The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-18
NINETEEN MILLS TAX.
Grounds Upon Which the Assess.
ment Is Opposed.
HOW DAMAGES WE'RE AWARDED.
Mr.. G. B. Basiey Givss . Digest ef Con-
demn.siea Proceedings aad urxes
the Bonded hide btedness Plan.


SkArrLx. April IL. lSn
To THE Enron: II Is surprising the
number of owners Of real estate IN this city
who do not understand that their property
has been assessed tar Of 10 mills on the
dollar to pay for the damages awarded by
the condemnation Of properties on Yesler
avenue and contiguous streets
Ordinance No. l.lo6 provided for widen-
ing and establishing Commercial street,
and Frank Hanford, A s. Burwea and
Alexander Alien were appointed aprrais-
ers They awarded damages rs follows
George =. Dearborn. $50: William Rem
ton. Cyrus Walker and James NsNanght.
$50: J. 6. Kenyon. $i.2l6s Isaac Parker.
$50; heirs of s b. Kinds. <sS6 20: Joseph
L. Hess and l. & 4. wersheimer. 500;
J. Frsucnthal. $50; j. c. colman. 81, 7ss:
b. Gatzsrt. $50: H. L. Yesler, 81 .ols.so:
Dexter Horton. $50; Harrington & Smith.
$3.50. Other properties fronting on this
street were decided not to be damaged. and
no special assessment of benefits was made.
On Second street L. b. Andrews. s. l..
Crawford and l. J. Colman were the ar-
praisers. Damages awArded--E Briscoe.
$1,000; T. d. Hinckley. $500; Abigail
sesvey. $500; Ursula wyckofi. 500. l..
Ii. Griffith. 81, 600: +. A. Hanford, $3.50; ].
T. Jones. $500. All others were deemed
benefited as much a. damaged, and no
special assessment OF benefits was made.
On Front street the appraisers were same
as on Commercial street Damages
awarded-H. L. Yesler. 5000. Samuel
Kenney. $3.50: Harms & Dickman. 500:
George Frye, s.. 500: A. f. knight. 81. ise;
]. NJ. Sander, $500: Annie NJ. Holyoke,
$500; Toklas & Singerman. 500; A. Mehl-
horn. 1924; Fred Gasch. $500; j. T. Lewis,
$3.50; Gordon Hardware Company. 500.
Same course in regard to other properties
IS on other streets above named
On South Second. Fred Gasch. w. II.
Hughes and John ii. McGraw were the APP
praisers- Damages awarded Moses korn.
$l,6l5; G. Z. Bowman. $2.4si: Mary C. Kit
finger, $2ol5; NJ. McAndrcws. $i.o5a5o.
Same course in regard TO ether properties.
On South Third, same appraisers as on
Second street. Damages awarded -Jchn
Sullivan. $l,60o: Leopold wertheimer.
$4,000; Robert Abrams. $500: Caroline NJ.
Sanderson. $3.50; W. v. Rinehari, 500;
II. L. Yesler, $500. Same course in re-
gard to other properties
Under the ordinance TO establish pub
lie square," John Leary. A. s. BurweIl and
Alexander Allen were appraisers DAM
ages awarded-H. L. Yesler. SIS. 900; ss-
tate OF L. n. Starr. $27 $50; w. T. Boyd.
S.l2i. No special benefits assessed.
This makes an aggregate Of $2s9.0A. 20
damages awarded. and in each case the APP
| praisers assessed the damages against the
whole city and made no special ASSESS
mcnts for benefits conferred upon adjacent
properties.
The following Is an extract from the city
| charter:
SECTION s. The city Of Seattle has power to
purchase or condemn and enter upon. aud take
any lands within purchas any lands without Ito
territorial lmits for public squares, strests parks
commons, cemeteries, hospital grounds, or 70
b used for worknouses or houses OF correction
or any other proper aud legitimate municipal
purpose. and 10 enclose ornament and improve
the same. and to erect necessary public build-
ings thereon, and for these purposes may t<rv
aud esilect specsGi taxes not exceeding oaeA per
cesltam ia any ono year. The italics are mine.)
The only other method heretofore in
vogue in this city for paying for condemned
lands for streets and improving the same
has been by special taxes upon property
fronting upon the street, according TO
amount Of frontage and value Of the lands.
not including improvements.
Under this proceduss at least 81 ,00o. 900 of
street grading and knproStng have been
done. including good deal td condemna-
ton Of land, and the instances above mem
toned are the only ones where tax has
been levied upon the whole city.
That the council had the power TO con-
denim tie lands for which the damages
were awarded is not disputed, and it Is
probable that special tar levy of mills
on the dollar could be collected each year
until the awards were paid. principal and
interest. though the justice of such action
is doubtful; bat that a special tax of 10
mills on the dollar tor one year. in the face
OF the above action. can be collected. even
II all other proceedings had been regular
and legal. Is preposterous. and those who
pay the tax will do so out Of generosity and
from a desire to make the city n present Of
the same. G. b. BAGLEy.