The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-06
THE CITY'S AFFAIRS.
Unusual Hardness i'm the Paw
ment of Local Taxes.
MATERIAL FOR STREET MAKING.
Early Necessity for . Eeplanking OF
Front and other Streets-Pollution
OF Water by Sewage.

Only about three weeks remain in which
to pay city taxes, yet of total levy Of
Si4, 81 only about $4,000 have been
paid in, leaving S479, 2i9 to be collected. or
an average of $23. 962 day for the remain
ing twenty days. The new system OF put
ting grade taxes on the tax roll has caused
considerable grumbling, but it has resulted
IN gathering in between S., 600 and 81, 900
from non-residents who. otherwise. might
have been in ignorance of the assessment.
At the beginning of the year 1892 the total
amount of Indebtedness under this head
was 1850, 2lS.25. On February /. 1898, the
amount due was $3.50, 3S9. 30, with cash in
the treasury amounting to $50. 929.SS. OF
the latter about $4,000 is the cash pro-
ceeds of bonds sold to defray street inn
provement on the ten-year bond plan the
work on which is yet uncompleted. A
further SIS. 900 is for warrants which have
been called in but not presented, and on
which interest has ceased. This leaves
81, 1923. odd amounts belonging to 1872 diff
ferent funds not yet closed, an average of
$l36 to each fund. In most cases this bal
ance is held because there is not sufficient
to call in an outstanding warrant on any
street. The entire result is that the city
is about $l63. $40 better off than it was q
year ago; and it affords proof that prop
erty owners are paying up their grade
taxes RAPIDLY.
The question OF sewage running into the
lakes and the necessity of providing
against it at an early day has been consid-
cred by the city authorities, but according
to recent opinion there does not seem to
be much occasion for alarm in cases where
the water is not used for drinking pur-
poses. The citizens of Indianapolis pro-
tested against the emptying of sewage
which runs into Fall creek, q stream pass
ing through the city. The question as to
the pollution of the water was submitted
to Prof. c. L. Chandler, professor of chem
istry of Columbia college and one of the
most eminent authorities on water analy-
sis in the United States. He replies that
he would not hesitate to allow $50 houses
to connect with drain running into the
stream.
'.The city of Albany" he says, "has
now been drinking the water OF the Hud-
son river for twenty years without fltra-
ton, notwithstanding the fact that the
city of Troy, eight miles above, with q
population of $4,000, drains into the river,
besides several other smaller towns. 1t is
nevertheless one of the healthiest cities in
the Union"
1t is, nevertheless, general rule that
water into which sewage empties in any
appreciate quantity is not safe for pota-
bic purposes. Yet, this might be so and
the sewage be far from becoming nui-
sance. Sewage diluted with twenty times
its volume of water and running dis
lance of ten or twelve miles will be de-
stroyed. Some authorities put the dis
lance as low as three miles.
Blackstone river which receives the
sewage of Worcester. Mass, carried fully
10 per cent. of its volume in sewage, yet it
was not considered nuisance.
The problem of paving streets has
harrassed every large city in the world. In
turn macadam, granite blocks, wood
blocks, asphalt and cobbles have been
tried without giving entire satisfaction.
The trouble is usually in the foundation.
Vitrified brick is now being used in
parts of Chicago. in Davenport, Ia;
Des Moines, Baltimore. Roanoke and
Alexandria. In Davenport. where the
test has been made upon the most careful
plans, the foundation will be of broken
stone with one layer of brick for streets
where traffic is light and two layers where
it is heavy. The result is said to be dura-
bility and cleanliness, with a minimum Of
noise and without very heavy expense.
The wooden planking on the busiest
streets of Seattle shows signs already of
serious deterioration, and it will not be
long before it must be entirely replaced.
A recurrence to wood will be found expen-
sive and cannot be permanent.
Mayor Ronald has for some time had in
contemplation tour of the Southern and
Eastern states, in company with large
party of private citizens. but the plan has
been subject to circumstances, and it is
not positively settled yet whether he will
go. If he does it will be early in March.