Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-28

hor1s1eS-ODJe ct1Ons 10 the Aeas~
ure!'
Editor Mor"fng Mlrs: Some Of the bills Of
which notices were given having been pub
llshed in full In your paper OF the 2Si inst.
desire to ask the attention Of owners of
real estate to the effect of two of them.
refer TO those on the subjects Of pavements
aud sewers.
One bill-the first in order in your publ
eation-will, II passed. enable the Mayor
and Aldermen to put down and construct
at pleasure, without any restraint
whatever, any psvemeRts, sewers
and drains in any street or
lane; to Assess upon the lots abutting on
such street or lane "a sum that shall bear
the same proportion to two-thirds Of the
entire cost of such improvement that the
value of such lot. including the improve
ments thereon, bears to the entire value OF
all these lots, including the improvements"
to advertise in the paper used By the city
government for its official advertisements
the amount to be paid by the owner Of each
ment within thirty days after such adver-
tlsement, to issue execution and levy upon
and sell the lot.
The other bill proposes to authorize the
Mayor and Aldermen to construct such
sewers and drains as they please, and to
| collect the entire cost OF them from the
owners of lots abutting on the streets and
| lanes where they may be pu'; but with the
np1u that the ROQrn of Sanitary
| Commissioners shall certify such sewers or
drains go be necessary for the improve
ment or the health and sewerage or drain
age'' of the city.
Which of these bills is it proposed to pass?
It will be perceived that, as to sewers and
drains, they are inconsistent. The former
provides for the payment of the cost by
AUDITING lot owners IN a certain proper
ton. The latter provides for the payment
| of the whole cost by abuttiEg lot owners, If
the Board OF Sanitary Commissioners shall
certify the work to be necessary. Are the
l'owners of real estate prepared to give their
approval 10 eithel? 1 avail myself of your
permission to use your columns for the pur-
| pose OF making some suggestions on the
subject.
l. The powers sought are absolutely arbi-
| trarV.
Uader the first bill they are to be exer-
| cised by the Mayor and Aldermen in their
| discretion, l0thOltt restriction. Under the
second, they are dependent only upon the
certificate of the Board Of Sanitary Com
missioners that the sewers or drains are
| necessary.
The Mayor and Aldermen are composed
of thirteen men; the Board of Sanitary Com
missiOners of two Aldermen and three citi-
Zens (not Aliermen), all appointed by the
Mayor. Are there any thirteen men in this
ctty-or, II you please to assume that the
three citizens of the Sanitary Commission
are absolutely free from the influence Of the
Mayor and Aldermen-are there any sixteen
men whom property owners are willing TO
enirust with this power OF confscstiDg
their properly? Whatever Others
/ NAV think, am not willing
to have such a power conferred on
any man or any number OF men. have
not a word to say against the present
| Council, or the present Sanitary Commis-
sion, but who are to be their successors,
and what guarantee have we against ''jobs"
| in the future?
2 do not use too strong phrase when
| describe the power sought as power to
''COgtiscdte'' private property.
Let me give a case, by way Of illustration:
know an aged widow lady who lives IN
house which she owns. She has small H.
come which is barely sufficient, with close
&c 0nomy, to maintain her. Her house has
a sewer connection which is entirely salts
factory 10 her. 1t quite probable that II the
bills under discussion be passed, the Mayor
and Aldermen, present CT future, may think
that the street in front Of her house ought
to be paved, or that a new sewer ought
to be laid there. Tue bills, il passed, will
give them authority to do It. Suppose they
decide to do it, what is the result? An
amount IS assessed against her, without her
knowledge, without her consent, and she Is
required to pay It within thirty days after
some advertisement in some paper, which
she may or msy not see. IL she does see II,
she has no means to pay it. Yet the alterno-
tive Is forced upon her OF raising the
money to pay 1t, or Of kaving her house sold
over her head and being turned out upon
the world without roof to shelter her In
her declining wears. She has no other means
OF raising the money than upon mortgage.
But II she resorts to that, how Will she pay
the mortgage? or what lender OF money
would advance, under such circumstances,
except for the purpose OK ultimately acquir-
ing her property?
Hard as the case would be to that aged
LADY, am inclined to think that there may
be others even harder-as, for example,
where the daily bread is earned by the nee
die, or other labor. In such a case would
not the exercise of the power sought amount
to Observation-Disclosures too, which
would make the poor widow poorer, and
afford opportunity to some rich Spectator
to become richer?
DEFY any one to say that law which
could thus result would be Just.
3 II would be unjust for other reasons to
pass these bills, or either OF them.
So far as pavements are concerned, 1t is the
interests of trade and traffic which demand
or suggest them. Here, at least, whatever
may be the case elsewhere, 1t is never for
the purposeaf enhancing the value OF ad-
Joining lots that a street is paved. The
only object Is to afford better facilities to
persons interested in the business OF
transportation, either as carriers or
as employing carriers. 1t is those
benefit from the improvement. II any in
direct benefit results to the owners of lots
AUDITING on the street paved, 1t is only In
those parts of the town which are devoted
to business. Lots elsewhere are not en-
HANGED in value because the paving OF the
street makes 1t convenient for vehicles to
pass that way. Aud IL they would be, 1t is
not for tnat reason, as before suggested, that
the idea of paving the street is ever con-
ceived. There IL, however, general benefit
resulting to the entire community from such
improvements, for whatever makes the city
more attractive to visitors, upon pleasure or
business, or to those who make use OF our
highways for commercial purposes, is for |
the benefit of the entire community, which |
~
commerce.
So in the case of sewers and drains. We |
may safely assume, l think, that Council |
will never propose to construct sewer or |
drain for the purpose OF enhancing the |
value of any lot or number OF lots, or for |
the purpose of sffording greater conve- |
niences to the occupants of such lots. II |
undertaken at all, 1t will only be with view |
s'to improve and insure our healthful devel- |
opment as a communitY'-in other words, |
to promote the general healthfulness OF the i
entire community. II any particular lot or |
number of lots derives benefit from 1t 1t /
will be incidental, and not designed; and 1t |
Is a benefit specially paid for besides, for /
the city government requires payment OF /
g for each sewer connection.
The advantage expected to result from
such improvements being thus common to
the whole community, and there being no
special advantage to owners OF ADJ Dining /
lots which they do not otherwise pay for,
It Is. in my opinion, radically and iniqui-
tously unjust to propose that the owners of /
such lots shall bear alone the whole or even
q specific part of the expense Of them. The
only fair way, since the whole community
epioys the benefit of the improvement, is
to make It, II necessary, at the public ex-
pense, and let us pay for 1t pro rata In taxes,
as we have done for the pavements and |
sewers already constructed.
1t is no answer to say that the city can
only paw for extensive Improvements of
that kind by increasing its debt. which is
forbidden by the constitution. We are not
responsible for the constitution. and the
prohibition furnishes no excuse for gro s
Injustice TO individuals as q means Of eVac.