Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-05
LAST OFFICIAL DUTY
Senator McIntire Attends Meeting
Of Municipal Code Committee.
FAVORS CHANGE OF FRONT FOOT RULE
In Cases of Doubt Would Have Con-
demnation Jury to Make Valuation
of Property-Meeting convenes in
Cedar Rapids Today.

[From Wednesdays Daily.l
Senator W. A. Mclntire left last ev-
enng for Cedar Rapids to attend a
meeting of the municipal code com
mittee of which he is member. which
Will probably be the last official du
ty performed by him as member of
the state senate. The committee
met this morning and at this session
il was expected that the report to be
Submitted to the coming assembly on
the revision of the municipal laws for
the state of Iowa would be completed
The committee meeting in Cedar
Rapids this morning at 10 o'clock was
appointed by the lieutenant governor
during the closing days of the last
general assembly in accordance with
bill passed by that body earlier in
the session. The committee is COM
posed of six members, three from the
senate and three from the house of
representatives. The six members
are Senators j. H. Trewin, of ALBANIA
kee county, Thomas H. Healey, of FIT,
Dodge, Webster county, w. A. McIn-
tire of Ottumwa, and members of the
house, Chas. Wilson of Washington
county E. l.. Theophilus, of Scott
county, and Representative Durham,
of Delaware county. At meeting
held some three months ago in Iowa
City the committee was organized
with Senator j. H. Trewin as chair
man.
The duties of this committee. stat
ed Senator McIntire to a Courier rep
resentative, are to revise and recodify
the municipal laws of the state and
prepare a report on these laws to be
submitted to the coming session of
the state legislature. AS to just what
revisions would be recommended Sen
ator McIntire was unable to state, but
it was his opinion there would be sew
eral material changes in these laws
recommended for the consideration by
the general assembly.
The Front Foot Rule.
When questioned as to what would
probably be among the questions dis
cussed for revision he stated that he
laying of pavement and the front foot
rule would be radically altered.
However, the, labors of the commit
tee in regard to this law will be con
siderably lightened, said Senator Nc.
lntire owing to the recent decisions
in the supreme court of this and 9TH
err states which have upheld the front
! foot rule as constitutional.
The Possible Change.
AS the law now stands in this state
the assessment made on property for
the purpose of paving in some cases
almost contiscates the property itself.
This, said Senator McIntire, is not
| just and | believe that the law should
! be so modified that in no case would
/ the assessment exceed twenty-five
! per cent of the value of the property
| This | believe should be one of the
changes in the new code Of municipal
laws, but just what the committee will
report on this question is at present
| uncertain.
Condemnation Jury.
In order to secure a just valuation
of property, so that the assessment
for paving purposes would not exceed
twenty-five per cent of the value of
the property, it was the opinion OF
Senator McIntire that in cases of
doubt condemnation jury should be
appointed from disinterested parties to
place valuation upon the property.
| when Guy council SelS dDOuL 10
pave certain street. every one who
opposes it is an obstacle in its way
which must be removed in some way"
| said Mr.. McIntire. in such cases as
this" continued the senator, the city
council becomes an interested party
and | do not believe that the matter
of determining the value of property
should be left 10 it for this reason.
AS is done in the case of difficulty in
securing a railroad right of way, a jury
of disinterested parties should be APP
pointed, possibly by the sheriff, to de-
termine the value of the property and
from their report the assessment
should be made
| Much Work Will Be Done.
There is considerable work to be
done by this committee and several
matters Of special Importance to the
welfare OF the municipalities of the
state to be considered, SO that the SEES
sion will probably be quite lengthy
one, and much work will be done be.
fore the report OF the committee is
prepared for the legislature.
A GUARD CHANGE.