Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1894-04-05
Another Word as to Sewerage.

Editor Alert: Now as the question
has, 1t seems. been fully established,
that it will be legal to issue ronds for
the purpose of meeting the expenses of
sewerage; the second question is, and
one of vital importance, whether ii will
be a wise thing for the citizens of James.
town to assume still greater RESPONSE
bility by issuing more bonds and adding
to the city debt? AS has been stated by
me. the bonded Indebtedness of James
town amounts to S65,0O0. The interest
paid on this amount is over $4,000 per
annum. This is a large amount of debt
for a town with the number of jnhabit-
ants we have. The holders of property
are now under the enormous taxation
nearly of 31a per cent on the assessed
valuation Of their property, and most
unwise it will be to increase the burden.
The benefit accrued by few persons
wishing the sewer will not be in compari-
son to the number injured, by putting
in a sewer to run a few blocks Oh Fifth
avenue ana AIDING to the debt OF the
city. 1t would seem to be d most IN
seasOna5le time. to add to The debt OF
tho community, when crops have been d
failure, and business Is at Il complete
stagnation. The property holders or The
CITY after paying high taxes, high rates
Of insurance and repairs, only have their
property net them less than four per
cent, while their holdings are deterlorat-
ing and growing less valuable. Who are
Tue persons that want the sewer? There
are two classes-thOse who have not pro-
vlded proper cODvenlenceS to their build
ings for their tenants, aud by making
their nelshbors contribute toward a
sewer for their benefit, accomplish d
cheap solution out Of their difficulty.
1t Will certainly cost very little for hotels
to connect with sewer that is partially
furnished them Instead of building earth
closets, which they should have had from
the time their buildings were first erected.
1t has not only been a gross negligence
on the part of proprietors of such build
ings. but an utter indifference to all sani-
tary philosophy, as is now understood.
and Is SO essential TO the health of a
town. Persons may be under the false
impression that a sewer of the kind that
is proposed will add to the cleanliness of
the town, but sewer extending only in
one portion OF an avenue. and with no
capacity to carry Oft even the surface
water of the town, let alone the garbage
of the streets. will neither add to the
cleanliness of the town or salnbrity of
the air.
Now we come to the second class of
persons who would like this sewer. They
are the owners of vacant lots and "addi-
l.
tlse their real estate. and IN that wav
they will be able to dispose of their lots.
They never made Il greater mistake 1t
will hardly advertise city lots or addi-
tiouS. for the stranger With money TO
invest is more wary Of late than formerly,
and will ascertain what is the municipal
ern town before investing. To add to
will be poor way to advertise.
The people who ale called to vote in
favor Of this measure must remember
that it will cause a great ipjnrv TO onr
city in the deterioration of the we'll water:
and the James river will be made cess
pool for this sewer. 1t is significant
fact that when the river is high the wells
are high. showing the close connection
between the water OF the river and the
wells. The depth Of the river is not very
great and of course the current very
sluggish So. in mid summer. at low
water aud under a burning SUD, It can
easily be imagined what fetid emana-
irons will be carried from it in every
breeze. What ought 10 I've source OF
purity and health will he source OF dis
ease and death. We have only to CON
s,der the lesson of the yltiated wafer of
Grand Forks, where people died by the
hundreds with tvphna. canseA by .he
poisoned water. Shall we submit to this
injustice or r'se IN our might and defeat
at the ballot.hox this pronostion 10 bond
for sewerage? W. f. GREENE.
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