Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-08-07
Sgashin9tpn Standard
OLYMPIA. WASH.
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST I, 1903.
Some Troublesome Conditions.

Some Troublesome Conditions.
A quid nUlic requests us to state
that he does not believe it possible to
impact the sand from the dredger, on
the "rip-rap' filling Of" Long Bridge"
in such a manner as to stand the wash
from the tide. He thinks that the
filling OF brush is too thick for the soil
deposited to pass through the inter-
stices and become, with the boughs, a
solid mass. impervious to water, but
that the filling will gradually work
through and out, leaving the top coat
ing without support, and that, in the
course OF time, the debris will be again
scattered over the flats and in the
channel. 1t may be that q. n. is
right, but 1t seems strange that the
government engineering corps, under
which the harbor improvements are
being conducted, have not discovered
this error and notified the local au-
thorities that their labor is in vain.
1t may be, however, that q. n. is mis-
taken, in which case the people will
be very much gratiied.
The city authorities are just now up
against serious enough condition of
affairs, to save them from worry over
theoretical possibilities which only
practical experience can absolutely
solve. They have already discovered
that the matter of draw will have to
be compromised on temporary struc.
ture, and that patience and forbear-
ance will have to be enlisted to sane
ton a course that seems to be inevita.
BILE. 1t is proposed to place high
span, which will serve the purpose of
opening the waterway to crafts likely
to pass through, although it may not
conform in all respects to the govern.
ment's ideas of marine architecture.
Another stumbling.block is the pro.
test OF abutting property owners
against the plan proposed, by resolu.
ton and advertisement, OF levying the
whole cost upon adjacent property.
They claim that part of the abutting
property is owned by the State, against
which no levy can be made, and if the
city pays that proportion, it will be
double taxation against those included
in the district levy. They urge that
the Importance of the thoroughfare
justifies levy of the whole cost, esti-
mated at $1,000, against the general
fund; but herein the technical objec-
tor interposes demurrer that the law
prescribes the manner of assessment
of costs Of street improvements, and
that Long Bridge ceased to be bridge
when it was so constructed as to pass
through instead of over the water,
and became q street to all intents and
purposes OF the law. While it may be
conceded that the thoroughfare is of
special Importance, because it tunnels
Westside to and from town at all
times, it can hardly be said that it is
more important to the general public
than the suburban lead of any of our
principal thoroughfares, and the &C
QUESTION OF title to the flats, in most
instances at a very low price, seems to
justify belief that the improvement
thereto by a permanent causeway
would be q magnificent ratio of ad-
vance upon its value, caused solely
thereby. The protestants allege, like.
wise, that the notice given by publica-
ton in the city paper" was a mean
ingless tumble of words, 90 far as de.
scription of some OF the tracts were
concerned, and that, of itself, would be
sufficient to invalidate the levy at the
very commencement OF the train Of
succeeding events which have to be
followed in regular and prescribed Or
der to justify any tax collection.
That the City Council can discharge
its full duty acceptably to all, is not to
be expected; that it may do reason
ably we'll, is confidently anticipated,
and that it will be for the public ben.
eft, whatever course is pursued, we
believe the results will demonstrate
by the best of tests, the lapse OF time.