The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-09
SYSTEMOFSEWERAGE
Proposition Outlined by the
Chamber of Commerce.
INTERPRETING AND LATERAL.
Division Of Payment Into Dlsericts and
BY Bonds-Property to Pay DE-
rect for Laterals.

A committee of the Chamber Of Com
merce. consisting of E. F. Whittier, d. 81.
Gilman, DR.. Samuel Ramsey and Griffith
Davies, has been engaged for some time
devising q means for the early construc-
ton of sewers and . method of pay
ment which should b equitable and with
out involving the city in too
great an Indebtedness. At the same
time the city council has been
considering the subject and invited citi-
Gems to confer with that body SO as to
insure the Inauguration of . policy which
should govern municipal legislation here
after.
On Monday night there will be mass
meeting of citizens at the Chamber of
Commerce to consider . report prepared
by the committee. and on Friday night
the members of the chamber and other
citizens will meet the city council at the
city hall in conference.
The report of the Chamber Of Commerce
committee is as follows:
To the Honorable City Council: The Chamber of
Commerce having carefully considered the mat
ter of further bonding the city for the purpose
OF extending our sewerage, would respectfully
represent to your honorable body that in the
progress and growth of our city the time has
now arrived when 1t surely seems wise that be-
fore further indebtedness Is incurred q care
fully considered system of sewerage should be
planned % As to effect the best sanitary results
for the city a. a whole. and equitaby distribute
the financial burden throughout the various
parts of the city that receive the benefits.
The chamber respectfully submits the follow
ing for your confederation as q plan. which, If
adopted and adhered to a. the settled policy of
the city, would result in great good to the city,
and promote its future upbuilding and pros
perity, by assuring the most judicious expenoi-
ture of money and on a just basis
The chamber recommends that . temporary
sewer commission be appointed, composed OF
two engineers Zone of whom shall be the city
engineer) and an honest cleSr-headed business
man, making q commission Of three. whose
duty 1t shall be to carefully scan the system of
sewerage devised by Benezette Williams, revise
and extend said plan to date, list and describe
by course and location such sewers a. must
serve as 'intercepting MAINS" which In their
judgment should be constructed within the
next two years; also to recommend the priority
in which such '.jnterceptiug mains" shall b
built.
Such commission to determine and name the
diameter OF a sewer, to be known a. the 'unit
sewer" and to define 'unit sewer" 70 mean .
sewer of such diameter as in absence of an Sin.
tercepting main' on same route would be neces.
sary to carry away the sewage OF the AUDITING
property; but because OF an '1ntercepting
main" on same route 10 rendered unnecessary.
All sewers tributary to the 'intercepting
mains" prescribed by said commission, and
within the limits OF the districts-whch dis.
tricts would be determined by the topography
of the different localities-and not listed 40 "in.
tercepting mains are to be known and desig-
mated a. ''laterals." No sewer hereafter to be
constructed entirely at the expense Of the gen.
eral sewer fund, but the cost to be met a. fol.
lows:
First - "lntercepting mains," sewers thus
listed by the commission, to be paid out OF the
proceeds OF the sewer bonds, such bonds to DO
redeemed, In part by taxation on the entire city
ana in part by the assessment OF the directly
Dy snS
Is ordered built, there should be prepared and
filed with the city treasurer an assessment roll
charging AGAINST each lot OF parcel OF properly
any other existing or projected main
or lateral. a proportion equal to the
cost OF unit sewer Tor the direct
sassment to be ON the basis OF square feet of
area within the assessment district Owners OF
property thus assessed should be allowed the
following option a. regards the payment OF the
sewer assessment: (a) Payment atthe termina-
ton OF the bond perioi: interest to be paid an.
nusly. TO- Full or partial payments OF not less
any tax.paying period during life of bonds, all
moneys thus received to be invested by the city
in q sinking fund to be applied only towards
the redemption of the "city sewer" bonds.
Second--"LAteras," sewers thus listed or
designated to be constructed under order from
the city council, either upon petition from the
board Of public health, if in their judgment the
public health demands sewerage facilities in
such localities, each "iatcrai' to be paid for by
an assessment, based on the number of square
foof in q a
"laseral"
SUCH assessment to be met by the plan OF I'm
mediate payment or by short time district sewer
bonds az determined BY the owners of major.
ity OF the area within the assessment district.
In case bonds are issued. provision shall DO
made for partial or entire payment, with inter:
est ct any annual period during the life OF
bonds and such moneys should be invested by
the city in a sinking fund fer the redemption OF
said "district sewer bonds
For the purpose of commencing the perma-
nent sewerage OF the city. the Chamber OF Com
meree would respectfully ask the city council
to submit for vote to the people the proposition
to issue a twenty-year 'cIty sewer" bond in the
amount OF $25o.0o0, to be expended TO the con-
struction OF intercepting mains, a. outlined
above.
Your committee would urge rs reason for
recommending the immediate adoption OF this
system, the fact that the progress OF this city.
especially in the matter OF street paving, Is be-
ing retarded on account OF permanent sewers
not having been laid in the business district,
and in support of the principle OF taxation, a.
recommended. would say:
Firs;-Thai at the time the sewers now In use
were laid the city was practically one dis
trict.
second-That many OF the sewers were con-
s,ructed OF wood; have decayed, and must now
be replaced.
Third-rhas nearly all OF these sewers are in
adequate, by reason of insufficient size, Tor the
increased population.
No city Improvement has been more
carefully considered than the matter OF
sewerage, and the citizens will be them
selves to blame if any dissatisfaction re-
suits after final action is taken.
A Horse Goes Through tho RANKING.
As Hiram Cure was driving his express
wagon across Pioneer place about O'Clock