials used in the department such as lumber, cement, crushed rock, nails, etc., considerable economy might be effected during the course of the year. At present these materials are purchased on open market orders without inviting bids.
    Such future contracts as may be let for maintenance of pavements should be let on the basis of square yards laid rather than upon the basis of an annual maintenance of each square yard of pavement.
    The present is the only time when accurate maps can be prepared showing the size and exact location of all subsurface structures. The absence of such maps places serious difficulties in the way of future pavement administration and public utility control and may result in great cost to the city when unnecessary openings may have to be made in the pavement in order to try and locate a break in a sewer pipe or water main. The preparation of such maps should be authorized at once.
    The engineer's monthly estimates of work done are not grouped together so that one may have the complete history of each contract. A contract register should be installed so that there would be a complete history of every contract.
    The method of cleaning streets which comprises a patrol system by day followed by washing with flushing wagons during the night is the most efficient and satisfactory method on well-paved streets. Owing to the large mileage of smooth surface pavements in Medford street cleaning is a simple problem.
    The water department seems to be well managed. Water rents are collected quarterly in advance. This plan is good. Annual inspections are made to see that proper charges are made for the use of water. Water is turned off on failure to pay water rents. The forms used in the administrative work seem to be sufficient and the control over revenue collection seems to be adequate.
    Large cities generally throughout the country are more and more adopting the policy of metering each service connection. By a complete metering of the city, wastage can be prevented, rates equitably adjusted, and by comparing quantities distributed from reservoirs with quantities metered by consumers, the extent of leakage can be determined.
    Under the flat rate system the charge to consumers in based not upon the amount of water used, but upon the opportunity to use water. It is inexact and unscientific. A water closet in an office building pays $1.50 whereas a water closet in a hotel or store building pays 50 cents; one barber chair pays $1.00; such additional chair pays 50 cents; each bath tub in a barber shop pays 75 cents; in a hotel the first bath tub for general use pays 75 cents and each additional tub 50 cents. It costs just as much to deliver 1000 gallons of water to a large consumer as to a small one, yet a consumer using less than 5000 gallons pays at the rate of 30 cents per thousand gallons for quantities in excess of 5000 gallons.
    Where every service is metered cities have recognized the principle that it is better for the city to own the meters than for the consumer to own them because they can be repaired with so much greater facility and hence at less cost. A separate meter history card should be maintained for each meter.
Serialized in the Medford Mail Tribune, February 9 through 18, 19144


    Approved for city purchase of "old 40-horsepower Oldsmobile from W. I. Vawter for $225.00 to be fixed up by the fire boys and used as an auxiliary fire truck."
Medford City Council Minutes, October 20, 1914, volume 5, page 21


    "The city council recently saved $8.75 a year, by compelling city firemen to buy their own soap and towels, then purchased Bill Ulrich's cash register for $1.50, and refused to buy needed tools for the water department, last night at its regular session authorized the purchase of an auto costing $250 from W. I. Vawter for auxiliary use by the fire department, Councilman Porter voting against it. The chief reason for the purchase are saving wear and tear on the big truck, doing away with a team of horses and giving the city better fire protection. The purchase was something of a surprise."
Medford Mail Tribune, October 21, 1914, page 2, column 4




    Last year brought to Medford few changes in its municipal organization, the official changes being the retirement of Water Superintendent George Tranna and Fire Chief Eugene Amy. An auxiliary fire truck was added to the fire protection facilities. There were two fires during the year in the business district, one in the Blaine Klum paint shop, and the other in the attic of the Diamond lodging house, both of North Central Avenue. The fire calls during the year totaled 186, a large percentage of which were for grass fires in the summer months.
Medford Mail Tribune, January 1, 1915, page 4


    Chief Lawler given consent to have telephone connections made with eight volunteer firemen so central could ring them when alarm is given.
Medford City Council Minutes, February 16, 1915, volume 5, page 45


    Lawler's salary raised $5 a month to $85. City hall insured for $4000. Auto fire truck to be insured for $3000.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 2, 1915, volume 5, page 48


    Decided not to insure fire truck.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 16, 1915, volume 5, page 51


    "It was moved by Medynski and seconded by Mann that a committee of three be appointed to take up the matter of devising ways and means for the construction of a new city hall; motion carried and so ordered; thereupon the mayor appointed Medynski, Miles and Amy on this committee."
Medford City Council Minutes, April 6, 1915, volume 5, page 54


    "The matter of city hall addition was reported on by special committee previously appointed. General plans were submitted. The matter was referred to committee of the whole."
Medford City Council Minutes, June 1, 1915, volume 5, page 65


