The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-03

neaith tund .................... $3.50 ca
foaee iuno-.-.-.... .--.......... 1895 ~
Total. sse2,ee25 30
~ this indebtedness i7,72l6j, water fund,
snd ~, sewer and drainage fund, il to be
worIs a ny inc q the seattle Water
deDtedness At that date was sos, $685.
lhere have been issued on the general fund
warrants amounting to sss,sss 10 in satisfaction
months aiter date. aud which are included.
CURRENT EXPENSES
90 not wish to appear rs an alarmist but I
shouid be derelicf IN ray duty Ii I did not warn
you that the cnrrcut expenses Of the city are
largely IN excess Of the estimated income. The
salary list and the amount available to meet it,
together with an estimate of the inevitable de.
neaency, has been presented to you, at your own
u4uest, oy the city comptroller. but do not
mud that you have taken any action on the
matter
earnestly recommend that the police and fire
departments bc restricted to the closest economy
without ilnpairing their usefulness. think It
might DC possible, with the light afforded BY ex-
Pcriencc, TO also modify the working force OF
other departments.
Will concedc the necessity OF the additional ex-
pehse involved in the application OF sound
principle, which has, may add, my most cordial
approval. J Ldmit that the aggregate expense
thereby added looks large. but 1t is quite fnsig-
rliicant compared To the great moral advantage
gained by the city. Nevertheless. 1t il a fact
third more patroImen on the police force alone
sEwEHISG AND PLAyKfNe.
call the sresial attention OF your honorable
body to two subjects which deserve collateral
consideration scwrring aud planking. ] rec
ominen,i thnt lisrt after alscycr work be charged
LOT by the city 10 the AUDITING property owner
according 10 the front foot The city should
have an estimate made of the average cost for
mains and inr large. medium and small sewers:
adding these Together will give the proportion
that each iro:it foot should bear. This will solve
the problem now perplexing the council Every
house coniiecting With sewer gets the benefit
oil the main avenues of drainage, and should
bear its pro- rata pf the cost. Under the proyis.
ions OF the charter TO. the creation OF improve
ment districts and payments by bond this work
WIN IMPOSE no hardship on the property-owncrs.
ali property VIII then be assessed Tor q liked pro-
portion per front foot. All work should be done
BY contract ard let to the lowest bidder.
The differences between the cost and the as
ecssfnenf should be paid into The sewer fund, to
be drawn upon ib those eases where, owing to
mains or large pipes being required, the assess
ment is lower than the cost OF construction
Where sewer work or water service is asked for
upon streets ungraded. an additional % per
cent. should be charged 10 the abutting property
TO cover the extra cost OF laying pipes through
et;mps and roots All streets should be graded
In distrhits so thickly settled as to REQUIRE the
city to supply water or provide sewers, but If
for any reason il should be undesirable to insist
advisable to supply the demand, provided the
additional cost were borne by the interested
property-owners.
The objection might be raised that a portion
oil the city has already been severed at the gen
erai expense There is some justice in this OBJ
lection, and 10 meet ii propose that hereafter
All planking, paving and other street improve
ments which cost most heavily in those PARTS
where the sewers are already laid, shall be
done at the expense OF the AUDITING property.
owners aud not as heretofore, out of the general
fund of the city. As the business thoroug hfares
ere travelled by residents OF all parts OF the
city alike, and as the expense OF keeping those
streets in repair is so much greater than else
where, payment by abuttiDg property-owncrs OF
these repairs will form eventually an equitable
adjustment OF the burden of taxation for sew.
ers and street improvement.
ASSESSMENT OF VALUATION
find that the charter requires an independent
OF taxation. The couaty roll can no longer be
merely copied as heretofore. This involves
an additional expense OF no small pro-
portions. ] suggest that the county assessors
Tor reasonable addition TO their pay they could
uanscribe the returns and be able to officially
This would be strictly legal and is important, ar
the Charter 10 mandatory on the subject.
WATER SYSTEM
The city is to be congratulated upon the pur.
chase OF the water-works and the extension OF
the system. If business-like methods be per.
nsittod 10 prevail in that department, I'M
uamme,led By interested endeavors to unduly
reduce rates; and the city. for the first wear OF
operation aud extension of service be allowed to
benefit by commercial profits the system
VIII be placed on q most satisfactory basis The
revenue from water rents is from $1,000 to ST.
coo month and as the opening up of new sup
p.les goes on this will continue To add 10 the
income, making il fully $4,000 or $4,000 month
without materially adding 10 the working ex.
penses
The rates charged are as a whole az reasops BILE
as in any city on the Pacific coast and the result
OF Operations this year promises TO yield a good
surplus over all working expenses and ample
interest on q capital of 81 .aoo. 600
| approve Of the proposition TO regard Lake
Washington as the source OF the water supply
Tor the next few years; but think there will be
within that time, Us the population is increasing
SO rapidly, necessity Tor increased pumping
facilities. II is not too early to carry out the
plafl OF tfausiefri4& one of the pumps from Lake
Mashlngtcn 10 thy broadway pumping station
III the interest," oi the large ana thfckiy settled
district now dependent upon the high pressure
service irorn the BrosJiway station.
WAGES IN CASH
respectfully csll the attention of your honor.
able body TO the necessity oi complying with
the requirements OF the charter IS 10 having
wages III cash IL would be- well 70 invest one
OF the responsible officials OF the government
with sufficient power to negotiate the sale OF
enough warrants each month 10 ray sil wages
in cash. IL Will effect n great saving 10 ire CITY
IN the end aud as the discount on scrip is taken
Tor the most part from men who can i'll afford H.
great hardship will De avoided. The best
security a city can have is a justly paid and
contented people.
CAR-LINE FRANCHISES
In granting franchises FOR new street railroads
distinction should be made between those
roads which propose 10 parallel, or nearly par
aliel, existing lines. and those which are de-
signed 70 open up and render accessible new
section OF the city. The FIRST are OF no great
benefit 70 the public, providing the existing line
which II is proposed TO parallel gives satisfae.
tory service. In such cases competition Is not
an advantage. for a uniformly low fare is
charged by the roads throughout the city
Streets should not he granted TO such pars lei
roads unless adequate remuneration is given 10
he pnva arsf .h,sf