The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-15
THE COSTOF SEWERS.
Opinion in Favor Of Paying for
Them by Bonds.
The CITIZENS CONFERENCE.


kOO00 A0OO0 "a 0O80Os
There was large attendance Of citizens
at the conference meeting Of the city coun-
Gil and the Chamber Of Commerce last
night, at which the proposed issue of
bonds was considered. President Kloeber
was chairman and all the members of the
council were present except Alderman
Sweeney, now the acting mayor. Corpor-
alton Counsel Donworth, Comptroller
Carson, City Engineer r. H. Thomson
and Deputy H. w. Scott were also pres
ent. The Chamber was represented by d.
H. Gilman, E. F. Whittier. DR.. Ramsey
and Griffith Davies.
On invitation. E. f. Whittier presented
on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce
the report Of that body, which has already
been published. It recommends that
sewer commission be appointed to locate
intercepting mains and arrange priority
OF lateral sewers, the city to pay all mains,
except that, irrespective of size, every
property owner shall, IS sewer is laid at
his property, pay the price of lateral
sewer.
In reply to Alderman Daulton, DIR.
Ramsey said the plan included that sew
ers already laid SHOULD be incorporated in
the new assessment districts. He was
doubtful whether those who already had
sewers could now be made to pay.
City Engineer Thomson was called
upon. and he did not see that the fact OF
some sewers having been laid would affect
the equity of the proposed plan. Those
laid have been paid for by assessment on
q property valuation in the old district. ana
they have, therefore, paid as much moro
by twenty or thirty times as they would
have paio under the proposed plan. In
Queen Anne there had been sewers laid to
the extent of $4,000, but there were ex-
ceedingly few connections. As new houses
are built they will, it is proposed. have to
pay an installation fee before they could
make connection with these sewers nearly
equal to what they should have paid for
laying them. The idea of uni. sewer is
that if it is required to construct main
on street, the property owner shall only
be required to pay the same amount a. if
. small sewer were laid. The difference in
the cost is to be paid out OF the proposed
bonds, because large mains are for the
benefit of the city at large. Mr.. Thomson
also advocated the creation Of q temporary
commission who should arrange the order
Of laying the sewers.
In reply to Delegate Crichton. the city
engineer said that in some places sewers
would be demanded wheIe adjoining prop
erty would not justify it; in such cases
the property owners could have twenty
years to pay in, by paying the interest on
the bonds.
Comptroller Carson advocated carrying
off sewage the same as water is carried.
The city has expended between $500, 600
and 500, coo out of the general fund for
sewers and some Of the old ones are likely
to be renewed. If part of the mains are to
be paid out of the general fund and part
by ass essment there would be dissatisfac-
ton. He favored paying for all sewers
out of the general fund and max
ing property owners pay for making
connections. Everybody could under
stand that plan. Sewerage was for the
general benefit OF the C ty. The law re-
quired that such an improvement could
not be made except by petition, and if one
part of q district refused to petition it
would block progress and contaminate the
whole city. 1t was important that the
city should control the whole system OF
sewerage. He pointed out that under the
present charter there was no way by which
the council could compel people to pay
assessments for sewers against their will.
He condemned the proposition to have
another commission; the tendency was
the other way, and one citizen had advo-
Gated abolishing everything except the
mayor and one or two councilmen.
[Laughter.j In conclusion he urged that
sewer bonds be issued, and all sewers be
paid by them. The money could De had
for AZ or 5 per cent, and that was better
than heavily assessing the people in these
hard times. BY his plan everybody paid
his fair proportion. and the work could be
done at once without delay or litigation.
Z. Z. Writers said there was great OBJ
lection to continuing the present system
Of building sewers through districts where
there were only q few connections. On
Broadway and on Renton hill there are
closely peopled districts which cannot get
sewers. The amount expended so far had
been mainly for sewer tunnels and mains.
By the chambers proposition all inter-
cepting mains are to be paid by the bonds.
but In order to put all people using sewers
on an equality, each one would be charged
to property owners at the same rate In
stead of districts being specially favored
would give everybody willing to paw a
chance to get a sewer. He regarded a
sewer as more like street improvement
than a water main.
Mr.. Carson controverted this: he said
one street could be improved without the
next one being improved, but sewers must
be continuous. and if not built the health
OF the entire city would be jeopardized.
John f. Aver said it would be inpossi-
bic to float the bonds without this pro-
vision.
President Kloeber said sewers could not
be built by the assessment plan under the
charter; he should therefore rule that de-
bate must be confined to the question as
to the issue of sewer bonds.
Delegate Drew moved that the PROPOSE
ton be submitted TO the people to issue
$50, 900 for the extension of the sewer
system.
The motion was carried.
Alderman Ingram moved that the ones
ton of issuing 100000 for an electric
plant be also submitted.
The motion was declared carried. but
Delegate Carlisle asked for roll call.
Delegate Drew was willing to have ALI
such questions put 10 the people, but he
thought II unwise 10 have so much mt in
that the hole issue would be defeated.
Delegate Carlisle earnestly desired that
the people would vote for the sewer bonds.
but he feared this proposition would make
1t difficult 10 get the three-fiiths vote.
The sewers are the main uuasticp