The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-01

that the cost % improvements shall not
b more than - per cent Of the value OF
aburtfng property ard this requirement in
ore notable instance has prevented the
grazing o. street from Fremont 20 the
res university. although every property
owner signed the petition. Decreasing the
amount 20 = per cent would doubtless
stop many otaer improvements The pro
visions of subdivision CO section Is OF
article :. relating 20 the form OF bonds
fer local improvements, is radical change
from the present system. ard viii dis
courage the sale Of such bonds and there
Is the making OF local improvements.
Seventh-The provisions Of subdivision
% section q OF article 5 requiring con-
tractors with th. city 70 give bond and
further requiring the suretie< on their
hyoa6g 20 file statement with the mayor.
containing q list az al the property owned
by each surety describing II and showing
whether x IS community or separate prop
er1y. will make II difficult for COZ tractors
70 give boEE. and in view % the fact that
% per cent OF the contract price for public
work r. retained By the city 10 insure its
completion the provision Is harsh ard IN
necessary. There has been no trouble with
contractors bonds under The old charter
Esghth-Tne provisions for a boiler In
spa-tor ard for licensing of engineers seems
10 me to De absolutely unnecessary IN TINS
city. IL will increase the cIsyfs expenses
BY about s. 600 per year In my judgment,
which must BE- horne BY the people WHO
own manufactures and by the engineers
they employ. / can see no possible neces-
ssty for this expense
Ninth-T'he provisions % section - OF
article "a. requiring the city COUNCIL 70
proceed al oace with rne purchase OF 700
acres Of land. and the incurring of debt
OF so 600 therefor, and establish GENE
terry in the present financial copditfon OF
81. r1t@~ 70 me N
expense OF maintaining a cemetery when
established viii also be a considerable an
crease of the clty's annual expense ]
doubt the wisdom OF the city going into
the cemetery business ar all.
Tenth-The reduction Of the mayor
saIary from 5000 to $3.50 per anuum
think bad.
Fleventh-Article is. establishing the
civil service would be undoubtedly an ex-
eeIlent thing for the city, and If IL were
workable would outweigh in my judgment
all other objections TO the charter. But
have great doubts whether II can De work
ed as I; stands. The first year the civil
service commissioners would be obliged
10 give a large part of their time TO the
work. after that the work viii be light 1T
would seem that their pay should nave
been regulated accordingly, but the new
Charter fixes the pay of the commissioners
al 500 per year until January |. 1875, and
nav increase their pay, Can competent
persons be found TO take the Office Of COM
missioner and do the work well at 500 per
year? / greatly doubt II.
There are other objections TO the char
ter but even the briefest statement or
them would make this letter too long.
Other members of the commission OBJ
tected strenuously to other articles (Which
favored) and declared that they could
not support the charter with such pro-
visions in IT. I will not try TO state them.
In many respects / believe the new
charter TO be vast improvement on the
old. but the foregoing seems 10 be some or
the strongest objections. Older and more
experienced members OF the commission
than / thought some of the objections
above stated were not objections. but were
wise provisions. IT is a matter for good
Judgment 1t is hopeless 10 try TO argue
on it's provisions: the field is too wide.
Each citizen must either study its pro-
visions for himself or follow the judgment
of others who have done so. Very truly
yours. FALCON JOSLlN.