Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-21

built
Mr.. Crompton aid that was just what was needed
too many sewers are being built at great expense
he instanced the sewer on Orange street. now il
process of construction.
Mr.. Very said the sewers now in progress wert
all contracted for by the city government of last
year.
Hon. f. B. Stoddard was called upon to present
the second plan. He said that though not mem
Der of the committee he had been requested to ap
pear at the hearing with plan adopted by them
He thought with all due Difference TO the board o.
mayor and aldermen, that it would have been better
II this matter had been referred originally to
committee of the board tor consideration, that
they might have publicly reported plan which
could have been discussed by theIpeOple, and that
they might have been heard upon the subject be-
fore any definite action was taken.
Alderman Chamberlin suggested that was hardly
the subject upon which the speaker had been
granted leave to speak
Mr.. Stoddard said he did not come to find fault
with or cautiously criticise any action Of the board
re then read the second PLAN which is also pub
lished on the second page.
Mr.. Stoddard proceeded to explain the plan. He
said that 81 had beel taken AS the average cost oil
the sewers in all the streets. If there 0OC
feet OF sewers in the city his plan would yield S544
JOu. The committee did not expect to raise this
sum at once. A tax of so cents per lineal foot on
each side Of the street would give 81 for every foot
OF sewer. On Main street an owner might be taxed
SI5O per foot for an entrance fee, thus making the
full amount of the limitation. On other streets, Il
2 man mad large lot only partially covered by
charged, and If more buildings were erected, then
other entrance fees might be charged. On estates
which were without buildings the same principle
would apply. On land which did not abut on a
sewer, and drain was used through another per
sons land orr through court or way. no tax pei
lineal foot should be made but simply an entrance
fee the amount of which could be determined by the
mayor and aldermen Then if the city should open
new sewers the same plan would apply. On acorneI
lot it would not be equitable to charge for the whole
frontage so the plan provides that only one-hali
shall be assessed BY this plan il would be easy to
raise the S2720OO at 80 per foot. This plan would
make some pay more and Others less than by the
present arrangement, but the only object Of the
committee has been to secure an equitable division
of the burden. There are many people who cannot
afford to pay for the whole assessment and il man
owned large lot with only one house a small
amount conld be charged by the mayor and alder
men and the remainder assessed in entrance fees il
more buildings should be erected
Mr.. Stoddard admitted on being questioned by
the mayor, that all commons, school houses, half
the frontage en- the corners of streets, and where
one street crosses another would not be assessed in
the plan.
The mayor then inquired if it would be just to
tax poor man on Pink street, for example, S25 for
fifty feet frontage and tax estate on Main street
OF the same size only 500, which is the outside
Imitation
MIR. Stoddard said that wherever sewer is re-
CURED it benefited the estates each side at least
30 cents per front foot, and the apparent inequality
in the two instances would be balanced by the gem
eral tax for the main sewers.
MIR. Thayer said he wished TO make few remarks
on the communication presented by the committee
at the last meeting of the board The notice of the
tax was given only six weeks before the discount
was taken off, and the very class of people who
need this discount would be deprived of it; no
great loss be entailed by postponement of
one month. The present plan seems unjust and in
equitable, and the collection of large an amount
of money in this manner would have a damaging
effect on the prosperity of the city.
The mayor stated that the question to whether
an assessment should have been made did not rest
with the committee, but with the mayor and alder
men. The question of the manner in which it Is to
be levied also rests with them; but they per
tecty willing to hear any suggestion TO the best
manner of making it.
MIR, Thayer considered the assessment inequita
BILE in every respect; at the same time he disclamed
any disrespect to the board of mayor and aldermen
and said he had no doubt that they had carefully
and conseientiOuSly considered this subject The
basis Of the assessment seems to be wrong; there
should be definite basis, either of property or Of
benefits derived 1t is not claimed that this tax i
based upon either of these principles. The princi
pal benefit OF the sewers is in carrying off the sew.
age from the buildings, and not on unimprOved
land; the only proper plan is to take the sewer
betterment Admitting for the moment that the
basis of the plan is Just what shall we say of the
valuation which has been usedy The valuation Of
1871, upon which this tax is based, is wholly in
accurate and unreliable Last fall an assessment
was made for the special purpose of making this
tax, and this valuation has been ignored. He could
not see the justice i'll this
The mayor explained that the valuation of last
fall was special valuation and the statute provides
that assessment of this kind shall be based upou
the last assessors valuation for the collection Of
taxes.
