Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-04-16

The committee sayp:"Two points may
be eonsidered as settled. il the action Of
9th, Z cities in the matter has settled any.
thing in relation to the payment for
sewer construction. and these are, first,
shat ID is not Just nor equitable TO pay
1t from the general tax, as seven cities
only ous Of iity.nine have adopted that
policy, and second, that the cost should
not be assessed upon estates according to
their valuation. as only five cities OF the
fifty nine pursue such g course, and
these only assess q portion thereof in
that way"
Aside from theee reasons, based on
practice. 10 is easy TO see that ii the
whole improvement 10 paid for ont OF
the general tax, the property sbutting
the sewer is largely and directly bene-
flied, while that remote theEefrom, and
equally taxed. has little or no benefit.
Also that il the consideration of the
valuation OF the property benefited m
ters into the question, there with
1t the ever occurring bubble as to the
fairness OF the assessoR'a returns. A plan
of assessment by ifontage or area has
The advantage of p%osltiveness and ad-
niss OF no doubt.
The benefit of o sever to q parcel OF
real estate does not depend on ita valua-
tion, indeed, cases not infrequsntly 90.
cur where the least valuable property is
by far the most benefited.
Assessments on basis OF frontage is
preferable over that by area as beng
more readily arrived at. In general the
results would be alike by either mode,
5nt where otherwise, it is not unlikely
that, as Q rule. the acsuRi benefits would
be in proportion TO the frontage.
l come now to the point of determin-
ing the relative proportions Of the cost of
sewer construction TO be paid for ont Of
the general fund and by direct taxation
assessment.
No "hard and fast rule can be propos.
ed, equally applicable TO different com-
munisies, and it is easy to see how eny
rule might justly be varied for different
sections OF the same city.
III che sewerage system 10 on the "sep.
asate system" plan which does not pro-
vide tor the removal Of surface waters,
she sbutting property is benefited
to 0 much greater degree relatively than
the city at large. IL the system pro-
vides for she removal OF surface water,
then the relative benefit TO the CITY ut
large is increased.
A main sewer draining the whole or q
large portion Of the city may cost $500
or more per foot bat 1t Will serve she
property in front Of which ID Ia located
no better than m 3 inch pipe would do,
costing very much less 20 build.
Again, che amount to be assessed must
obviously depend somewhat upon the
general coRt Of construction il in your
city the cost Of Q system Of sewerage,
because OF moYe favorable conditions Of
Topography. soil, &C., lie less than in
neighboring places, then the direct coss
TO the properly should be iess than in
the other places aud the reverse.
The plans for your city are not yes
folly enough matured to be OF much use
10 the decision OF this question. / be.
lieve. however, that you will find the
0ces OF proper sewerage comparatively
hight, and see no resson why ID will be
necessary TO charge more than is dona in
La Oroass.
There is yet another question for your
consideration, viz: When and how shall
sewer assessments be paid?
To Omaha, Sioux City, Minneapolis
and elsewhere. the assessments are pay.
able in inssallments. In Minneapolis,
the assessment extends over q period OF
5 years. one-hfth payable each year, the
deferred payments bearing 8 per cent
interest. In sionx City. the payments
sTe ons-ftth in so days and remaining
dftha in 2 "A. Sand 8 years, with interest,
I believe Duluth has lately adopted q
similar plan.
The cities csn, by virtue Of the large
loans and better security offered, obtain
. lower rate OF interest than Abe average
individual tax payers could. This plan
makes the cost OF sewerage improve.
menta come 90 easy TO the property
owner that the demand for ahe CON
struction OF sewers 10 greater than
would otherwise exist.
| have herein outlined the possibIe
methods applicable to payment of costs
OF sewerage improvements. The ques-
sion OF what methods your city charts,
will admit Of, the customary city practice
in dealing with financial questions. and
the organization Of YOU city govern
mens, will necessarily. to q considerable
extent, influence your decision,
Respectfully Submitted,
UHAs. F. LnwETH,
Owl Engineer.