The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-27

II the scheme IL carried out there VII be
great danger ~ the city defzultiuE IN It's
interest payments Eext year.
4 Tax on the Water Faucet.
J r. Gleason-T am opposed 20 the prop
cE5tlon ~ al present submitted The peo-
PIE of tuls city are already 0verburdenef
with taxation. and the supporters % mis-
proposition may talk all tney please as
70 this uew bonding system not being q
tax. but the facts remain just the same
thai u revenue must ~ raised. no matter
whether II IS applied directly as a tax on
real estate OF an increased water rate
As FOR me Z think no tax 3 more direct
tax than thai applied 20 the water faucet
OF every househ0lder's kitchen.
The City Deep Enough I'm I'ebt.
Falcon Josliu-Tt seems 20 me that Il
would be very unwlse. with the city IN IS
present cOuast!0u-a taxation OF 81 per
cent on Vroperty-tb incur any further
debt. There are dozens 81 cities which
nave not as adequate nor as good a water
supply as We have here already. ] believe
the city should take such measures as
would save It's interests for the future n
the cedar river supply. but at present |
believe ID would be- very unwise 10 20 on
with the matter. There "a such o thing as
q CITY bec0m.ng bankrupt. Is wen as an in
d.vldual The taxes should certainly not
be- increased until the times improve.
J. r. Hayden think We are already
sufficiently In debt ana therefore / am
opposed TO it.
Not "a business Proposition.
James +. McEIroy-I am opposed to
the city going into debt any deeper
than IL Is now. unless there Is. as
IN any business proposition. an ABSOLUTE
certainty from the facts surrounding IL,
that there Is going TO Dc a sufficient in
come from the expenditure TO produce
the interest and a margin above the
interest large enough 20 wipe ont the
principal debt. | would rather see the
city pay the cost of construction and
maintenance OF the plant ten years from
now. and pay a big bonus for 4. than TO
incur such a debt now. I would Ike to see
the Improvement made. ana IL the city
csnn0t make il. I would like 10 see the
city stand aside and a private corporation
make 81. The city must own the plant
some day.
Take Care of the Present.
<. II. PiIes-In my opinion. no other peo-
pie IN the United States would entertain
such a proposition. under existing circum-
stances. for a single moment We now
have one OF the finest water supplies 20 be
found anywhere, and If prope steps are
taken IL can be made available for at least
nifty years. There is no question that Lake
Washington. which is in itself a storage
reservoir for many square miles OF limpid
water poured forth from the mountains,
is as good as any in the world. Compare
IL with the water furnished the cities
along the Mississippi. where sewage is
pumped into the river which IS the source
OF supply. I say that while the people are
staggering under a load of debt. 1t Is the
height OF folly to incur an additional obli-
CATION Of a million and a quarter for
something we don't need at this time. II
Is enough for us TO take care of the pres
ent. Let the future take care of itself.
No Danger of Losing Cedar River.
=. +. Durie-While ! was a member Of
the city council / had as much TO do as any
one In bringing about the city ownership
Of her water supply. and / helped 10 form
ulate the Cedar river gravity plan. If |
thought for a monument that there was
any danger Of the city failing 10 secure
the first right 10 take Cedar river water
fer city use. | should be strongly in favor
OF any scheme that promised 10 place the
city's rights beyond danger. But ! can
see no such danger in accepting the power
compauy's offer or waiting until the city
is able to pay for the gravity system.
There rs no use IN our whipping the devil
around the stump by pretending 10 the
outside world and our creditors that We
would not incur additional debt by adopt
ing the city ordinance. We VIII fool no
one. and the end would he.that we should
destroy our credit and bring ourselves into
tho ~uncnviahle condition OF some Of the
other cities on the Coast.
Now l. the Worst Time.
]. T. Ronald-I always have been in ia
vOr of the city owning the gravity system.
but I don't think IL Is wise to go i'm debt
for II now. especially when il will require
an increase 10 tho extent OF at least a
million dollars. The city never will he
less able 10 acquire 1t than she is now.
] have no fears bat that the city VII be
legally able 10 acquire 1t when she be
comes financially able to afford 1t. I'm
not afraid Of any private corporation he
ing able 10 prevent the city getting the
water from Cedar lake when she is able TO
afford 81. When the time comes that We
can no longer use Lake Washington water
some OF thc settlements IA the city viii he
so high that they cant be supplied from
swan lake any way. When the city has a
population Of 300 900 or to0,@1 We gan then
better afford to bring the water from &C.
dar lake than we can afford at the present
time "a Increase our debit to the extent
contaminated. Ny objection. however. Is
not 10 the system. hut to the 0eht at the
present time. 7 don't regard the rejection
~ tho ritv's proposition as equivalent to
the acceptance Of any of Mr.. AmmidoWns
nranositioas. I'm in favor Of rejecting
trar, an az the present time and letting
,ha matter rest just whore X Is. unless
can be convinced that We can get water
cheapcr through ono of Ammidown :
propositions than We can al tho present
time.
Auaiust the Warrant Issues.
r. misunderstanding II would ne best.
.snrse COR the city 20 Own its own
v.s,er rl,nt. in case 6; might be a0ie 20 DO
=, Vet Il, incur a debt o. I.2a"" az tAis
..ma fsr chat purpose. or any other. would
- s@nnoltic and unwise. and against the
fs4t Interests - tho city TIE citv's IN
~ - ~raaaHnk#E VOL mo