The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-25
Farmers Ward Annexationists Post
pone Action.
SCHOOL BOARD OBJECTS
ALLOWED TO WITHDRAW WITH
OUT PREJUDICE.
City Council Is Not Opposed to
Granting the Wish of Petitioners
if Adjustment of District School
Property Question Can Be Affected
More Propitious Next Year.

The proposition to annex to the CITY
the tract of country between State and
Fifth East and Tenth and Eleventh
South streets with it's LOCO or more
pcpula ton and 100000 worth of tax
able property, was favorably entertain
ed by the city council last evening
until the complex question of dividing
the school property in the new terri
tory was analysed There was not
much real opposition to the project,
and what objections appeared We're
from the city board Of education. The
council committee on municipal laws
Recommended the granting of the pc
tJtfon Tor annexation, and with its re-
port submitted the draft of an ordi
nance providing fer the accession, but
the Stun.Cing block to the projesf was
the board Of eiucations protest To
save the anneXationists possible rout,
they were finally permitted to with
draw their petition without prejudice.
Objections of City School Board.
TIE protest of the city board of ed
ucatiOn against the immediate or very
early annexation of the new territory
was stated in the following communi-
cation:
by your honorable body of an ordinance.
the territory described by the petition
viii become a, part ard parcel of Salt
Lake City, and that thereupon the board
of education of Salt Lake City will be
come Immediately charged with the duty
of carrying on the schools within the an
nexed district in the same manner and
to the same extent as other schools with
in the city. In view of these facts, we
deem it our duty to lay before you the
present condition of the finances of this
Tho off hCe mol
TEN of this city of favorable action by the
city council upon the petition fir anneXa-
ton.
The section proposed to be annexed to
Salt Lake City lies in the northeastern
portion of the Fortietn school district
Within the boundaries of the district,
about 10 children of school age There is
one building within the limits to-wit,
the Waterloo school. but We understand !
that the trustees of the Fortietl district
contend that this building will still bs,ong
to that school district, and not to the
board of education. However this may
be, the duty of educating these $50 child |
rem win Immediately devolJe upon the |
city board of education. The cost of |
education in our city grade schools for |
the past school year was SIS per cipta. |
The 40 pupils in this district will cost at |
least $500 for the next year. There is no |
method known to us by which any part of
the funds collected by the trustees of the |
Fortieth district can be made applicaple
TO this expense. The additional burden, |
therefore of this school district for the |
remainder of this school year can safely |
be estimated at $500.
There is bonded Indebtedness upon the |
Fortieth school district of $14,400. Judg- !
ing by the experience of the city in the /
case of the annex, formerly a part of the
Forty ninth district. some portion of this !
bonded Indebtedness will be thrust upon I
the board of education of this city. AS |
to whether it would become necessary to |
pay any portion of this during the en- |
suing year. we cannot say. Even if by |
taxes upon property within the annexed |
district could be made available to the /
board of education. they would be en- /
tirely inadequate to sustain the additional /
burden placed upon us, for ali of the !
property within this district is only $133, |
will not pay 80 per cent of the minimum !
cost of maintaining the school.
The city valuation in 1888 was SSl. 91l lol. /
in 1899 it was $50, 500 204, a loss of valuation
in 1889 of 81, 80 953; consequently the city |
school tax levy in 1899 viii be $1,000 less |
than that collected in 1898. Upon the other |
hand. there has been AN increase in the |
enrolment of our city schools in 1899 over |
that of 1898 of 600 pupils, requiring an |
additional expense of $4,000, besides ex-
penses> for buildings and equipment. 1t |
will is seen. therefore. that the financial |
will be serious deficiency in the finances |
of the board this year, requiring either I
the curtailment of the school year. or an |
application by the board to voters for |
permission to incur additional liabilities. !
With this deficiency of $4,000 staring. us |
however advisable it might be to grant |
this petition for annexation under or |
binary circumstances, it should be de- !
ferred for the present.