Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-16
PUBLIC OPINION.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON VARIOUS
INTERESTING TOPICS.
Ynra,-Richmond Neter Bents--Race FRO.
biem-oystcrs and Revsnuc-Liaaor
Iicenscs--Lce statue, &c.


sentiment touching various interesting
topics;
u, 10 Editor Of he Dispatch:
In book entitled City Ordinances. 1885,
4, cbepter n. concerning the water-works,
=, ~ ,bc i9sh sections OF said ordinances. on
nae l9i. the language in relation TO water
re,ts on dwelling houses is ; The supply
fwstcr 10 any person shall be on condi-
80, ~ his paving water-rent at certain
rofcs ms follows: Taxes on dwelling
bDrsoa. when valued at one thousand or
Ioss five dollars. and an additional amount
- one dollar aud fifty cents for each addl-
to.si thousand dollars in assessed value
1rto twenty thousand dollars" In JAN
- 1Ssa. the twelfth section was amend
"a .. as, 90 make II read THE
s,,nnlv of water 20 any person shall he
on condition OF his paying water rent at
certain rates. as follows; Dwelling houses
81 fbe following rate per annum--to wit,
IN each dwelhug-house five dollars.
Whor. one supply furnishes more than
,r. Io4 or premises thcle will be made o
Ike charge for the parties having access
=, tho fixtures" For the usual water fix
fqrcs in the dwelling the charges or tax "a
unchanged IhctWcnty-t third section OF The
-l,nancc mage 49, which prescribCs penal
f.,4 AGAINST ne cc7p<r Cf q lot or b7'cnc1H
trn.f using proper care 10 prevent the
,,..fo Of water. for permitting the water 90
lo need hv any person other than the said
o-r1pier or q member or visitor oi hls fam
,jr. aud for not having the necessary repairs
iralo when the fixtures get out of order,
VA. amended IN 1889 bv inserting IN sad
section the words, and IN oil cases whore
t.cfo are 1co or mare promises supplied by
SIN. lefapand the & NturcS accessible to each.
Ike charge shat be made for each OF the
frrrises having access 10 the fixtures and
ltil presented 70 tho owner or agent ot
fir PROMISES on which said fixtures exist,
rtI.-s one tenement assumes the RESPONSE
lrIfv f0r the whole charge, or unless
l.r,pcr enclosures or barriers are put mp
AMI maintained TO prevent access from
others" With these changes the ordl-
,..r.. q 1883 is the law IN relation to
v,-.r-rents on dweilinc-houses and the
f,lrr,. therein now. In order 10 arrive at
rr.utr construction of this law l VIII
state TINT tho ordinance concerning wAter
,.l, back in 1879 in the section No. IL FIX
,r .ae rent on dwelling houses NJ five dol
i.---r.re j. added these words: For each
rIIfl.ro flmiiy occurring ne same house -
,1l." They are left ont IN the present
l.u. and there Is no reference IN u at all,
,,.f.r hv express terms OF implication, IN
f... cs or number II persons as basis upon
vll.h 20 fix the water-rent. In other
v.rfs TIE amount of water likely to be
.umel or the number OF persons. whe-
fI.r f.rants rOOm-ren'ers, single people,
N..ies. or only the family of the tenant.
vI.t together occupied the promises, was
~ considered Dv the Council IN framing
fI. present ordnance and lis amend
r.,... iut as a. q sufficient sum for all
trrupsns they fixed q specific tar upon Nc
t- lul-huLse and ne Sec1dl vGter5iItires
trfl
rs. the Water Committee and the Sn-
r.-rtoudcut of Water have construed this
ordnance 20 mean that they have now tho
ufftAf
III owners or tenants of houses IN proper
totLe number Of -ub-tenants, consist
fr-O' families that may occupy tho pre-
,.,-.-. With AN respect to those gentle
,... maintain that they have no such
f.v.-. ii their construction Is correct,
... 'I. ordinance ~ null and void. be-
r.... tlc citv charter only gives the CITY
Cu..I the authority 10 levy equal and
.,.t.-n taxes. and the water bills which
r.. Superintendent IS now sending ont
e-n rt unequal Gud ununlfOrm. Let NE
lir.'ratc;
MA routs or occupies a house and lot.
he hasa family consisting OF twelve per-
eDl.,nal There is on the premises one
lr4rlff ono bath ana three water closets.
