The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-01
llWkYs 4 YEAR BEHIND.
pi1IeuIties that Embarrslss the
City Council.


re dIfncuIties which embarrxss he
(,os.ncil In iss attempts 70 promote the
feaf interests OF the city, = said Eoua-
sslman D. e Darie Yesterday, and |
thfnk an explanation OF It's position.
8 this time when the Council has been
er;t;rssed by the Posr-ysrELI1eEscKg
a. il lack Of push and enterprise. may
not be amiss.
an the first place, the population Of
a~.tfIe has nearly doubled within the
re.t year, but the city Is expending an
sreouse based on last years assess
rent and its receipts fr0m its various
Errnse resources. As IL well-known
~ heaviest item OF expense has been
- the rsanking and improvement Of
~ streets OF the city and 1t is sxfe 70
- fhat these expenses are now from
t5syYe to FIVE times heavier
asn one year since, for tbs
ssrsou that there Is wider ter
-srv To be reached and the thor.
@~effAres are much more Travelled.
essce the first Of last June. the Coun-
"a hax issued warrants on The road
and for ISL 500, and OF that sum
ebouf 81. 800 worth of warrants has
Zen eashed. The balance to-day vet
outstanding Is therefore $54 90 Ia this
fund alone. During the month Of
FEBRUARY the estimated income Of the
.cify on che three-mill tar for road
nurposes win be $50 600. Devoting
dis amount 70 the payment Of out
handing road warrants, there will vet
remain $24,000 unprovided for ard
outstanding against the road fund.
aYos know that the charter Of seattle,
by act OF legislature. passed in accord
arrce with act Of congress. does not
pernit the indebtedness Of Seattle,
bonded and floating, To exceed
the sum OF $0,UU except
for water purposes. Now, there Il yet
outstanding Of the Grant street bonds
fUG00, and this, with the unpaid
warrants OF the city. keeps rs close
about the limit which we dare not ex-
cecd. We propose to wipe out the
present floating Indebtedness by trans
Ter from the general city fund to the
road fund-a resource which we have
adopted in the past, sometimes to the
verge Of cheating other needs OF the
Sitv. By the next summer, when the
receipts from licenses are greatest, the
old debts will be cleared Oft and then
We viii be again compelled to dis
count the next years receipts In the
same manner IS that adopted during
the past year.
.sfhe Council has adopted every pos
sibie expedient and has spent every
cent il dared for the good Of seattle,
aud il worries us to think that 1t should
appear otherwise to the public. The
fault hes not with us, but with the
city charter, which prevents us from
mourning any Indebtedness beyond
the 1900. We can have but one
hope OF relief. and that Is the adrnis-
sion OF the territory TO the Union and
the eligibility OF our Smarter TO amend
ment, so that we may have enlarged
powers for promoting the interests OF
the city.
There is great call at present for
further improvement OF the streets by
paving. The council cannot possibly
inangu.ate any general system Of
pavement al present. but we can grad
nally substitute pavement for plank
ing on particular streets, as the reye-
nsies of the city will allow. The eieya-
ton OF Front and Commercial streets
and the widening of the same thor
oughfares, we cannot consider at pres.
ent. Ii we cannot assess the cost of
the latter improvement To the ah-;ttiug
property owners las II seems We cam
nott the city dare not undertake the
work out OF It's own funds. Ii should
be noticed that the expenses of the
police and Sire departments have
doubled within the year, though of
coarse our receipts from licenses fass
increased.
An investigation Of the conditions
can lead 30 but enc conclusion. and
that is that the territory must Ice adj
mitted and the charter amended, else
the Council. though il may be COM
posed Of the most energetic and public
spirited citizens of Seattle, viii always
be year behind the development III
the city. 1t can'i help il.
PROPOSED SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
.sThe City Council will not he able
10 enter upon any general improve
ment In the matter Of sewerage, even
when Col George Warnings plans are
received, . said Mayor Moran yesser-
day. ''for a very good reason il can
not raisa the money The $50 eoo
limit prevents many general improve
d1tht1 WHICH TIC tptflS4S ~ AFsAiSHS 10
undertake. but which. owing to the
charter, cannot be taken up.
When Col. Warnings plans arrive,
II is probable that the council will
adopt the system he recommends. hui
II can attempt only 10 carry ont the
leading features. by establishing sew
ers upon those streets where their
need l. most pressing. If the city
only had power Ia issue
bonds | know that the Council
would adopt as liberal and progressive
policy for the promotion OF the wei
fare of Seattle as could be desired.
That Indebtedness which Is outstand-
ing now Is bearing interest a, 10 per
cent. while, If bonds were issued, they
would he taken at sss per cent. at the
most. rs the issuance ~ bonds. the
present residents of Seattle would not
have 30 pay for street improvements
which the thousands vet 30 come are
O. derive The benefit from. and which
shsy should be compelled to share the
expense %.
There Il bat one (remedy to the
existing defects in the charter, and