The record-union., 1891-06-17
DRAINAGE AND LEVEES.
The Citizens Convention Hears Some
Interesting Reports.
Health ofhcer Nichols Undeniable
Facts and Ffgures-The Trustees
to be Appealed to.

Inc convention of citizens called by
the mayor last week to consider the con-
dltlon OF the city's sewerage, levees and
otner important matters, reassembled at
the Board of Trade rooms on street
last evening. There was another large
attendance, and much interest was mani
tested in the discussions and reports of
committees.
Before proceeding with the regular
business Mayor Comstock called the at
tention of the meeting to the fact that they
had no Secretary. j. H. Miller was
elected to the position, there being no
other nominees.
III. Weinstock, Chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee, appointed at the
meeting last week, then submitted the
report Of that committee. The report was
as follows:
THE LAW ON THE SUBJECT.
''The committee appointed on ways and
means, for the purpoSeiof presenting to
your body plan whereby the city might
be enabled to raise sufficient money with
which to make necessary municipal I'M
provementS, beg leave to submit the fol-
lowing report as result oftheir inquiries
and their deliberations. Realizing that
II the bonds and past due coupons now in
the hands of the Funded Debt Commits
sion are to be considered a legal debt of
the city, that, according to law, the city
could not create any additional indebted
ness; the first purpose. therefore, of the
committee, was to find whether it was
not possible to carry out the suggestion
made by some, that the Funded Debt
Commission cancel enough bonds now i'll
its hands to make the proposed increase
" hi fhsI IIKNAIt of
the law which reads, THAT no city shall
incur debt greater than ID per cent. of
its assessed value
"Ihe authorities consulted on this point
by the committee gave it as their opinion
that there is no legal way of canceling
the bonds or the coupons now in the
hands of the Funded Debt Commission,
and while there is a difference of opinion
among legal minds as to whether the
bonds and coupons now in the hands OF
the Funded Debt Commission are a legal
debt against the city, the opinion seems
to preponderate that they would be so
considered by court Of law, at least so
long as they bear interest and this inter
est is paid from the funds of the city.
There is but one way to finally deter
mine the question as to whether the
bonds and coupons now in the hands of
the Funded Debt Commission are a legal
debt against the city and that is by test
case. This, however, might involve Seri-
Gus delay and would interfere with any
immediate action in the way of improve
ments. The attention OF the committee
has been called to q plan suggested by
Judge Il. O. Beatty, President of the
Funded Debt Commission, who advocates
that the assessment roll be increased
from Sl4, 100000 to SIS, ZOO, 900, and that the
liquor license be materially increased. 1t
is pointed out that if this be done the tax
rate can be reduced from s. 20 on Sl00 to
81 on 500, and that the city may then
legally issue from S5o0,0 to $4,000 in
new bonds, which would be gradually
bought up by the Funded Debt Commits
sion with the increased means thus placed
at its command.
REAL ESTATE WOULD SUFFER.
This plan commends itself to the COM
mittee were it not for certain serious diff
way. To increase the assessment
roll some S3,600,G00 would mean that
greater portion of this increase
would have to fall upon real estate, as it
would be extremely difficult to increase
the assessed value on personal property
and on credits, without doing it in so
arbitrary a manner as to give rise to con-
tention and dissatisfaction among tax
payers. Personal property, at best, being
an unknown quantity, and the valuation
thereof depending so largely upon the
statement made by the taxpayer, the
values would necessarily fall upon real
estate and real estate improvements. In
that event, while the rate would be re-
duced, say from s. 20 to g on 500, the
actual increase in taxes on real estate to
be paid by owners would be materially
greater, so much so as to depress present
real estate values. Yet another difficulty
lies IN the fact that the present county
assessment is Sl5, ,200, ,000. Should the city
increase its assessment roll to SlS,000,000,
there IS a strong probability that the
county would make a proportiOnate in
crease IN the city assessments. Should
the county fail to do this, its attention
would doubtless be called to it by the
State Board of Equalization, who most
likely would insist upon the county as
sessments being increased to SIS, eco,
which would be the value that the city
itself would practically place upon its
own property. This would add a still
further increase in taxes which would
chiefly fail upon real estate, and which
would tend to still further depress real
estate values, all of which would tend to
make the plan Of increasing the assess
ment roll to SIS, 600 decidedly unpopu-
lar among the taxpayers, and the proba-
bility of the taxpayers voting for an
issuance of new bonds would thereby be
made remote. With these facts before the
committee, it frankly confesses that it
does not see its way clear to recommend
any financial plan thus far suggested with
the view of raising $500, 900 or S400, 900 for
improvement purposes by the issuance OF
new bonds.
A GREAT DEAL NEEDED.
''As the committee understands it the
desire is to raise money enough to in
crease our water works facilities, to put
our leyees in frst-class repair and to pro-
vide our city with a modern system OF
perfected drainage. There can be little
doubt that If it were possible to raise suf-
ticient money TO carry out all of these
necessary improvements with prompt
ness and dispatch the money would
be wisely and protitably invested and
that il would materially add TO the health,
to the security and TO the prosperity of
the community. But on the principle
that part of a loaf is better than to go
hungry, there remains only the plan of
continuing to levy-say 10 cents on 500
give an annual fund of about SO, 900,
which sum should be religious!y used for
strengthening and raising our leyees with
a view of ultimately placing them en-
tirely beyond the reach of any probable
high water.
Concerning the matter of increasing
the pumping facilities at the Water
works, II remains for the city authori-
ties TO arrange with the bondholders to
waive their claim on the water revenue
1or q year or more, the receipts mean
while being used for the purchase of adj
Oiuonal pumps. Unless the committee
are incorrectly informed, we learn that it
Is the disposition Of the outside bond
holders TO act lberally with the city in
thus matter, and 10 waive their claim on