The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-07-05
UNCLE BILLY'S WRATH.
GENERAL ShERMAN's WATeR.TAx.
the Old Man Gets His Back Up Because
He Is Not Allowed 70 Sprinkle
His Sidewalk without
License.
[St. Louis Post Dispatch.l

lSt. LOUIS fOstDispdtcu.l
General Sherman yesterday received
notice from the Office OF the Collector ana
Assessor Of water rates, worded as fol-
lows:
You are hereby notified that your house II.
cense does not cover the use of hose for any
purpose The inspector reports the use u
wafer on your premises for sprinking Unr
less proper license therefor is taken oue the
license issued to you heretofore will be 70
voked, Is provided by eection IA of ordinance
ll,6a6, concerning water rates, and the water
shut OF from your premises.
Late yesterday afternoon the Collector
of water rates had the notification returned
to him, with the following Endorsement
from General Sherman:
No. 9l2 GARRISON AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, NO.,
MAY 2s;-This notice is simply an Insult 70
com non decency. Your own agent came, IN
spected my entire premises, aud paid you ms
rates for year III advance, TO February, 1880.
The washing the pavement in front OF the
house is for the public and will not be stopped.
pay man-Allen-for sprinkling the
streets; he pays for the water, or he says he
does If man may not live in ST. Louis can
easily find some place where will be more
welcome and not subject to such a nuisance.
WITS.
A reporter called upon General Sherman
and asked him to state his grievances more
fully. SAID the General: at is simply
this: A man from the water rates office
came to this house, inspected it thor.
oughly, and ascertained just how much
water was used / told him to give me
the rates for two or three years ahead, as
did not want to be bothered with col
lectors every month or two. He made out
bills for year in advance and ! paid
them. Here they are" said the General.
going to a secretary and taking therefrom
some documents. He exhibited three re-
ceipts and letter from Mr.. Mott, all Of
which went 10 show that General Sherman
had paid water rents for seventeen rooms,
two bathrooms, three closets, three horses.
three vehicles and hose for vehicles. II
don't know where they got seventeen
rooms in this house. ] can only count
twelve. Nobody uses the attic. But al
any rate paid the bill, and considered
was through with them for year any
way. Then along comes vagabond the
other day and tells the boy to stop sprink.
ling the sidewalk, and a notice comes to
me that have not paid certain license,
after had requested them to let me know
what had to pay and after had paid for
everything. Now, my property only ex.
tends to the sidewalk, and when throw
water on the sidewalk consider that l am
not using the water so much for myself az
for the city. The sidewalk belongs to the
city. and l don't see why the city should
object TO its being sprinkled."
"But you will not leave st. Louis, Gen.
eralr''
al will. Twill not stay here il am to
he subjected to any sort Of imposition II
does seem to me that the governments of this
city is such as to prevent gentlemen from
living here. 1t is DO this or We'll stop
your water ana do this or we'll stop
your gss,' or If You don't comply with
this we'll close your Streets Itell you I
will not submit to any laws which author
ize some little whelp to come here and tell
|me that unless do so and so he will shut
off my water, after / have paid for my
rights. tell the authorities to make out
their bill, and don't care whether its u
or 500 or 5000; I'll give it my consid
Grafton, and il it's just bill Pll pay it
and do not want to be annoyed after that
by petty officers coming around here with
threats. am willing to pay what is right
for my privileges, and when ! pay for
those privileges l want to exercise them
in my own way, and il can't do that IN
pack up my traps and git ] don't consid.
er that owe enough to st. Louis or Mis-.
souri, to warrant me in spbjecting myself
to imposition Of any Kind
Mr.. Mott, the Water Collector, when he
showed Generals Sherman's note to 10.
porter last evening, said: "This is one ofthe
things that makes me feel like resigning
my position. don't feel like making dis.
ordinations in any way. The law is
plain. and it Is my duty to see that 10 10
carried out. A special license is needed
for sprinkling the sidewalk with a bose,
and house license does not cover it.