Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-12

ten years, during the tune when this floating indebtedness was contracted, cannot find | that the policy of the city has been otherwise than conservative in the matter Of public im- provements. sewer system was inaugu- rated which had grown to be necessity. It has been under the control of an able board of commissioners and been pushed no fur ther than necessity demanded. So also with regard to streets; the paving done has ex- tended over period ot several years and has | not been felt as burden. The trouble Is not | that the work has been done, but that il has | not been paid for when done.
 | l recommend that, if during the current | year you find the appropriations insufficient l for what you believe are necessary and prop | CT expenses and see fit to make extra apprU- | priations, you also lay an extra or a special tax sufficient to cover the deficiency caused | by such extra appropriations.
 l ASSESSMENT OF TAXES. | That our grand list has not rece.ved the attention It ought is one of the causes of the annual deficit. While our rate of taxation is l hiSh, being for town, city and school puI- poses the current year B mills, our grand | list is small compared with the amount of l taxable property, and the amount annually l expended Is not eXtlavhSaut in proportion tO | population.
 In making the grand list the trouble has | not been that the uSSessoGs elected from year l to year nave been or are incompetent or uu- wiling to do their duty. They have been simply unable, in the limited time the law 1 gives them in which to complete IheIr work, ] to give this most important matter the time
 
 year sough. 10 supplement the work of the assessors by the appointment of d committee, who should make, so far as possible. a com plete list of all the taXuble pr"ptr,y Ill ,he | town.
 At the last meeting of the last council the l work of that committee Was fully reported, | showing large amount of ?; opcrty not heIe- tofore in the grand list and great Inequality ot valuation for purposes ot taxation. That | the committee has performed WoIE much needed and of great importance Hru With I p,tTn ftAw AAr k d tltN | Mistakes have undoubtedly been made, yet not so many as might be expected. The only objection is it has not been done Ill cUntOrn- fly to law, the charter giving the cUuncll "u- lhoIity only to pass ordinances, to regulate the assessment uf taxes, and no board of off cia are bound by the action ot thIS commit teo or of the common council with reference to it. It is not probable the board of rcHet in the limited time also given them by law Ill which to perform their duties, will be able to utilize 1t to any great extent. Yet the work should not be considered wasted or lne nOu- | eY spent as thrown away, for this list WIIl afer the neeied special Legislation has been secured, be the basis of new and better grand list than the town has ever had. The unequal valuation of property has had the effect Of putting beyond the reach of people living in the city some of the most desirable forms of investment, as bank Strck for exam pie, which has been put ill the grand list at 75 To 100 per cent. Of ifs market value, Oi; GU far above its par value.
 Our high rate of taxation is an obstacle 10 the ntroduc'l 'n "f Il W capital and tho for nation Of h''W chtrrl risu>. cOrporatIOn just orEaulZ Il, u,d'I UT method UI uS~ e~s- ment, is taxed On tnr amount of Its capital stock. If II lives and pi, s, IS til it's ic' ual chpl hl becomes three or four times iIs uOmi- nal It Is stlll taxed on Is nomnul capital. We need special legislation in regard 10 the election and form of office of our assessor S. Us recommended by the committee as most of the larger towns ln the state have already had, and the recommendation is d good one that they hold office for a longer term than A Ialr nf ,,I,lN l,j,, each year.
 IwouId suggest the appointment of com mIttee to confer with the selectmen and the committee of the Center School dis trict, who together with the city uJ- torney, shall prepare bill for a special act, making such changes in the law relating to the election or appointment of ass, ssors, their term ot office, and the making of tie grand list, as they shall deem advisable.
 We shall find, with our grand list properly made, with uniform valuation, as the law | iiIects, based as nearly as pUssible on actual Values, our rate of taxation Will be consider ably lowered, our income sufficient for our reasonable expenses and necessary improve mentS, without adding to, but rather lesson ing the burdens of the smaller taxpayers, who now pay propOrtonately the larger taxes.
 WATER SUPPLY.
 The next urgent and important question that will demand your attention and prompt action Is the increase of the present water supply. Never has the necessity for such acton been felt more forcibly, never has there been n better opportunity to inform | ourselves of the quality quantity and Der manency of tEe different sources of supply, than the past season, and never have our people given so much time to independent in vestiga,ion and been so well informed upon thlS subject as at present. It is au cXcep- tIonallY well informed community that will judge your action. One trouble in deciding this question has been, not that It Is uncer- talu now and where a good supply of pure and wholesome water can be obtained, but . with so many sources to draw from, each hrst-cl1ss aud one that almost any ely iu the state would envy us the possession of, 1t is hard to decide which is best
 Leaving out of account Bantam lake, Hau- cock brook and other sources that have been mentioned, the discussion Is now practical y narrowed to whether We shall go east and draw from LinIley brock or Chestnut ttIjl brook, one being Tn reserVc to the other, or west, and draw fIom Hop brook or Qdass- | paug pond, one of these being also in reserve, to the other.
 You remember that iu 1889 the engineers of the board of Water commissioners made au able and exhaust tive report regarding the four sources last named, showing areas of water sheds, CalIy flow, storage capacity and estt- mated cost of each, supplemented by report ot aualysls Of water from each, showing purity. From facts presc nttd in this rcpUli the board of water comuiissl toners urged the adoption of Hop brook.
 The past year the council again sent this whole matter to committee, with power to employ a competent engineer and make an other report upon these different sources ol supply. do not apprehend many new facis will be reported by this last committee, not already known and reported to the council except possibly with regard to daily flow. Tue past season has demonstrated that the Wolcott brooks hold their flow much better in dry weather than the Mlddlebury sources, It has never been disputed the water from the eastern brooks is the purest. IL is of vital importance that we have good water and We want the best The best We surely have from the east and doubt not u suffi- cIent supply. Ii q distributing reservoir had been paced on LIndley brook ten years ago and Inc flow turned into our present mains, We should not at auy time slDce have suffered from scarcity of water. 1 trust the com m'tter, now preparing to report, wilt be able to give Us an estimate on the damages which factories along Mad river may be able to prove will result from diverting the Waters of Lindley or Chestnut Hill brook or both for the uses of the city. No estimate or informa- tion has ever been pi esented to the council un thus subject. IT it shalt be shown that such