The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-11
A CONTRAST.

San Francisco has population o. be-
tween 3O0,0 600 and 400, 900, and her people
are not all of the better class. Indeed, the
reckless and irresponsible element known
as the rabble, form very high percentage
of the total population. The assessed valu-
ton of San Francisco property for taxing
purposes is $500, 900, goo. If the same rule
were applied there which is in vogue here
the assessed valuation would be more than
twice what IL Is. There the assessor lists
property at not more than 80 per cent.
Of its actual value. Here the asses
scr puts on figure above the
real value of the property, and in many in
stances much above what the property
would fetch on the market. Our system of
assessments is simply abominable, and is
pursued with two objects steadily in view
first, TO Cypress the property owners and
force them TO sell out, and second, 10 in
crease the compensation of the assessor,
who is paid percentage of the tax instead
of salary. The higher he makes the tax
She greater his pay.
San Francisco, with her great population
and $500, 000,000 assessed valuation, is
practically ont of debt; that is TO say her in
debtedness amounts to only S6lS, 900 and we
note that the officials say this sum will be
reduced 5000, eco by the end of the year.
1t will not be denied that San Francisco is
a reasonably progressive city. 1t INDUCES
in good many improvements, has fairly
good police force, is well lighted and the
administration is not behind those of the
average American city.
Now let US look moment at Salt Lake.
We have a population estimated at 81, coo
and our people are certainly as trust
worthy, as reliable, as law-sbiding and as
good generally as those of San Francisco.
We have an assessed valuation
of S5S, COO, 600, or about one-fifth that
Of San Francisco. We have mighty
bad administration so far as che enforce
ment of the laws is concerned. We suffer
as many hold-ups, as many burglaries,
almost as many thefts, as San Francisco.
The streets of San Francisco generally,
are paved and kept clean; not one of our
streets is paved, and most of them would be
impossible, were it not for the considere-
ton Of nature in kindly Withholding the
rain. We believe il will be conceded by
everybody that San Francisco is ahead of
Salt Lake IN everything which makes
municipal
Salt Lake has corporation
debt aggregating none thin
million dollars, as against San
Francisco's S6lS,0c0. San Francisco
is reducing her insignificant Indebtedness
at a rapid rate, while Salt Lake is increas-
ing hers Just as last as the authorities can
borrow money. San Francisco is calling
in her obligations, while we are advertis-
ing far and near for capitalists TO take
$500, COO of our bonds, and if these can be
disposed of within three months we will be
soliciting bidders for another half million.
Unless men with money become alarmed
o. our recklessness in running into debt,
by the end of the year Salt Lake will be
owing all that it is allowed by law to
owe, and if it shall transpire
that the school bonds are part of the mu-
nicipal debt, our obligations will exceed by
perhaps a million dollars the limit fixed by
the act Of Congress restricting corporations
in their borrowing TO per cent, Of the
taxable property. There IS this 10 be said
further in behalf of San Francisco and
against Salt Lake, that the former has
generally something to show for the
public money expended, while Salt Lake
has very little to exhibit for the millions
s'blown in" within two years.
The HERALD is aware that comparisons
are sometimes odious, but we trust this
one will not be regarded SO by our munich
pal administration; at least we hope the
city officials will not blame this paper for
mentioning certain local facts with which
all our readers are familiar and placing
them by the side of certain other facts fur
nished by the San Francisco government.