The present fragmentary condition of the city entails upon Berlin many practical difficul ties. For instance, the city has bought in the suburbs not less than 14,200 hectares of land for the utilization of the sewerage, and the lay ing of pipes through these neighboring mu nicipalities often gives occasion for long and tedious negotiations. Similar difficulties have formerly attended the construction of street car lines. In every case the company in ques tion has had to secure a concession from -every suburb concerned. This always involved long negotiations as to details.
Municipal Government. administra tion of the city of Berlin is in the hands of a municipal council of 34 members, including the mayor. Half of these fill honorary positions, half receive pay. Among the salaried members may be mentioned the chief mayor (Ober biirgermeister), the mayor, two syndici, a min ister of finance, two school commissioners and two commissioners on buildings. The mem bers of the council are elected, for a limited period, by the board of aldermen. The alder men themselves are elected by vote of the citi zens. The sessions of the coundl are secret; those of the board of aldermen are usually pub lic. All important innovations require the con sent of both bodies. Besides, there are a num ber of committees, composed of members of the council and of the board of aldermen. In certain branches of the administration the au thority of these committees is competent, but in important matters transcending their special departments their authority is conditioned by the consent of the municipal council.
The aldermen, 144 in number, receive no salary, their position being honorary. They are represented by a chairman and his deputy. A further category of honorary and unsalaried officials is formed by the citizen-deputies, who are elected by the board of aldermen; also the poor law guardian and the members of the poor commission. Altogether, there are several thousand persons worlang for the city without any salary. The city pohce force is employed and controlled by the state, under the Ministry of the Interior, bttt the city has to makc appropriation for this object.
The city budget for 1910-11, amounted to $75,000,000 and the indebtedness in 1904 was $351,000,000.
The receipts come mainly from taxes, in duding income tax-L- levied on incomes just as the corresponding state tax— the special tax on incomes derived from trade, taxes on real estate and real estate transfers, and for sewerage purposes. The citizen of Berlin pays on an average not less than $25 a year in taxes.
Public The gas plant is munici pally owned. The street lighting system covers an area of 320 miles. The water supply is
entirely in the hands of the city. There are several waterworks, the water being obtained in part from deep wells. Other wells are to be bored soon. Sewerage is also provided for by the city, the waste being brought through pressure pipes to the city's farms in the country, where it is prepared for agricultural purposes. The sewage and drainage system, begun in 1873, was completed in 1911 at a cost of upwards of $42,000,000.
The city has a stock-yard, which serves as a general market for live stock, also a slaugh ter-house, where all slaughterings must take place. Here the fresh meat is at once officially inspected. All meats shipped into Berlin are inspected, unless an official inspection has taken place elsewhere. There are 14 city market houses for the retail trade and one special market-house for the wholesale trade.
There are five regular city hospitals and a smaller sick-house. which are open to the pub lic; also three state hospitals and at least 10 other public hospitals, including the large Vir chow city hospital. Besides there are three city asylums for the insane. The city also main tains a disinfecting establishment for furnish ings, flats, etc. There are seven public ba,thing places for hot baths, and 16 with cold running water.
The city also runs a savings bank (uSparkasseo). There is also a royal pawn office, and a number of private benevolent insti tutions which are, in part, supported by the city.
The Central Employment office is of par ticular significance, and its management is tm usual. In many German cities such an institu tion is managed directly by the city administra tion. A special office is fitted up for the purpose, notices of vacancies of one lcind and another are received and.those seeking employment are informed of such opportunities for work. Now, in Berlin, this general employment agency is not directly in the hands of the city, but re ceives support from the city. This support on the part of the city, which has been extended to $10,000, was given after a number of high city officials had identified themselves with the management of the agency in question, which was called the This employ ment agency has a special building for its pur poses, containing separate offices for different kinds of work; also youthful applicants are separated from the mature. A number of smaller employment agencies and unions of one kind and another have joined this general union. This condition for thus joining is that an executive committee be formed for each trade, consisting equally of workmen and em ployers, with a chairman belonging to neither party.