    Special session called for "purpose of considering the question of a new city hall or an addition to the present one."
    "It was moved by Mann and seconded by Medynski that we build an addition to the city hall at a cost not to exceed $8500." Motion carried. Amy and Miles voted no.
    The motion instructed architect Clark to prepare detailed working plans and specifications, but not to receive more than $150 if not built and not to be more than five percent of the cost of construction if built. Then tabled by motion of Amy, seconded by Hargrave until next election, to be put to voters.
Medford City Council Minutes, June 3, 1915, volume 5, page 65


    "In planning the enlargement of the city hall, the council is fulfilling a long-felt want. Public necessity demands better facilities for conducting the public business, and the imperative need of additional office room is apparent to everyone familiar with the situation."
    When the present city hall was built, Medford had 2500 population, no paved streets, an inadequate water system.
Unidentified newspaper, June 14, 1915, page 4, column 2


    Results of vote on January 11 regarding a charter amendment to authority the city to borrow and build an addition to the city hall.
                   1st Ward            2nd Ward             3rd Ward               Total
Yes                  93                     80                     75                   248
No                 402                   370                   318                 1090
                      495                   450                   393                 1338
Medford City Council Minutes, January 17, 1916, volume 5, page 108


    "The fire chief asked that the city buy a couple of lights to illuminate the sign on the city hall. The mayor said the electrical inspector would see to this."
Medford City Council Minutes, June 6, 1916, volume 5, page 135


    "It was moved by Mann and seconded by Keene that the fire chief put in a door at the foot of the stair entrance to city hall; motion carried and so ordered."
Medford City Council Minutes, October 9, 1916, volume 5, page 155


    Electric illuminator purchased for in front of city hall. $17.40 to Paul's Electric Store.
Medford City Council Minutes, November 8, 1916, volume 5, page 160


    Gaddis reported sale of the big fire team known as "Tom" and "Jerry" to Charles Magerle of Rogue River for $400 cash. Approved.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 20, 1916, volume 5, page 192


    Committee appointed to investigate purchase of second-hand Thomas car for $250 to take the place of the team just sold.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 20, 1916, volume 5, page 193


    "After having been in the service of the city for the past seven years, the team of big bays used to haul the reserve fire truck were delivered this morning to C. F. Magerle of Rogue River, to whom they were sold last week for $400. The team will be replaced with a light truck on which the body from the old horse-drawn truck will probably be mounted. As the selling of the team leaves the city without reserve equipment, it is probable that the matter of securing a truck will be decided at the council meeting tonight."
Medford Mail Tribune, March 20, 1917, page 3, column 4


    Mrs. Ida Stewart second-hand car        $225.00
Medford City Council Minutes, April 3, 1917


    Firemen have a pet blooded brown bulldog, Gertie, one year old.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, November 8, 1917, page 8, column 5


    Assistant fire chief N. H. Mark, member of the department for the last three years, resigned to go to San Francisco to work for the government as a machinist. Roy Elliott, also a member for three years, resigned to enlist in Army aviation. James Dooley, member for a few weeks, quit to take a railroad job in Roseburg. Harold McDonald resigned a few weeks ago. Jack Fredenburg resigned several months ago. Last summer the firemen wanted a raise from the $70 a month they receive and council refused. The department has six members. Now only Chief Lawton and two old men are left. E. P. Clairy and William Lee will replace Elliott and Dooley.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, November 22, 1917, page 6, column 4


    Firemen's pay raised $5 a month effective April 1.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, February 21, 1918, page 5, column 6


    When news of the end of WWI came, the fire whistle went off, then the fire bell. The fire truck drove around with its gong ringing.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, November 14, 1918, page 7, column 7


    "City hall and lots" valued at $18,000.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, March 13, 1919, page 2, column 3


    Masons purchase 90-day option on St. Mark's Hall, a two-story stone building at the corner of West Main and Grape.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, April 15, 1920, page 7, column 4


    A service station is being built at West Main and Fir, to be done in three weeks.
Medford Mail Tribune, weekly edition, May 20, 1920, page 2, column 2


