The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-27

The first annual report of the city en-
gineer was presented to council on
Tuesday evening. 1t is n neatly print
ed and comprehensive pamphlet of fifty
pages, and It's compilation involved
much labor and thought on the part of
City Engineer White. However, Mr..
White Is one of the most painstakIng
of city officials. always ready to do
anything that may advance the city's
interests, and he feels amply repaid for
the labor expended in the preparation
OF the report of his departmnt OF the
city government A portion OF this
report was reviewed in the Intelllgencer
earlier In the year, when 1t was sub
mittd to the proper committee for APP
provaf, but he has since added some
other features. including an elaborate
argument in favor of the substitution
of the assessment plan In paying for
public improvements for the present
system, which he believes to be inequit-
able. In this connection, Engineer
White says:
II Will take the liberty to outline
what conceive to be some of the dis
advantages Of the present sytem and
advantages Of the assessment system:
All taxes should be levied upon prop
crty In proportion to benefits: the pres
ent 10 cent levy violates this principle
While property, both real and personal,
is assessed 10 cents on each $500 90 for
new work, only very small proportion
receives the direct benefits OF the i'm
propements. The 10 cent levy fund
amounts to about $4,000 90 per annum.
Most property has been paying this tax
for years without improvements, and
under the. present system will so con-
tinue to pay for many years for i'm
provements to other peoples property,
while their own remains unimproved
II all streets and alleys in the city
could be improved at once by general
loan, the objections would not be seri-
GUS. But as the cost OF building sew
ers, curbing and paving the entire city
would be perhaps S1,560,000 90, this plan
would not be practicable. Only about
one-half OF the streets are paved with
brick. and many OF these are now worn
out, and will have to be re-paved soon.
Under the present system, 1t would
probably take fifty to sixty years to pave
and sewer the city, provided no old
streets are re-paved. and 1t Is safe to
say that under the present system the
city never will be entirely severed or
paved. although all will have to pay
the same tax year after year. By the
assessment plan. the property owners
on each street can decide for themselves
whether they want the streets improved
or not Should those owning most OF
the abutting property petition to pave
the street, the city can have the work
done and assess cost upon property ac-
cOrding to benefits.
"All pipes would be first laid and SER
vice pipe extended to curb, and charged
to the property owner with other costs,
before paving. This would remove the
necessity Of digging into the paved
streets to'a great extent. There is, per-
haps, not street in the city. that has
not been dug up for service connections,
etc. within twelve months after being
paved. If property owners paid di-
rectlJ for the improvements in front Of
their property, they would take a more
lively interest In the character of the
improvements. and would aid in keep
Ing them in good condition.
"1t Is customary in most cities having
the assessment plan for the city to pay
Tor portion OF the paving. ranging
from per cent to so per cent of cost,
on the ground that the city at large Is
peneiited as well as the abuttins prop
nrt,F Il
erty. However. 1t seems to me. that
| II the city properly cleans and mnin-
| Jams the streets. after berry paved by
tne property owners. It's linaNcial obliS-
atiohs would De as great rs should be
assumed.
The objection that Is usually made
to change Is that 1t would be unfair
to those who have notyet received any
street improvements. although paying
the same rate Tor many years as those
VINO nave mad improvements. II there
was much probability that the i'm
proVements would be made this genera
tion by continuing the present system.
ms argument would have more weight.
When streets that are now paved are
re-Pa'eu. the cost would be assessed up
on aouttlns property owners the same
| as unimproVcd streets. Those that
nave improvements would have a few
years start.
| Many advantages would be obtained
oy me CITY laying all side walks when
curD Is set and charge same to AUDITING
| property owners. We would have more
ana better sidewalks Work OF the
same qualitS could be done cheaper.
| because work would be let In one large
contract. The paving would be also
uniform on each blocs.f
| wheeling Is probably the best light
cd city IN America: not that its business
| streets are lighted better than those of
many other American cities. but that
the resident streets are better lighted,
But the clty's street electric light plant
Is supported by the citys gas plant.