The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-23


pants " oala al once 6ecIare 10 oe fsr De-
low the ordinary deterioration which ussls-
oecGr In oar pumping and eiss ricsal.1s
= 80 -, q - 81
re-sorzsfons II we 90 not 80 this We Will
sooner or later have 70 appeal 10 TIE pup
&c treasury Tor repairs and repsscelasnt n
the system The modern enemy OF water
pipes eiectroySs. IL probably getting IA
us deadly work n way that VIII SUI
prise as suzae day. when sections OF our
water pipe are taken up or found 70 BE
useless
Not only should we revise the present
water rates on account OF their ,Aeslsnty
and the insufficient revenue furnished. but
because OF the greater burden that We as
about 70 plare upon The water reysnl -ls lot
the sustaining and retirement or the Sedar
River extension warrants. II we are 10
secure favorable proposals Tor money 70
complete that extension II can ohls .
nue. II we are already furnishing water
below real cost how can We expect 10 aa1
. millioa-dOiar burden 10 such scale OK
rates, even though the interest," opoh nas
present water borsds be provided for from
taxatscnF
DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
beg to recommend that a large number
of additional inexpensive drinking foun-
out the city at an early date. 50 a. 20 49, -
available for the spproaehing SUNNI, ne ne
great service rendered by the rev aa!e1aS
In place Is sufficient suggestion for large
increase in the supply.
REASS EASEMENT OF WATER RATHo
The Superintendent of the water depart
ment has been for some time prosecuting
q complete inspection OF all premises on
which city water is used. and a readJGst-
ment of the rates heretofore IN force,
Many discrepancies have oeen ioanA; ma
many instances where water was oeins
used without any payment tneTeIofe Al
most enough new revenue WAS dlsSoNered
in the first month 10 pay for the sntire
reassessznent which viii consume four or
five months.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The discipline and efficiency OF this de-
partment are grounds Tor CONGRATULATIONS
in the face OF a material reduction IN the
crease crime, ard Of uncertainty ana us,
turbance attending a change from the 9la
partment has rendered efficient service
during the year anu its ADMINISTRATION ile.s
been marked By harmony and good oisei-
plins. =,
money be appropriated each month Ter the
purpose of securing evidence OF ohehsss
vision is made in this direction and per-
sistent offenders make II q part oi lle!L
business to find out who are the tity
detectives. thus placing the latter al al
most as great a disadvantage In securing
evidence as uniformed olncers. ,.,,s
The disbursement OF this money eo ,as,
the plans of the chief and secure a reg
uIar and wise disbursement or the IuhoS
The efficiency of the department Is ser
iously impaired by the want or proElsloh
in this direction. A chain gang or stone
yard as an adjunct OF the city JAN Is great
iy needed
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The favorable comments upon the adj
ministration of the police department are
repeated with references TO the nfe DEPART
ment. This department has IN recent Yeas
been the arena for more OF less on o1naro
which have heretofore affected the deIeIe-
ment from within and without, the mar
mony and efficiency OF It's anniilistI as ss,n
meritorious. / feel that csnno. 700
strongly urge the necessity, upon genera
ber Q. Of ii the outer and smaller companies.
The station AT the suburb OF Fremont Is
notoriously inadequate and expensive Inc ,1,,
stations on Queen Anne Hill. Renton hin
and at Market and Yesler are maintained
solely for the protection OF residence dis
tricts. are too far removed from the ousi-
ness district to afford protection 10 prop
erty there and are In most instances so
insufYiciently equipped and manned as
10 afford little protection IN their own
vicinities. The expense OF the department
should be curtailed TO the exteat or not
less than SO, 900 per annum. We should
give up the policy of carrying or reducing
the fire insurance of few residence To-
caiities at the expense of general taxation,
when we cannot extend this RELIEF TO all.
We should give efficient protectlon 10 ,he
concentrated values OF the business as
tricf and be content with that. We cam
not make our City prosperous by continu-
ing in any or all of its departments POL
icy Of making large disbursements out OF
taxes which consume the property OF
those who have TO pay them
STREET AND SEWER DEPARTMENT
GRADING AND PAVING.
Our experience since 1883 has convinced
us that planking must cease except upon
covering is impracticable Streets should
not be improved more rapidly than the in
terests of business and traffic REQUIRE. put
where Improvement is necessary In the
business district 1t should be IN the form
of permanent paving; During the pas.
ten years We have had mama LOT s',ee.
grading and sidewalk building, which has
b,lrdened private owners and the public
funds 10 the extent OF millions OF ooliaFs:
to be followed by the serious burden ot
1895 relieved the general fund from the
cost OF sidewalk maintenance ana law
of 1897 now relieves IL from the cost OF
grading or improving street intersections:
rule which should have been enforced
from the beginning OF our improvements.
Ii Is TO be hoped that more conservative
ideas will prevail in the future IN relation
10 street grades. street pianking and the
construction of sidewalks.
SIDEWALKS
In sparsely settled residence districts,
narrow walks on one side OF the street
shouId be allowed to replace wide walks
on both sides as soon as the latter require
renewal.
AS soon az the financial conditions pub
lie and private will allow. general move
rnent should be inaugurated in residence
localities toward parking the margin or
graded streets, thus beautifying the streets
and reducing the cost OF improving ana
maintaining the roadways-
TREE PLANTING.
A general movement should be begun Tor
the planting Of trees along street MARGINS.
The City's parks should propagate and FUR
nish Young trees without charge 10 those
who will plant and care for them in the
streets a special Arbor iay should be set
apart for this purpose in our City late In
the fall when trees should De planted.
and proper legislation enacted or amend
nents 10 thu charter be adopted under
which the CITY could plant trees in graded
streets. In front Of unoccupted property,
whose owners neglected 20 do so. and
charge the small cost thereof against the
YEsI.ER SLIDE.
We may be sure that the Yesler slide will
he ION the move" next winter. We should
in this instance make hay while the sun
Shines So far rs possible the legal rela-
lions and obligations OF all parties related
10 this troublesome freak OF nature should
be determined before the experience OF an
other winter Is upon us
GOOD ROADS.
I beg to commend the favorable attitude
OF your honorable body toward the needs
that these friends Of good roads and pub
Tic welfare NAV receive from the City at
ali times cordial cooperation
TREsTLE RoADwAYS.
The Grant street roadway and the Lake
Union boulevard. each about Two miles
sources Of great anxiety and embarrass-
-nent to the street department The i'm
POSSIBILITY and thu partial inequality %
levxsinFr assessments upon the sbuttlng
al n recovering