The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-12
THEY MEAN FIGHT
Tenth Warders Object to the
Water Main Tax.
THE TAXES ARE NOT UNIFORM
They VIII Resist the Special Water Main Tax
In the Courts-A Defense Com
mittee Named.

The call for those who were interested
in the special tax for the laying of water
mains in the southeastern part of the city
drew out large attendance at the Tenth
ward schoolhouse last evening. William
Fuller was elected chairman and j. Fl. PanI
secretary.
The chairman laid before the meeting
the history of the water main taxes. In the
earlier days majority Of the people pc
tltloned Tor the extension Of the mains; to-
day the mains are extended where there ia
majority OF the taxpayers not IN favor of
lne action and are frequently in ignorance
OF any extension until the assessor notifies
the taxpayer of the tax being due. The
mains are now being carried in q sparsely
settled part OF the city, and the tax is op-
presslve, and thus appears excessive.
Adam Spelrs thought the time had come
Wnen the cltlzenS must take definite action
Iaxes to be constitutional must bs uni
form, as near as possible. The mains were
Tor many years laid out of the general fund.
We in this section helped to Law those
mains. When $500, 900 had been expended
IN this way, 1t happened that the city being
snort OF fuLds, refused to lay more mains
and oftentlmes the people began to donate
means for the extension of the mains. till
hnalIy an ordinance was passed recurring
Ouob Ouc PcOpl6 SHOULD pay tQre6-fOQrtQS of
the cost for each extension
Mr.. Saunders lived on Thirteenth East
and the water mains had reached that
street; he would soon have to paw. so that
he favored resisting the tax
MI. Splers moved that il be the sense of
this meeting that the taxpayers present
who are interested in these taxes unite 10
resist In the courts the collection Of the
special tax for water mains. The motion
was carried without division.
MIR. Miller and MIR. Squires spoke in
favor Of the motion.
Mr.. Musser said that many First warders
had enough water already, and of much
better quality than that which the city pro-
posed to supply. The Moroui case and the
haysvllle case, similar to the one in con-
temptation, had gone against the tax col
lectors. The tax for extending the mains
is about 81 per foot.
MIR. Hilton mad not had any water tax to
pay as yet but was willing to help pay Tor
the lawsuit.
Mr.. Duncan was in favor of resisting the
tax.
Mr.: Stirling said that the cost of laying
the pipes in the centre was greater than in
the present localities.
Mr.. Rudd said ne would pay his tax
under protest, if at all When he had
asked the mayor about the free waterp
the orators had talked about before cleo
tlon, the mayor had said the orators were
mistaken.
Mr.. Paul said the ordinance was likely to
be repealed at any time, and then all those
that had paid their tax might or might not
get their money back; that the present
special tax was far too great, and that its
payment should be resisted
1t was moved and carried that a
committee of three-Messrs. Spiers, Fuller
and Musser-be elected as legal commit
| tee, and that the following named gentle
men, if they will act (some not being pres
ent), be a finance committee: ID. A.
Saunders, VIM. Winkworth, Adam
Duncan, James Hicks, H. Sperry. Tay-
lor II. Woolley, Thomas Maycock, Charles
Livingston, a. Bruce, j. McAllister
| A subscription was then started, and s165
was raised among those present for the
purpose of carrying on the suit. 1t was
| learned that the entire cost of the suit will
be $500, and the people of other sections Of
the city are invited to take part in the suit
if they feel so disposed. The case concerns
all those who have not paid special taxes
for water mains, as they will have these
taxes to pay before long if the present suit
goes against the tax payers.