Evening journal., 1892-07-21
SEWER LAW REFORM.
Citizens Agitate the Question
of Better Assessment.
A FRIENDLY SETTLEMENT DESIRED

An Honest Difference of Opinion Said TO
Exist Between the city and Those
Opposed to the Present Sewer LAVA
Committee Appointed to Confer with
the street and sewer Department.
A meeting was held in the Builders
Exchange yesterday afternoon 20 reach
friendly settlement of the difficulties be-
tween the parties striving for a reform of
the sewer assessment and the Street and
Sewer Department. Mark NJ. Cleaver
presided at the meeting. On taking the
chair he said that there is an honest diff
ference of opinion between the
city and those whose property
has been assessed for sewer pur-
poses The city must enforce the
law as it now stands as the law itself
compels the officers to do SO. All that
can be done is 90 ascertain If the law is
valid. If IL is, then the sewer bills must
be pnid The best way to secure such q
decision Is by case stated, as II will
cost less. There Is no fight, he said
over the matter and there is no reeling
over the matter toward the city officers
Mr.. Cleaver then asked il there was
any one present who had paid their
sewer bills or had consulted counsel on
the matter
Caleb p. Johnson said that he had
paid his bills because he desired TO get
/ the per cent. rebate. Philip PlunlSett
/ said that he talked the matter over with
various people and IL seemed 60 be THEN
/ opinion that the bills must be paid. lie
favored improvements and thought that
the Street and Sewer Department had
done good work. but he did not think II
was right to assess a man for sewer
when he did not need the sewer He haC
also been assessed on two streets for tn,
same property. J. A. McCaulley anC
Ezra Fell also spoke.
Mr.. Carpenter was asked the charges
for draining corner lot and said tina
the owner does not have 90 pay double
rates. as he is only charged 20 cents pc
foot for the second side of his lot whel
it abuts on two sewers He then askel
Mr. Clcaver, who is secretary of severn
private sewer companies, what thos
companies charged for tapping sewers
Mr. Cleayer replied that the rate varie
from SO. 80 per foot front to 50. MI
Carpenter replied that the city rate wa
about equal to 81 90 per foot front.
Mr.. Plunkett asked that if q man VIII
had paid for going into sewer built b
E private parties where there was no publ
sewer was compelled 20 pay for cit
, sewer In case one was built along ti
same street at some future time. M
e Carpenter replied that when ma
} drained into a private sewer the cii
E charged him % cents per foot front Il
the privilege. and when that was pa
/ there was no way TO make him pay NOR
d Mr.. Cleaver remarked that he owned
j lot on Searles street for which he hi
Il built a private sewer. Now the city hi
n built sewer there and he has been SCI
70 another bill.
On motion of Mr. McCaulley a col
g mittee of three was appointed to asc,
b tain the cost Of a lawyers opinion In q
y matter The committee was instruct
to hold conference with the departme
TO see if they would agree TO make ca
& stated
Several suggestions were made but
. action was taken thereon and the met
y ing adjourned sine die.
i Some of those present were J. R.
u Montgomery, Samuel Il. Belts, Thorn
N Meteer. Charles w Rowland, d.
y Smyth. Lewis y. Grubb, John s. Rossell
II Augustus McCaulley, Caleb p. JohnsC
lc Thomas Tatnall James G.. Byran, j.
D. Winslow, A. J. Woodman, George
Bates. James Murray, c. l. Swayi
Philip Plunkett, Samuel d. Forb
Francis s. Simpson, Robert T. Coffin
n ham. A. S. Reed, Ezra Fell, Villa
le Bright and President Joseph l.. Carpe
II ter, Jr.. of the Street and Sewer Depal
ment
y The matter will probably be discuse
Is at the adjourned meeting of the STR
and Sewer Department tonight.