, 1892-12-24
A BIC PROBLEM.
Numerous improvement Assess
mentS BEFORE the Council.
The Question of Protecting the
Rights OF individual Property
Owners Raised-InequaIitie in
the Assessment Claimed.

"A
Rights OF Individual Property
: Owners interchangeable in
the Assessment Claimed.
A problem confronts the Olympia city
council and an attempt was made to
hold a meeting at 10 O'Clock this
morning to see what could be done
about solving it. All the trouble revolves
about the inequality of the street grade
assessments. Numerous protests have
brought to light the important fact as
alleged by those who ought to know, that
the discrimination exercised in fixing the
amount OF the assessment was not fine
enough to suit the tax payers. Matters
have reached such climax that something
must be done to satisfy property owners
who feel that they have been damaged by
the elaborate system of public improve
ments projected by the city.
The meeting failed this morning because
one more member was needed TO make
quorum. Counoilmen Frisch, Abbott, Nc
Bratney and Mayor 0'Bnen were in at.
tendance. Councilman Sickels was
obliged to go to the depot to meet some
! friends, and thus broke up the cOmbina-
ton. At IL O'Clock, after an hours weary
waiting, the councilmen present agreed to
meet at 10 O'Clock Tuesday morning for the
purpose Of disposing Of the street grade as
sessments.
FACING THE MUSIC.
The attempt to hold a meeting Thursday
night was a failure. Yesterday morning
there was a short session but no assault
was made upon the ponderous pile ofstreet
assessment rolls. At g go last night anoth-
er attempt was made TO dispose of this bug
bear, and it was partially successful. Bus
mess began with Councilman McBratney
in the chair and Councilmen Frisch, Phipps,
Sickels, City Attorney Linn, Marshal
SaVidge and Clerk CallOW in attendance.
The assessment roll for grading the road
ways of Maple park amounting to S602.8l
was taken up and read in conjunction with
protest from r. l.. Robertson William
Ogle, A. d. Rogers, o. r. Simenson, /.
Lounsbury and II. d. Westerman, who
asked that the confirmation of this assess
ment be deferred until the completion of
the work. The protest was granted.
ASSESSMENTS CONFIRMED.
Assessments were confirmed as follows:
Grading Fremont from Chestnut street
to $50 feet west Of Chestnut street, 1910
feet, $43, ,298
Grading Eighth street fIom Jefferson to
Central, 1870 feet, $6267.25.
Grading Washington street from Union
to Fifteenth, 2535 feet, 81, ,s28.22.
Grading Jackson avenue from Rogers
avenue to Sherman avenue, 1900 feet,
S738.78
Graveling of Union street from Main to
Adams ,469.72 feet, $500.
PROTEST FROM MR.. VAN EPPs.
T. G. Van Epps presented remons-
trance against the continuation Of the as
sessment for grading Mills street from
Standish to West Fourth. He claimed that
it was a great damage to his property, and
figured out that the city owed him fully
$500 for damages caused by the cut.
The protest filed by Mr.. Van Epps raised
a big question. 1t was that something
should be done to protect the rights of in
dividuals IN the matter of assessments for
street improvements, 1t was quite plain
that the merit of the claim in question
could not be determined except by a per-
sonal Inspection. Mr.Phipps moved that the
council ,as a committee of the whole inspect
Mills street for the purpose Of arriving at
some intelligent conclusion, and after some
discussion the motion was adopted. The
question of postpOniug consideration of
the assessment rates was raised resulting
in a recess being taken until this morning.
ACCOUNTS ALLOWED.
Warrants were ordered drawn for the
following accounts.
S. II. Weisdeppe, smallpox case S 40
John Byrne, smallpox case. .......... %
Turpin q Manville, smallpox case 40
l. Harris q Sons, smallpox case ~ 10 27
Morning Olympian, advertising, .... u 30
g. b. Mann, merchandise e..,.......,. 40
Total al....................... 81
The resolution offered by City Clerk Cal
low at the morning session was reported
back by City Attorney Linn, who stated