The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-02-09
Why Sewerage Was Defeated.

EDITOR REPUBLICAN: = The Index
seems to have strained it's liver in at :
to carry sewerage, and on
Wednesday, poured out half a column |
of bile upon the parties who voted !
ag: INST the measure. 1t cannot tell /
why it did not carry, and accuses most
of the people who voted for 1t as be-
longing to class who ''live with their
wives and are kept by Their families"
Would the Index prefer men who live
with other mems wives? No wonder
Possum Run has been condemned, with
the Index Office right over it and emp
tying into it. 1t pours out it's vial of
wrath upon one of the oldest citizens of
our town, who ventured to show that
the sewerage question had two sides.
1t calls his article "a campaign lie,"
mot one single statement in it that
was true" sit was not only. false but
misleading from beginning to end"
That is pretty stiff talk, and I will ven-
tuae to say, too, that the article refer
red to had more truth in it and less mis-
representation in it than any article
the Index wrote in favor of sewerage.
The Misrepresentation of the Index
and the silly articles published by it in
favor of sewerage did great deal to
defeat sewerage, and put people to
thinking there was something rotten in
Denmark that they had not seen.
Now that the battle is over let me
suggest some of the causes of defeat as
I have picked them up here and there.
l. Many people do not want to give
any authority to issue bonds to the
brewers council.
2. The matter Notwithstanding G
many statements to the contrary was
never definitely laid before the people.
3. The people did not believe it
would not increase taxes, though told
repeatedly from the dailies that it
would not.
4. The statements were believed to
| be incorrect.
People who have been paying
taxes for years, for fire protection,
water and light, want the promises
kept, made when they voted for them.
Probably 1000 acres of our territory
have neither. 1t does not all need it,
but such as does ought to have it.
6. Taxes are high enough, and peo-
pie would not be fooled into believing
that 800, 900 bonds, S62, 900 interest and
probably $780, repairs, superintend.
ence, etc., would not increase taxes.
I believe that the public generally
feels that the center of town needs sew.
erage, and needs it badly, and that if 6
definite proposition is made to buy 6
farm and drain such part of our city as
really needs it, the people will stand
the cost of the farm and their share oi
the cost of the mains, providing, al
ways that the issue of bonds is not lef
to the present council.
The original town, embraced in the
territory between Auburn street OF
the south, Brown street on the north
Park street on the east, and the rail
road on the west, comprises nearly al
the territory needing sewerage. Ado
to this couple of squares on a few o
our principal streets. and you have al
that need it, and more than would us'
it. This includes about 300 acres o
over 2, 200 in the corporation limits.
Let our sewerage commission not b,
discouraged. Go to work, get an op
ton on the farm they want, decide OIL
the plan of disposing of the sewerage
a plan that will be practicable and do tn
work, and not be liable to be declared
) nuisance and be enjoined after tn
plant is built, then devise a plan b.
which the town shall pay for the farm
and say one-fourth of the mains, an
the parties in the congested district tn
rest, and not attempt to force it on pee
pie who would never need it, nor use il
and l believe the measure would pas
) without opposition. After that whe
any street wanted to use it, extend
I like street paving is done, letting thos
> who get it, petition for it and pay fo
. it. | believe the center of town ough
: to pay at least three-fourths of the COS
: of the principal mains, through that di'
trict for the reason that that part need
S it, and would use it many more time
than parts further out, and the rent
S would pay for it.
Above all, come before the peopl
: with plain statement that you hav
an option on farm, and how far frol
t town it is, give the price and the pla
proposed for disposal of sewerage, an
: all the facts. Don't let the papers tr
n to fool the people with statements ths
J. it will not increase the taxes. Wor
n out the detail, make plain statemer
:. to the public and only plan for so muc
n of the town as needs it, and L beliey
r the people will vote for it.
p ONE WHO VOTED No.