    "Work was begun this morning in preparing the foundation for the big addition to the city hall building, which will parallel the height, width and length of the present city hall and which will rise on the city's vacant lot immediately adjoining at a cost not to exceed $6,000.
    "The new structure was decided upon by the city council some time ago and will house the city treasurer and city recorder's offices on the ground floor, a feature which will be gladly accepted by the citizens having business with those offices. Another welcome feature will be the construction in this addition of a commodious new safety vault for the keeping of the many precious city records.
    "The need of this vault to replace the present meager vault was one of the reasons which necessitated the new building. The main other reason was the crowded office conditions of the present building. The present quarters of the city treasurer and recorder will, when the addition is completed, be occupied by the city water superintendent, city electrician, street commissioner, city engineer and all the other offices which Chas. Davis, the city poo bah, fills so acceptably.
    "When the addition is completed the city hall will have a fifty-foot frontage on Front Street and, as now, a 100-foot length back to the alley. While the addition will be the same height as the present structure, its second floor will not be finished until such time as the council has more funds at its disposal. No walls will have to be constructed for the addition, as the wall of the present structure and that of the brick building on the south will be used. The front and rear ends of the addition will be built of concrete, and the lower front will be enclosed with plate glass windows.
    "The work of construction is being done by day labor, with R. I. Stuart, the well-known contractor, in charge as the city's foreman. The new structure will be completed and occupied by spring."
Medford Mail Tribune, January 25, 1921, page 6, column 5


    "The building of the new addition to the city hall is well under way and attracts a small crowd of sightseers all day long. The framework of the new reinforced steel concrete 10 foot by 20 foot vault was completed this morning, and this afternoon the work of pouring concrete was to be begun. The walls of the vault are to be composed of steel, brick and concrete 20 inches in thickness."
Medford Mail Tribune, January 29, 1921, page 2, column 3


    "Work is progressing on the new city hall annex. The steel parts of the large vault arrived this week and are being put in place. By the time the concrete floor is laid and the windows are put in the vault will be dried out and the structure ready for use."
Medford Mail Tribune, March 19, 1921, page 2, column 2


    "The plate glass windows have been put in place at the city hall annex building. The vault has been completed, and the work of pouring the concrete floor will be begun within three days, after which the walls will be given two coats of plaster when the structure will be ready to house the city offices."
Medford Mail Tribune, March 21, 1921, page 2, column 3


    The police department has uniform hats "for the first time in years."
Medford Sun, March 27, 1921, page 2, column 4


    Standard Oil building on Sixth and Riverside opened.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 4, 1921, page 3, column 2


    "The concrete floor of the new city hall annex is being poured, and that structure will be ready in a week or so to house the city offices."
Medford Mail Tribune, April 6, 1921, page 3, column 4


    "The new city hall annex will probably not be ready for occupancy for about a month, a change having been decided on in the plans of the office arrangement."
Medford Mail Tribune, April 9, 1921, page 2, column 3


    Flag at city hall flies at half mast in tribute to three Medford boys who died in battlefields of France, Carl C. Dunham, Russell Simon Hawk and Van Allen Cornish.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 16, 1921, page 6, column 5


    Fire truck to be repaired by substituting a Packard rear end. Construction at cost of less than $490 and to have wheels "cut down."
Medford City Council Minutes, October 6, 1922, volume 5, page 512


    Fire Committee authorized to proceed with remodeling fire hall for fire department and offices.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 20, 1923, volume 5, page 539


Medford Mail Tribune, March 23, 1923, page 6  It's unclear if any of these alterations were made.


    The city's flag flies daily and has ever since the local American Legion post erected a tall flag pole in the Southern Pacific parkway near the city hall and presented it to the city. The members of the fire department take care of the almost daily task of raising and lowering this flag, which has flown at half mast ever since the death of the former president, Woodrow Wilson.
    An item in yesterday's Mail Tribune stated that no flag appeared yesterday on the city hall building. This was correct, and none has been flown there from the pole on the tower on that structure since the old flag wore out. The reason is that the firemen, or anyone else, to reach this pole would have to crawl through a skylight over the fire department dormitory, and make way over the roof to the tower, a somewhat difficult feat.
    This has been the condition ever since the city hall annex was built and blocked the way to the tower. Prior to that the raising or lowering of the city hall flag was an easy matter. Councilmen in the past have talked informally of having a better way to the present pole erected, or of erecting a new pole elsewhere on the roof, but nothing has ever come of it.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 21, 1924, page 8


    Council recommends purchase of a model "O" Stutz pumper and authorizes Finance Committee to work out details of purchase.
Medford City Council Minutes, December 2, 1924, volume 5, page 649


    City attorney and city superintendent to change offices, and city superintendent to put in necessary partitions and erect a small storage room on west corner of city hall.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 30, 1925, volume 6, page 29


    Partition between police office and fire hall to be extended to the ceiling and a ladder provided.
Medford City Council Minutes, October 20, 1925, volume 6, page 79


