The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-26

"A II
and made - the county. that nas Esfs -
fore gone 70 one q IS ais2ly sA4AIfea o1l'-
eials. s..~..,- +ao
Yrsa7sv s-soug4rs ard too much boo kkss pl.l :
IN county a~afvs For instance. II Lns
freazssrerfz office = seems nos cilsE
essary but absolutely foolisa 70 az - 80
tzxex on each AMI every piece Or psesss,et1 =
amanx tire different funds. Dong th3s ia
wolves more than million ealcasa a4ol ~
The books are necessarily 10 S7t -
work Il immensely increased the -. $50
for arror. rnnItfpsfed No matter how We'll
done The work may be. Ffls results 49, -, :
BE- exact The taxpayer Always H@s - -
aggregate SIN. never the seg41 -. 49,, 80
charges II would be easier q1icH .s
rhea8er and IN every way better, 8oF tsse
treasurer each day or once Ns1h, 70 ~
vide IRE aggregate amounts O IL - 49,. =
faeftorz among TIE different faN1S tHs4Atr4
- rs4retcFls hereof The account ana fte-
ora keeping Or TIE county = some hahs
wonderful That i should y STsasAs "a
sulnishea nd simp3ifs5 Il unooep~eo-
zone OF the large expenses of the county
q IN connection wfIh the opening OF n"
roads. Many re asked for, ana n $500 -
ance with the petitions are Fie@ a.
even SlO8 They are found 20 DC ainprsc-
fta8hle The county IL out the money
spent. and che petitioners not lflIfts- s s
s7aFe portions % Il y lAeir onl = - = -
il is not unreasonable TO provide ny as
that when men ask for the opening OF an
impossible read. they, dnd not ile tyulltE'
should pay for the expense taereDs lasuI-
red This can be done efner ~ Ihoiles
aenosifed az the tine Of presenting tAe
petition, or by good and sufficient po5io;
The money 10 De- returned or bona eanctled
fl the event o. the granting OF the pS'l-
s.,The city Is now heavily faxed for roads.
every ROD OF which must De OUTSIDE lle
city limits. Ia vlew Of the 60 nes -
ATTY 81 roads witnin che city limits, ana
the absolute lnp0ssihility OF getting mem
IN some places. as over the tide Ianes. =
does seem as II q large portion o. - -
fund might with propr.ety and l3s1ice DS
aprfl.f in such quarters, benenttng ptp-
pie IN the country a. well as illost =. 80
fown. ara that the law should be AMENDED
accordingly. or repealed
city Affairs
There r. no question IN his committee
81 The deslrability OF abolishtng the fnu.
ririnai cor,rr Those regularly connected
with Il draw from the city treasury 49,
"a month. whlls jurors and witnesses efA.
other large amouni-. the as.
which n not known. The court does noth-
lng that cannot re- as vel done IN otner
courts and 81 Is quite - Unnecessary a.
the often-referred-to NTH wheel OF
wagon. For years L has been l9esea hpSil
with disfavor. and efforts nave been naae
To- the past 10 secure a repeal or the STATE
law creating g. Why the state shonid N
tho beginning have fastened such courts
upon three already ovcrhurdsned commu-
mites il beyond comprehension. but hav-
fn1 committed that blumder years aso -
no reason why partial reparation % us
undoing should not be made nov. -
There are two justices or the peace n
Seattle each with constable ana
clerk. The justices have salaries OF 49,. sS
per snnum. which should be cut 10 ~ 80.
The c0usfah les receive 81 20 apiece tneir
Offices should be abolished Policemen
and deputy sheriffs can attend 10 crimi-
nal cases In these courts. while ctuzens
should be authorized 10 serve slNli pro
cess Just as they now are and DO IN the
superior courts Neither j. there neces-
sity for the clerks. The justices can keep
their own records. as they DO elsewhere
and as they formerly did here.
THE city has practiced retrenchment
commercially in the past, but the time
has come when u must take other steps
ia the same direction one OF these - III
the service OF the fire department. Con-
siderlng the general shrlnkaee or the mu-
nicipality. and the Impeachment OF the
people. the maintenance or the present
immense establishment Is ineXcusaDle.
The engine houses in the suburbs should
all he closed. and Ii Is a question whether
Il would not also be wise to lay up the
fireboat. The city. In its business quarter,
IS now well built Of brick, stone and rom
IL has hydrants everywhere, and an album
dant supply Of water. The dangers from
fire have been very much lessened of late
years The expenses of the FIRE depart
nent can be reduced from Slo.eGo 10 so, Gao
per annum. without visibly lessening It's
usefulness.
"a reduction OF not less thsn ten men in
the police force Is also recommended,
in city elections tt would be well to
have fewer polling places. While go
votes are enough as a maximum, I'VE or
ten votes are too few as a minimum.
There should he no polling place where
there are not likely to be cast at least
fifty votes. and very few places where
less than leo votes are 10 be expected
The suggestion heretofore made with rel
erence to the payment OF county and
state election officers IS here renewed In
reference 10 city election officers, and
may also be considered as offered with
reference TO members of election boards
AT school elections
''Too many streets have been graded in
far-out portions of the city. the treasury
being depleted IN consequence, and the
abutting property owners legally robbed.
There are many painful Illustrations or
this character in different quarters. where
streets have been opened their fun width
through the brush and timber. without n
house on either side for block after block;
where the sidewalks are either covered
with earth or unused and decaying !;
where the roadways are growing up IN
grass and bushes. and where the unfCr-
tunate property owners are being sold
out for the non ynent OF the enormous
grade charges against them
The suggestion has been made that the
city can furnish It's own artificial light by
arrangements TO he made with the differ
ent power houses about and that IN do
Ing 50 10 can save $4,000 or more Of the
expense at present annually incurred. X
would be we'll for the authorities TO aScer-
tain whether or not this statement IS
true. The idca Is for the city 10 own the
distributing portion OF the electric plant.
which would he available for use upon
completion ~ the Cedar river water sys-
tenn and which could then he worked In
20 the plan contemplated IN connection
herewith
'-rhe licensing Of horses and wagons Is
urged as A source Of revenue. The COM
ruitteeurn also favor the contra ction
within narrow limits Of the dlsrepuIable
elements. and IN the imposition 81 fines.
frequent and severe ms the most practi-
cattle way 81 restraining and diminishing
the social evils.
school Affairs.
The law a. present provides FOR a TAX
ing OF the census each and every year for
school purposes. There was, perhaps,
some reason for this many years ago. bus
tt h not thought such q necessity exists
az this time. liz ia believed that a count
OF the children once In two years or per
haDs once i8 five. would b Just as good
snd satisfactory az the annual plan now
In force The last school census cost
So -. In expenses aggrsEating over
$50 90 this IL not very great item. but
nevertheless So Is worth trying 10 make a
saving even In this matter
'sT'he school hoard spent 81 s&sl last year
IN securing the return az 8 - = from r
former emp'uye This was Civ
iuE good money for had Il IL 90 re
hoped That there VIII be no more offend
srs ia the boar3's service az this kind .
but u there are fhe hope Is further sx-
pressed that the outlaY connected With
their detection Will ROT be SO s2trava CANT.
in proportion 20 the returns. as ~ the
case referred 30.