The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-12
THIRTEENNEW LAWS
Amendments to the City Char
ter to Be Submitted.
SYNOPSIS or THEIR POINTS.
8sne 0esA. Some Barniess ga Othsrs
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Thirteen amendments 10 the city char
ter win be submitted 20 the people 1t the
election 10 be held ON March d Some Of
these are almost technical and, while pos
sessing merit win not work any great
hardship If they are defeated. some Of
them viii be very advantageous
40. merely provides for the return OF
an excess In the assessment for street inn
provemenss above the estimate. The sub
iect Is already covered By the charter. and
20 hare any value . per centags should
have been established below which the
return need not b made. By this amend
ment II SO we're left over In SO 600
the cost Of arranging for . rebate and
dividing the $40 between all the assessed.
No. 2 provides that IN all public work
preference shall be given to American
citizens and 10 elecsor. Of the city. Pub
lie sentiment already requires this and the
only notable breach since the amendment
was passed wss made by the board Of pub
lie works In appointing James NcNamsra,
who is neither. to job as q reward for
testifying against ex-City Engineer
Thomson and the employment Of aliens
and non-residents on recent sewer work.
No. 3provides for an amendment Of the
system Of assessing property for street
improvements and h q good measure.
The principal point it establishes IL that
no frontage shall be assessed more than
once for IN improvement.
No. & II Of rather more consequence. IL
provides that I'm all cases In which the
cost OF such improvement 10 to be betrayed
BY the collection OF special assessment
upon the property benefited. the following
proceedings shall be taken" etc. II then
provides for the presentation of q petition
a. now. but the following addition d worth
paying attention TO:
~Ths city council may order the whole
or any part OF the streets. lanes, alleys.
squares or public places Of the city to be-
pianked. repianked, paved or repaved, or
may order any sewer with manholes, catch
basins and other proper connections TO be
constructed or repaired therein, and may
improvement by the collection Of special
assessment upon the property benefited in
the manner provided in this section, with
out the presentation of any petition what
ever, either to the board of public works or
to the city council; provided. that unlessa
petition As hereinbefore described be pre-
sented such improvement shall not be or
affirmative vote Of two-thirds of ali the
members OF each house at regular meet
ing or at . meeting which 10 an adjourn
ment OF . regular meeting"
One very good feature il that no change
Of grade shall be made where any i'm
provsmsnts are on abutting property. sx-
cspt by majority petition.
No. 5 abolishes the board Of park COM
missonsrs and divides its duties between
the city council and the board Of public
works.
No. 8 il the 'initiatiye and referendum"
A. it Is called, which requires that If Is
per cent. of the qualified voters petition
for the submission of an amendment to the
charter, the council shall submit 1t.
No. provides means by which owners
of property subject to assessment under
the local improvement bond system pay
all installments before maturity.
No. s allows policemen to accept witness
fees in the superior court
No. 8 directs that city money shall be.
posted In banks to b selected by the
council and which are to pay interest on
daily balances. This il an innovation 80
far as Seattle Is concerned. The interest
bearing feature has received general ,om-
iueu0AUOu, Out Tue ptocinR OF
the power Of ordering deposits
in the hands Of the city
council has bsen very seriously debated.
The restrictions against jobbery are ap-
parently close. but 30 they ar isto the
city printing. A recent occurrence has
shown that the city council will for party
reasons flagrantly violate the provisions Of
the charter. What guarantee II there that
the same men might not 'job" the city in
matter of so much greater temptation,
such as the irresponsible handling Of large
sums of money!
No. 10 makes some comparatively unim-
portant changes in the method Of prepar-
ing amendments by the city council.
No. III changes the system Of the board
of public works 30 that each member of
the board Is to take charge of depart
ment, one Che water Office, another streets
and sewers, and third public buildings.
No. IL abolishes the provision requiring
two official newspapers and requires only
one after the end Of this year.
No. Is provides for the creation Of new
Office, that Of commissioner of labor sta