History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

311

during which the city had been under the new form of government,
which conveyed the welcome intelligence that there was not then a dollar
of indebtedness which was past due, and that the city had been enabled
to uniformly discount its bills. The proposition to bond the city had
been carried at the election of May 22, I9II, by a majority of twelve to
one. Although there had been some delay in commencing public improvements, which depended on the sale of the bonds when once commenced they progressed so rapidly that more had been accomplished
than during any previous year under the old system of city government.
INCREASED EFFICIENCY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
The report also noted the purchase of the automobile fire truck as
a decided increase to the efficiency of the department. It should be
added, in explanation, that in September, I9II, the city purchased from
the American-LaFronce Fire Engine Company, of Elmira, New York,
an automobile chemical and hose wagon, with I,ooo feet of hose, at a
cost of $5,00o. There is no better apparatus of the kind in Michigan,
and the commission figured a saving through its use of at least thirty
dollars a month.
In (May, I912, the efficiency of the fire department was further increased when the city purchased an eight-circuit electrical fire alarm
equipment to replace the two-circuit affair which had been in use nineteen years. Taking this safeguard into consideration few cities in Michigan have a better fire service than Pontiac; certainly none of its size.
According to Chief Austin's figures for I912, it costs about $13,000 to
maintain the department, of which amount over $Io,ooo goes to pay
salaries.
Reverting to the work accomplished during the first nine months of
the commission's life, the following are given as important items: Increased saloon licenses for more than enough to pay increased salaries;
built twenty-five sanitary sewers, 6,ooo feet of surface sewer, and built
and repaired 58,878 square feet of cement sidewalk; collected more old
accounts than were ever before collected in one year; completed the city
water reservoir, and auxiliary main and laid I5,000 feet of new mains;
adopted system of payment in advance of flat water rates, thus being
able to discount its bills.
THE PRESENT CITY HALL
On February 4, I908, the common council awarded the contract for
the construction of the new city hall, southeast corner of Pike and Mills,
to the Slater Construction Company. The building was completed during the year at a cost of $9,737.43. The home of the commission and
other city officers is a handsome two-story and basement brick building,
with a large auditorium formerly used by the common council in the
upper story. In the basement are the heating plant, vaults, etc. As a
whole, the city hall is modern in all its arrangements and equipments.
The appointments for new city officers were made in,May, I912, but
there were no changes in the original staff except in the board of review.