, 1892-07-07
TAXES S--INSURANCE.
What Was Done at the Citizens
Meeting Last Night.

A Committee Appointed to Bring
suit Against the City Council
for Raising the VaIuatiOns--Ac-
tiOn ON Cheaper Insurance.
At the citizens meeting in Columbia
Hall last night there was not as large an
attendance as on the previous occasion.
The committee appointed at the first meet
ing to wait on the city council, (AIessrs. A.
A. Phillips, S. G. Woodruff and Hazard
Stevens) made a report, after which Judge
Francis Henry offered the following:
WHEREAS, 1t is the sense of this meet
ing that the valuation placed upon the
real estate within the city OF Olympia by
the city assessor is equal to the cash value
thereof, and that the action of the citv
council, sitting as board of equalization,
in making a general raise of said valuation
to the extent of abObt 40 per cent. was ar
bitrary and contrary to law and therefore
against the public interest, and that the
collection of the taxes placed upon said
arbitrary and fictitious valuation should
be restrained; therefore be it
Resolved That a committee of three
be appointed by the chairman of this meet.
ing with full power to take all necessary
steps to test the legality of the action Of
Lne CITY council IN making said general
raise, including the power to employ coun.
sci ana TO raise the necessary funds bv
SUBSCRIPTION for conducting said contest:
ana that said committee is authorized tc
call this meeting together whenever in its
Inqgment the public interest may re.
E5T;-MNiialyor x; Horr. Thomas Prather and A.
a. Fhllhps opposed the resolution. John
Miller Murphy, General Hazard Stevens
ana others favored it. Those who were on.
posed to 1t cOntended that a suit brouoht
into court as Colonel Owings wanted
would bankrupt the city, paralyze public
Improvements and throw workmen out O.
WORK. A. A. Phillips predicted financia
embarrassment for the citv. if it was done
and Tom Prather said city warrants woulC
go down to 10 cents on a dollar, or at hes
Jhey wouldn't t be worth more than so cents
When the rising vote was taken it re
celVed tWenty-one votes in the affirmative
ana eleven IN the negative; majority O
!nose present not voting, Colonel Owing
Is 10 appoint the committee to bring tht
suit. VIZ
INSURANCE RATES.
The following resolutions were unani
mously adopted:
WHEREAS, Large sums of money are paiC
oy citizens OF Olympia annually to fire in
surance companies as premiums for insur
ing property against loss by fire; and,
WHEREAS, The city of Olympia is as wei
protected against fire as any city on th,
Pacific coast, especially in the state o
Washington; and,
WHEREAS, The rates for insurance her,
are from 20 to 60 per cent. higher thar
those Tor other cities no better protected
and in some cases not as we'll supplied
with appliances for the extinguishment O
fire: and
WHEREAS, Such determinations agains
this city in rates Of insurance are mani
testify unjust; and
WHEREAS, The above facts have beer
fairly laid before the managers of the 'Pa
clhc Insurance Union" or compact. anC
no action by said union or compact bal
yet been taken in the premises, therefore
be it
Resolved, That in Justice to the propert,
owners and business men of Olympia theV
should refrain from insuring in any of tbt
companies forming the said union or com
pact, until as favorable rates are guar
anteed to this as to other cities IN this o.
any other state on the Pacific coast.
Resolved, That copies of this preambI,
and resolutions be furnished the daily
papers for publication; also copy of thI
same to the Pacific Insurance Union !" by
the secretary Of this mass meeting O.
property-holders of the city of Olympia.