icipal career, having succeeded Mr.
Thomas Buchanan as representative of the Eighth Ward. Two years
afterwards he was appointed a bailie, Mr. Blackie, then Lord Provost,
having invited his co-operation and assistance in the carrying out of
the City Improvement Scheme, which was then in process of being hatched.
Mr. Watson was the first deputy-chairman of the City Improvement Trust,
and he continued to fulfil that onerous and important office up to the
period of his election as Lord Provost, in November 1871. From the very
outset he has been a staunch and eloquent advocate of the improvement
scheme, against which, however, there was a great outcry raised, and
maintained for some time after its adoption by the Council. We may here
notice that the scheme embraced portions of the city covering between 50
and 60 acres, and containing a population of nearly 60,000--being equal
to the entire population of Glasgow and its suburbs 100 years ago. The
valuation of the property to be acquired amounted to L1,200,000, divided
into many small holdings. In the summer of 1865 the preliminaries were
adjusted and in the winter of that year application was made to
Parliament for the requisite powers, which were obtained in the session
of 1866. The Trustees were authorised to acquire the property within
five years, to levy an assessment on the inhabitants not exceeding a
sixpence per pound of rental, with further power to assess for ten years
at threepence per pound to meet the expense for the new streets, and to
provide for payment of the interest of the outlay as a whole. Power was
also obtained to purchase ground for a public park in the north-east
quarter of the city at an expenditure of L40,000. Up to the present time
the Commissioners have spent L900,000; and so successfully have the
affairs of the Trust been managed that there is now enough of revenue to
meet the expenditure, while a large extent of ground remains on hand to
be disposed of, so that it is expected the cost of the scheme to the
public will be even less than the original estimate. The total
properties demolished by the Improvement Trustees up to the 1st December
1871 number 1287 houses, with a gross rental of L7367. Of the usefulness
and sanitary importance of the Improvement Scheme, even those who were
its most determined opponents can scarcely now entertain a doubt. By the
demolition of badly-ventilated and miserable dwellings in the lowest
parts of the town, the Truste