T1ow.-.r h.l which has been sent to him
rvorarter, think for the last five
yearsls 100 this form:
vr A. Promises No. -. - street,
II cts ts'..-N srks
fos.a.er-r.ut for the specified quarter.
FauNy --u ah--3 Closets. ................s 81. IS
Tl. amount of this bill is correct. but
therfu. afarot properly stated. There
fsrocl8r,r ou family in the ordinance.
The t-4c lll should be: D'selltn7-hOpse aud
lna-et Si: bath $3.50; and three water
closets, 81: total amount per annum,
$3.50: quarterly amount. 1888. The spe-
rife TAX on each item stated IL expressly
f1cd in tho twelfth section of the ordi-
nance.
Vow Mr.. p. who lives next door to Mr..
4. rents his house aud lot. There are on
the premises exactly the same water-i1-
lures. &C.. as there are on Mr.. AS lot, aud
Oh. same number of people. twelve. Mr..
B's family consists Of four persons. and as
Do wants 10 be- near his business, and Is a
.aau IF moderate means. he rents q house
iu an eligible part of the city. and sub-rents
f4o rooms be has IN IL, which his family do
RS need, 10 four families, consisting
q q man and his wife each. Up to thus
quarter the same blu has been sent TO him
quarterly, as have stated above was sent
o. MI 4. with the same items and the
same amount-to wit. S3.SS per quarter.
Oil correct, and il seems that for a long
tine the water officials have thought that
Nr D. ought 10 DO charged alike with his
friend and neighbor Mr. 4, although lie
ll have sub-tcnant families on his pre-
misses. But lately new light has been shed
uUan The minds of the City Water Com
m,tao and the Superintendent Of Water,
srl hc has sent 10 Mr.. 3 the following in
creased bill, leaving Mr.. AS waterfront
the same.
Nr. b. Premises NO -. --- street,
For waterfront from February !, 1890, to
May ], ls91
Famuy-Bath-S Cioseia.
I-ut that O leap for Mr. By He has
d. 4xh n
s- stands AZ S3sS per quarter. Mr.. BIS
bin increased almost 100 per cent. every
t.r,s months. l. that equal and uniform
J iLat legal ? J. il just and right? Let's
l.ol no thus bill a little closer and see
how it il made upg Here 1t is: Rub out
family for there IS no such specific thing
taxed IN the ordinance and put five dwell
rres closets, S7-total tax per an
num. $3.50 and total quarterly,
S.ss an increase from Slh.50 TO
80 per annum az one fell swoop. 10
lsA raise Of over double the amount OF the
quarterly waterfalls. which many people
Irihis city who are compelled 10 rent out
fAnr unuocdei rooms have hadtopaT quar-
t.., during the past five years. Is 1t just,
% night. under the proper construction
O. the water ordinance, thus 10 increase
fle taxes Of the poorer class OF the cOul-
rlmty and % leave the rich aloneI Surely
TO. The Superintendent OF the water
Works informs me that there are on hls
looks about SIX hundred water-renters VINO
Az m the same category with MIR. Il,
sal am speaking for them, who feel
tl.uselyes aggricyed and think that ill.,
justice has been done them by a misconcep-
tr Of the meaning of the ordinance
CO., the part Of the Water Committee and
tie superintendent of the Water Works;
lu tho name Of these people, many OF
/. 4 - .tfrl.s l.s Iae
20 10 50 had rather pay four times the
suouut assessed against them under the
r,4urunents OF an equitable. just law,
than % pay one silver under tho compul-
eiuction nakes this one 10 be. ask
tl.se Gentlemen 10 reconsider their action.
Permit me 10 say that the ground they
take ba.od upon the language con-
tanned IN The amendment 70 the twenty
tird section OF the ordinance, already re-
tsrred 20. does not maintain their construc--
TIA. 1 atsec,ion is penal one and does not