MIR. Thayer said if the law was not equitable the
mayor and aldermen could have got any law passed
by the legislature that was necessary. The mayor
and aldermen are responsible for the law as well as
the assessment. He could produce large list of in
accuracies in this assessment, and he thought there
was no excuse in taking this valuation There
seems to be false idea in regard to the Importance
of paying so large portion of this debt at once
The water debt has been funded, and the rates es
tabished have paid more than the interest thu
making sinking fund; the sewer debt could b,
treated in the same way. The AUDITORS should pay
small portion of the debt now on account of til,
local beterments actually received, bnt the large
part should be funded; the sewer is made for al
time and it is no more than fair that coming gen
| erations, who will be benefited by it, should "a,
their share: Outside of this local betterment thu
debt should be treated as practical administration
| have treated the national debt.
Mr.. Chamberlin inquired whether the interests O
the city would not be more seriously injured by tn
depreciation of the city bonds, which might follow
the adoption OF the plan than by the paying at ono
Mr. Thayer replied that action might be takel
which would depreciate the value of the bonds O
the city but that he did not believe that such woulC
be the case.
Mr.. f. P 6ouding was the next speaker HI
criticized the present plan adopted, and quoted de-
cisions of the supreme court to show that
ment based on the benefit derived must necessarily
be cOniectura; the board of mayor and aldermen
have done more than this in grouping different
estates on widely separated streets into classes
Then it cOnuses and cOnfounds the expense of main
sewers and the local sewers There is reason
should be assessed upon the AUDITORS local sewers
He argued this point at some length. The divisions
into classes have been most unjust only those that
happen to be exactly on the value of one of the
classes are at all equitable.
Mr.. Thayer rend a few instances of streets in
which the tax is more than the total cost of the
sewer, and in others the abutters had only to pay
about One-lifth of the cost.
Alderman Marble inquired of Mr.. Thayer if he
knew of any city where Il basis of taxation
like those proposed in the plans presented had even
been adopted.
Mr. Thayer replied that substantially the basis OF
taxation was the same in Boston, though perhaps
not the same in detail.
Mr. Stoddard spoke again 10 favor of the plans
presented, and SAID that the fees charged for EN-
frances would in future years create large and
constantly increasing revenue.
gentleman in the audience arose and detailed
ease of individual grievance, and was informed by
the mayor that the board of aldermen would make
cause could be shown.
Mr.. Thayer, on behalf of the committee then
thanked tthe board tor their careful attention, and
the hearing closed.
The whole matter was referred to committee
consisting of the mayor and Aldermen Marble
Chamberlin, Banister and Spur
At the conclusion of the hearing orders were
adopted providing for the laying of water pipes il
Hill street, Wyoming site, Lincoln street. Norfolk
street and BloOmingdale road, and new pipe il
Dread street, after which the board adjourned till
this evening" when it will meet as board o
health.
In executive session the committee on fire de
partment, to whom referred the petition for tbs
appointment of an inspector of petroleum, recon.
mended that such an appointment be made, and
William Brophy was appointed and confirmed
Licenses to drive hacks were granted TO John Nc.
Namara John McDermOtt, Henry j. Moore, and
James Butler. A. p Fairbanks was granted a
druggists certificate.
IN COMMON COUNCIL.
The section of the report of the committee OF
finance, relating to the salaries of the members 0
the fire department. was Trecommitted to the com
mttee in concurrence with the action taken by thu
board of aldermen at the last meeting
The report and accompanying orders, from tn,
committee on the fire department, were recommit
ted the order moi. stating what the appropriation
were for.
Adjourned for two weeks.