Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-25
TAXPAYER AGAIN ON BONDING.
His Reply to Alderman Pettes's Explana-
tion of the Bonding Problem.

His Reply to Alderman Pettes's Explana.
tion of the Bonding Problem.
BUTTE, July 21.-[To the editor of the
Miner. ALLOW me once more to trespass
on your valuable columns to reply to the
answer of Mr.. Pettes. The gentleman en-.
deavors to dispose of the questions oil
| Taxpayer" in short order. Let US see
| his answer.
As to the discharge of sewers he says the
law OF eminent domain governs the premi-
ses. The law of eminent domain does
| not allow the discharge of the sewers into
| the Silver Bow creek one mile from the city
| limits when it is obnoxious to the people
who reside along its banks. In Chicago, if
the gentleman recolects, the city authori-
ties were compelled to change the outlet, at
an enormous expense to the city, on &C
coun, of the stencil and bad odor arising
from it.
Mr.. Pettes says that $55, ZOO is an
adequate amount to build II central main
outlet. That convinces Taxpayer" that
the gentlemen of the Council have not yet
fully inquired into the project. To cover
the central portion of the cit with main
sewer and build it to the Silver Bow Greek,
admitting that they can have proper out.
let for it there, and the right of-way granted
free OF expense to the city through the
suburbs from the city limits, will cost no
less than $44. 900, built of stone and
cemented on the inside, or a double arched
brick sewer cemented; while a tile, sixteen
inch saver (and no less size should be used)
will cost $50, 900, not allowing anything
III -bn1 ub oh hn t,la
feet apart, or about SOin all, they will cost
over $2SO,000.
The main cost will be the laterals, whicl,
should run east and west on each street;
say Galena, Park, Broadway, Granite and
Quartz streets, and bounded by Wyoming
on the east and Washington street on the
west, or grand total of 1000 feet of
laterais, including automatic valves, will
cost $50, 600, not counting eighteen man
holes lone at each end of lateral Sewer)
at further cost of $3.50 EACH or grand
total of $106, 900, which is a very low esti-
mate for the entire sewerage, and doubt
if responsible contractor will undertake
to do the work at such d low figure. Con
siderable blasting of rock will have 30 be
done for both the main sewer and the side
laterals.
As to taxation, Mr.. Pettes says the re-
Incorporation act of the City OF Butte
regulat that; bonds or no bonds. Quite
true. But the Supreme Court OF the United
States has just reversed the decision of the
State Courts of Colorado where the
Travellers Insurance Company OF Hart
ford were plaintiffs and the people who re-
sided outside the Nineteenth street sewer
district were defendants. The plaintiffs
with the aid OF the city authorities, en-
deavored to collect taxes from people who
derived no benefit from the sewers, and
they resisted, the collecting Of the taxes,
Notwithstanding the organized act of
Colorado and the city charter OF Denver
said to colet the taxes.
One Of the reasons why Onr fOrefathers
rebelled against Great Bri ain was that
Taxation without representation" was
not right, and it is fundamental law that
you cannot tax people for what derive no
benefit from. The council should first
create sewer districts and assess the pro-
perty pro rata through which the sewers
are laid, and those whose property it en-
ha nces should paw for the same. We all
admit that sewers should be built, but as |
said in my previous article, first be "sure
you are right, then 60 head"
And, rs for the interest commencing after
the bonds are voted is all bosh as every
one knows. No coupon bonds commence
to draw interest until delivered into the
hands of those who purchase them. as the
accrued interest would be deuucted from
the bond. The sewer bonds probably
would not commence to draw interest
until next fall or winter, when the wark is
in progress. TAXPAYER.