Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-11-20
SAVE MONEY by buying your School
Books at Brobst's Book Store.

-
CRY PoLIcB.--A petition has been
In circulation for several days, asking
the City Council to employ four men
as q Night Police, for protection
against fire and disorder. The petit
ton il quite numerously signed, but
mainly by persons owning property on
or near the Public Square, they being
chiefly the parties interested, as they
are unable to obtain insurance upon
their property.
A night police, OF at least two men,
is imperatively needed but the Coun-
ell should examine the ground and
move very cautiously in matter Of 80
much Importance as this. The City
has already bonded debt OF $1,000 or
more, incurred In the purchase and
improvement OF the Cemetery; and
this il certainly not propitious time
for doubling or TRIPPING that debt.
Surprising the four men are employ
ed at $35 per month. The cost will be
81 $50 per year, which will require an
additional tax of five mills per dollar
on the assessed valuation of the prop
erty of the City. This could be borne,
and would probably be an economical
and wise measure, and provide a
cheap insurance, Ii we could place the
burden justly upon each in proportion
to the property he has at stake. But
this cannot be. Our city Is scattered
over nearly four square miles of terri
tory; and the tax would reach many
persons who would receive no benefit
from the expenditure. These persons,
and may others owning detached
property are able to insure at low
rates, and hence do not care to incur
any additional expense for watchmen.
Besides many are so far from the CEN
ter Of the city that the police conld do
them no service.
Another question arises which must
be carefully considered. No tax can
be levied until next October, nearly q
year hence; aud the tax could not be
collected before February or March
following. In the meantime a new
Board of Councilmen will be chosen,
lin April next and that Board might
not SEQ fit to levy the tax.
Further, the men must have their
pay, and must be paid in City war
rants, which could not be redeemed
within the year. The warrants would
be thrown upon the mar
ket at discount to be bought up for
speculation. and must eventually be
paid with interest by special levy.
The only alternative to this plan
would be tho issuing of bonds to be
sold at discount.
The objections to the contemplated
action by the Board are so many and
strong that they must he carefully
weighed. The fairer and wiser plan
would probably be the employment Of
two men as at present, to be paid by
private monthly contributions, until
the election next April, and then SUBJ
init the question to vote of electors.
When SO large sum Is to be expend-
ed the Taxpayers should be consulted.
If we must lovy tax for protection
against fire would it not be wiser to
expend it In some permanent rotec-
ton, as provision Of water and other
facilities for putting out lire? or
course we want prevention, which is
better than cure, but we should pay
for that as we SO. II ia very import
ant that something be done "a q guard
against the fire fiend which Is liable to
come upon us in fury at any hour.
There should be some sort Of organiza-
ton, and men chosen beforehan to
command In an emergency. There
should be a hundred buckets in con-
yanient places for use, pumps should
be kept in order, and We should have
some provision and understanding in
reference to on effective alarm sound.
Theae things, except the buckets,
would cost us nothing hut Attic
energy, and are just as necessary as
the police.