The evening times., 1899-06-27

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| zens Association held last night in the
town hall, the feasibility Of equipping the
Maryland portion Of the town with a water
works and sewerage system was thorough
ly discussed. Although there were those
who when they went to the meeting doubt
ed the wisdom of the move, 1t Is now
thought that at the special election to be
held next Monday the council will be au-
thorized to issue bonds for carrying out the
proposed improvements.
On motion of H. E. Warren, chairman Of
the water supply committee Of the associa-
ton, the regular order of BUSINESS was
dispensed with and the project was laid be-
fore the meeting. Mr.. Warren took the
floor. giving a brief sketch of the effort
made last year to obtain the approval Of
the citizens for installing a sewerage and
water works system. He expressed the be-
lief that the failure at that time was due
to the fact that the people did not under
stand the plans of the council He thought
that the council had made a mistake in not
holding meeting OF the citizens and offer
ing full explanation Of what they in
tended to do before allowing the question
to come to a vote.
In reply to the doubts of number that
the proposed improvements could not be
installed for the $40, goo which the munich
rality is allowed to borrow, he stated that
the contractors with whom the council is
now in correspondence gave positive as
surance that they would be willing to put
up bond OF $4,000 as a guarantee that
the cost would not exceed the figures SUBJ
mitted by them.
J. 3. kinnear submitted figures showing
that in order to meet the additional ex-
pense entailed by the improvements it
would be necessary to increase the coIpo-
ration tax less than 80 per cent. The
method of taxation proposed by the coun-
Gil is the general assessment plan. J. ii.
Clark objected TO this and urged that the
tax for the improvements should be paid
on the property directly affected, thus
from the general tax roll
much property which will not be directly
benefited. W. G. Platt, in reply. stated
that while there may be a great deal Of
diversity of opinion as to which OF the
two methods was the better, he believed
the method proposed by the council had
proven more successful in majority of
cases and ought TO be followed in the
present instance.
Mr.. Plat, in further explaining the pro-
ject stated that within the past year thirty
houses have been sold under foreclosure
property. The timidity of spectators and
moneyed men he attributed to the lack of
water and sewerage facilities. Men with
money were constantly enquiring for
property in Takoma, but upon finding that
the place did not have water and sewerage |
they went elsewhere.
W. W. Dyer expressed Willingness. II !
burden of taxation. 10 pay his share and do |
all IN his power 10 further the work of !
and maintenance Major !
o Driscoll, who lives IN remote part OF /
the town, in an eloquent speech. said that /
although he would receive no benefit from |
the proposed improvements. he would vote |
for them because they would bring the |
greatest good TO the greatest number. He |
pointed out the immense increase in the |
value of property which would result. He |
thought property would be enhanced in /
value as much as - per cent
Ashley NJ. Gould followed in a strong ad- |
dress in which he urged the citizens to vote
for the Improvements. He pointed out the I.
fact that during the past five or six years,
although Takoma had had good transpor-
taton facilities, the town had not grown.
The lack of growth he attributed TO the
lack Of water and sewerage facilities. He
thought that Takoma would show no i'm
until something is done.
Prof Henry A. Pressey, of the faculty Of
Columbian University, was present by in
vitation and gave facts concerning the wa
er supply and the methods which could be
used for disposing of the towns sewage.
He stated that from careful computation
le found that in the driest season of the
iriest year for years back there was
enough water In the stream to supply n
own ten times the size of Takoma- The
water of the creek, he said. is pure. He
explained in detail several systems of sew
rage and told the cities that the matter
# disposng Of the sewage could be provid-
d for without much trouble or great ex-
'ense. At the close Of the meeting many
Who were opposed to the improvements last
ear expressed themselves in favor Of the
lans of the council