The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-04

The ordinances arprcrrsattng funds for
tbs city expenses OF 1897 and ievying the
tax were passed yesterday morning az
special meeting OF the city council. The
Vote On theAr passage was unanimous
Only Hurd and Crschton were absent IL
was evident from the appearance or Ma
vim and AcArdle. the Popuiist members
Of the council. that they intended 10 ngat
come point in the ordinance They were
well loaded with books OF reference ard
on their faces a look Of impressive soien-
nifty reigned. They listened In silence 70
the following report from Corporation
Counsel Brown: Your request for my
opinion as to the legality OF the provisions
OF Council Bill No. E2. referring especi-
ally to that portion OF IL levy4ng a TAX for
the payment OF the interest on the water
works and sewer bonds issued In the year
100. has been carefully considered by me
and beg leave to inform you that IN my
opinion the said council bil Is in proper
form and Il passed VIII become valid or
dinance OF the city.
Ordinance No. 1.3is, authorizing the IS
sue OF the water and eewer bonds of 1890.
provided in section I: To provide for the
payment of interest on said bonds there -
hereby levied. set apart and specially APP
propriated an annual tax OF 81 mills on
each dollar Of property N the city OF Sc
attic. This provision ID for the benefit or
the bondholder. and IL the city IN the or
dtnance now before It has provided for q
levy sufficient 20 pay the interest on said
bonds. even II said levy Is not as great as
81 mills ON the dollar. even the bondhoid-
ers would have the right to complain.
at least until the city had defaulted In the
payment OF interest. II a tax OF ga mills
were levied for the purpose Of paving this
interest, It would produce. II fully paid.
nearly double the amount Of money neces-
sary TO pay the interest.
THE provision of Ordinance No. 1,s43 re-
curing the levy OF 3ls mills was for the
projections Of the purchaser OF the bonds,
and unless such purchaser has just cause
TO complain II provisions were made for
the payment of the interest In the annual
tax levy, the interest Of no other person
would be injured.
Even If the holders of bonds could COM
pei the city to levy annually the full
amount OF 3is mills for the purposes OF
paying the interest on said bonds. which
am confident they could not do. the levy
OF lesser amount would be perfectly valid
and enforceable"
Then Navin and McArSile made their
point. Their claim was that whether the
tax Of 3ta mills were required for the pay
ment OF interest or not Ii should be levied
in full. the surplus 10 go toward the crea-
ton OF a water fund. As authority for
JlaS Iney SupEiilteu OfUfIalce NO. LOW,
which was approved April %. 1885, Its pro-
visions are as follows:
Section ]. That there be and Is hereby
created IN the city treasury q fund 10 be
known as the Water fund into which
shall be paid all water rates, rents and
other income received from the city wa
ter works, and such other moneys or rev.
nue. as the city council shall provide
"Sec. 2 The water fund shall be used
first, for the payment monthly of the sal
aries and wages of the superintendent OF
water works, his assistants, subordinates
and employees employed in the MANAGE
rent, care, repair and extension of the
city water works. including the wages OF
all iaborers employed thereon. second.
for the payment of all material. machin-
cry and supplies necessary for the repair.
renewal. maintenance and extension of
the city water works: third, for the In
terest on the bonds issued by the city for
ment of the city water works rs such In
terest may fall due; and. fourth, Tor the
creation OF a sinking fund TO pay said
bonds when they shall become due, but
the creation of such sinking fund shall
not be begun until the time srecified in
the ordinance authorizing the issuance OF
said bonds.
.'See 8 The water fund shall be used
for no other purposes than those specified
In section OF this ordinance: provided.
that so long az the interest on the water
bond Is provided for by a genera TX
council may at any time transfer from the
water fund TO any other fund and
expend for any corporate purpose any
sum or sums not exceeding In any one
year the amount OF interest provided for
by such general tax.
sec. 4. The city council shall monthly
cause TO be transferred from the water
fund TO the salary fund a sum sufficient
to pay the salaries and wages chargeaole
against the water fund, as In this ordi-
nance provided"
The council listened patiently; Il ofer-
ed no interruptions The council had
heard the corporation counsefs report
dealing with the point involved and was
satisfied. When Navin and McArcle I'm
ished, Chapman, who acted as chairman
in the absence OF Cr.chton. said: CAL
the roll on the passage Of this ordinance"
The ordinance ievying taxes on the tax
able property in the city was disposed or
first and then the appropriation ordinance
The next regular meeting OF the city
council Will be held next Monday night,
beginning at 7:so O'Clock.