Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-05-04
Round Number Three.

the city records and published over nv
signature III IHE LEADER of March 6, !
notice that you kindly offer space IN
your paper for further discussion of the
matter. am we'll aware that the pub
lie is not interested in our private affairs
or personal differences, vet all are inter
ested in the affairs of the city, and what
L shall say regarding the same can
easily substantiate at any time from the
records and the men who served iii the
council with me for four wears. Coun-
Gilman Peterson says that nearly all the
property owners Cancelled their liens by
performing their work in accordance
with the ordinances and the official sur
vey established by the city. Now, if
this statement is true, why does Coun-
Gilman Peterson Introduce a resolution
to declare null and void the tax sale of
1898? Why does he go to Albany and
hire able counsel, as he expressed it,
when all have paid their liens? And if
this is true, why these special sessions
OF the council, before any one has made
application to have his tax lien Cancelled?
1t is time enough for the city to relieve
by special legislation a few delinquent
taxpayers when they have filed an ap-
plicatiOn for help. Then, again, if it is
true, as Councilman Peterson says, that
all but a few have completed their work,
would 1t not be better for the council to
cancel the liens on those who had per-
formed their work and let the liens re-
main on the property of those who have
not done their Nork-at least, until they
ask the council for relief. 1t is very sin
gular that Councilman Peterson should
be shedding his very heart blood as it
were in the interest of few people who
are delinquent III their street work, and
that, too, before these people have even
Tiled an application for relief or COM
menced an action against the city for
Illegally assessing and selling their.prop-
erty, as Councilman Peterson has held.
Why should the honorable councilman
do this, as againet the interest of the
citizens who have been forced to per-
form their work? This seems little
out OF order when it is remembered that
the honorable councilman took an oath
to protect the citys interests. The
honorable legislator says when the work
was done it was the marshal's duty to
accept 1t and file the acceptance with
recorder. 1t is also Mr. Peterson's duty
as member OF the council, among other
things, to see that the marshal performs
Nuoy ulNt lllCS bub lIlt ORDERS OF
the council; and if the marshal neg
lected his duties, the council also neg
lected its duties in not forcing the mar
shall 20 attend to business and protect
the city's interests. The same grades
exist now that were established when
the assessments were made, and if the
marshal did not accept the work of any
property owner, there has not been a
time within the last three wears when
Nhe property owner could not have ap-
piled to the marshal or the street COM
mittee and have his work examined,
and If it was up to ordinance it would
have been cancelled by the counci. Now
all property sold as mentioned in 1896
was duly advertised for more than thirty
days III the official paper and the matter
was fully discussed by all the citizens
OF Toledo for a month before the dav of
sale, and any citizen who had lien on
his property for street assessment could
have applied to the marshal or the coun-
ell, and If he had performed his work,
the council would have gladly Cancelled
the same. AS q matter of fact and rec
ord, a number of delinquent property
owners went to work and completed |
their street work after it was advertised
for sale, and their work was duly exam |
ined and accepted by the marshal and
the liens Cancelled. In his article by
proxy he uses the following language:
so f1lmsy was the sale that Mr.. Jones, !
while occupying the mayoralty, never |
attempted to have the liens recorded in |
the clerks office" l desire to saw this |
is cowardly lie. On the contrary, I, as |
many as six different times, in open |
session in the council, urged and advo- |
Gated the necessity of having the record |
completed at the clerks office, and |
every councilmen who served with me |
will bear me out in this statement. The |
honorable legislator says the pretended |
sale is void and illegal, for the reason |
that the ordinance governing the sale of |
property has been violated. This ordi- |
nance was city law before was mavor. |
! have been informed that the ordinance |
was prepared at the request of the |
council by Judge Stewart when he was |
acting as recorder, and that he was au- |
thorized to and did employ counsel to |
aid him that stands equally as high in |
the Oregon courts as II. G.. Watson, the |
councilman's advisor. Councilman Pc |
terson says that nearly all property |
owners have performed their work ac, |
cording to ordinance, and that he him |
self has done so. The lien docket of the
city of Toledo shows that there are fifty
delinquent names on the docket, and |
that their property has not been re-
deemed. Among this number is the
name OF a. 7. Peterson fer $35 ii his
work had ever been performed the mar
shal would have filed tho acceptance
with the recorder and the council would
have Cancelled the lien on his property
before it was sold. | make the assertion
here and now that he has not performed
his street assessment according to ordi-
nance or according to the city survey,
and he will not claim that he has when
the work is inspected yet he will at
tempt legislation in q body Of whirh he