    Mayor Alenderfer, City Recorder Alford and four members of the city council had a narrow escape from injury in the city council chamber last night, having just adjourned, as a large section of the plastered ceiling fell without warning on the big table around which they had been sitting.
    Had the mayor, City Attorney Carkin and councilmen Hubbard, Paul, Janney and Kershaw been seated in their usual places at the time they would be having sore heads, to say the least, today.
"Medford Mayor and Councilmen Have Close Call," Medford Mail Tribune, December 11, 1925, page 8

    Woodwork of city hall to be painted and awning repaired.
Medford City Council Minutes, May 18, 1926, volume 6, page 148

    Amount of bond issue for new city hall to be $60,000.
Medford City Council Minutes, March 15, 1927, volume 6, page 221


    Record of special election May 16 to amend charter to authorize the city council to build a new city hall, lease it to the county as a temporary courthouse and sell present city hall building. 1631 voted.
Yes - 1390
No   -  241
Medford City Council Minutes, May 17, 1927, volume 6, page 240


Front Street, North:
40  Thomas Realty and Insurance Co.
S.E. Corner 6th  City Hall and Fire Department
42  City Treasurer
       John Carkin, City Attorney
       F. W. Scheffel, City Superintendent
44  City Recorder (page 206)
Sixth Street, East:
104  Central Fire Station (page 218)
Medford, Oregon City Directory 1927-28, West Coast Directory Co., publisher


    Lists bids for three-story concrete city hall. Awarded to R. I. Stuart & Son for $52,000.00.
Medford City Council Minutes, June 16, 1927, volume 6, page 251


    Those Medford people who were startled the past day or so on reading an advertisement stating that the city hall building, Sixth and Front streets, was for sale entirely forgot that when the people of the city voted for $60,000 in bonds to erect a new temporary courthouse-city hall structure, the city officials pledged at that time to sell the building for not less than $25,000 and devote the proceeds to the construction of the new city hall building, which was to be turned over to the county for use as a temporary courthouse for five years until the new permanent courthouse could be built by the county.
    The old city hall building which, besides housing the city offices and fire department station and firemen's dormitory, in accordance with carrying out the pledge given the voters during the bond campaign, has been placed by the city officials in the hands of the realty board for sale at $25,000--$5000 cash down, no payments for five years, and then payments of $2000 per year for ten years, and 6 percent interest.
    It is figured by the mayor and councilmen that it will take some time to sell the building, and that whenever it is sold, even though the sale should come now, the city would only require 90 days in which to install the city offices in other quarters and establish a new fire station in another location. They are anxious for the sale to take place as soon as possible.
    In other words, the city administration feels that it is "sitting pretty" to make the change, inasmuch as a new fire station headquarters is needed, and could be built in city-owned lots on Jackson Street near the city warehouse building, which now houses part of the water and street departments.
    It is reasoned by the city officials that the offering for sale now of the city hall building for $25,000, on the terms mentioned in the advertisement, is a good financial move, as the sale would bring in money to help pay off the city hall-court structure bonds, or to meet interest on the bonds as fast as due. The first of these bonds are due in about four years.
    It will be five years before the permanent new courthouses is built and occupied and the present courthouse can be taken over by the city for use as its permanent city hall.
    No fear is felt, whatever, about any inconvenience in housing the fire department and city offices within 90 days after the sale, as the purchasers might rent to the city the present offices of the city recorder and city treasurer, and possibly the other offices until they could be moved to the courthouse-city hall structure; and if necessary the city's roomy warehouse structure on Jackson Street might be utilized by some of the city offices, or outside offices in the business district might be rented for a time for the city treasurer, recorder, attorney and superintendent.
    The building of the proposed new fire station is regarded as not likely to cause any embarrassment at all, for the structure could easily be built in the city-owned site on Jackson Street in 90 days.
    Since Sixth Street has been opened and improved the city officials and many business men think the present location of the fire department is undesirable and that the fire headquarters should be located outside of the business district. Of course, the Jackson Street site is not really a central location for the department, but is generally regarded as being sufficiently central.



    Bids listed for new fire hall.
Medford City Council Minutes, January 2, 1929, volume 6, page 437


    Awarded to Elmer Childers for $14,709.00.
Medford City Council Minutes, January 8, 1929, volume 6, page 439


Medford Mail Tribune, January 22, 1929, page 3




    Mr. Treichler authorized to rent the old fire hall for one year at $75.00 a month.
Medford City Council Minutes, September 3, 1929, volume 7, page 20


    Treichler to be evicted. Consider renting to M. M. Harvey.
Medford City Council Minutes, October 1, 1929, volume 7, page 28