Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-24
The nanrer Hefore Us,

The Danger before US.
The address OF the committee oppos
ing the bonds to build the Ballona out
fall sewer served the purpose yesterday
of throwing food Of light upon the
ruthless and extravagant scheme which
a hungry ring are trying to foist upon
this city. The arguments are pithy.
pointed and convincing, and many per-
sons who have given only cursory atten-
tion to the question, and were well.dis-
posed TO vote for the bonds, have had
their eyes opened to the enormity of the
proposition they were about to
endorse. The expensive system
of storm sewers provided for
in the city we can do without until times
are better. To expend $5OS, 900 to carry
the rain water during heavy stor ms from
the hills to the river is greater luxury
than our people can afford just now.
That amount spent in paving the streets
would insure conduit of the storm rains
to the river and be far better outlay for
the city. Good cutters and good paved
streets will carry the surplus rain water
off finely until our city is thor
oughly severed. when the Balloon
lists automatic thing-a-me can
be brought into service to regulate the
outflow of the excessive rains.
But the whole scheme, from alpha to
omega, bears the earmarks of wasteful
raid upon the treasury. We have now
about twenty-five miles of sewers in the
city. These have been paid for gen
orally by the propsrty-holders in direct
assessment. If the proposed system
should be carried out, we would only bt
at the threshold of sewer expenditure
Then would come the cost tt
every lot in the city fol
sewers to connect with the system
and for sewers through every street K
reach the intersecting sewers. See how
the taxes would pile up. 1t is estimated
that not less than $4,000, 900 would bt
drawn from lot-holders for this purpose
over and above the taxes they woult
have to pay for interest upon the bond
! and for the sinking fund to redeem them
This will all come upon us at time o
serious depression, when every other NAL
is straining every nerve to hold on to hi
little property. Now pile all this extra
ordinary and avoidable expense upol
the average taxpayer and the load viii
be more than he can bear. There is NJ
use turning our face away from facts
Not one property holder out of three il
Los Angeles is in condition to stand an
extra strain just now, and many of then
will go to the wall if it is put upon them
Do the people who are moving HEAVIER
and earth 70 load this city down will
debt and to swell the taxes into unbeara
BILE proportions, know that they are
aiming to produce the very condi
tions that will make Investor
avoid our city as they have avoided
Sacramento? That city in its early
days got plastered' all over with
bonds. The interest on those bonds &c
swelis the tax-rate that whilst every
other city in the State has gone ahead
it has been almost at standstill. The
business part of Sacramento present:
the same appearance today that it did 9
quarter of century ago, and is confined
to almost the same limits. Indebted
ness, and heavy rate of taxation to
meet that Indebtedness, is what has done
the business for the capital city. Do the
people of Los Angeles wish to bring abou
the same condition here? If 80 lei
them endorse with their votes the waste.
full and useless Ballona outfall sewer
scheme, with all its attendant extrava.
gances, and we shall soon be there.
Ii is evident to our mind that there is a
powerful clique in this city, both in Office
and out. that are determined upon a
wrecking and destructive policy. Under
the false cry of progress and
public improvement, they are intent
upon merely selfish and corrupt ends.
Providing they gather plunder they care
not straw whether the city sinks or
swims. They are dangerous cabal, and
the sooner our people awake to this fact
the sooner will prosperity and bright days
return to US.