The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-31
CRITICISE AND
URGE NEW LAWS
The Commercial Club Legislative
Committee Holds Meeting.
FAVoRS RAILROAD WADUcTS
BELIEVES THE CITY COUNCIL
SHOULD BE REDUCED.

Several questions affecting the pub
lie welfare were discussed at a meet
ing of the committee on law and leg
islation in the Commercial club rooms
last evening. Important changes were
also made in the water bill which
Senator Williams will introduce in the
legislature. and an amendment was
adopted which affects warrants receiv-
able for certain taxes.
The changes in the water bill pro-
vide for board of water commission
eTs of five instead of three. Another
change in the bill creates the commits
sioners at a special election instead
of through appointment by the may
or The commissioners are to receive
not to exceed 500 per year, and the
chairman of the board will receive not
TO exceed $1,000. if the bill goes through
in it's amended FORM.
A bill was also approved providing
for the appointment of a commission
to secure for this state the benefits of
the reclamation fund provided by the
national irrigation law. The appropri-
alton for defraying the expenses Of
the commission was raised from $4,000
TO $4,000.
Governors Are Criticised.
The action of the board of governors
I'm suppressing the report of the COM
mittee appointed to investigate the al
legged deficiencies OF the local street car
system was criticised. Senator Bam-
berger believed the report ought to Be
published. Judge o. w. Powers ex-
. pressed the opinion that these matters
affected the public welfare and he be-
heved the public ought to know what
the board is doing with questions of
this kind. Other members of the COM
lnittee spoke in favor of giving pub
licity to such matters. 1t was the SEN
ument of the members present that the
public is not only entitled to a fair re-
port of such Investigations but that it
would tend to prevent the continu-
alton of public wrongs where they are
discovered to exist.
The question of a bill condemning
the pest house in its present place and
regulating the location of such build
ingS was regarded by the members
with approval. The pest house is at
present located near the mouth of Par
1ey's canyon and this fact was re-
Sarded as deserving censure.
The members also discussed the ques-
ton of bill depriving corporations or
individuals of their franchises when dis
covered violating the provisions. The
Pnatter was discussed by Judge Pow
ers, Senators Bamberger and Williams
Representatives Hamlin and Evans,
and w. A. Lynne and r. K. Thomas.
Deals With Corporations.
1t was represented that these cor
10 his contract whether it is the tele-
phone company, light and power COM
pany, the water company or some other
corporation If lights go out. teIe-
phones get out of repair or something
else gives out, no allowances are made
in the bill. and it was believed that
the same business methods should be
employed in dealing with the corpora
tions.
The committee looked with favor up
on the question of building viaducts
over the railroad crossings. which the
members regarded as extremely dam
gerous. There is a state law now pro-
Viding for this protection and it was
the sentiment that it ought to be en-
forced.
The committee also discussed the adj
visibility of reducing the number of
councilmen from three to two from
each precinct. It is the sentiment that
more can be accomplished by a small
or board. With the creation of a wa
ter board the work of the council
would be much lessened and it was
believed expedient to make the change
for the welfare of the city. Such a
bill will be framed.
Regarding Tax Receipts.
Representative Evans Will introduce
the following amendment to section
2.612 of the revised statutes of 1898.
relating to tax receipts:
be IL enacted by the legislature or
the state of Utah:
Section 1. That section 2612 of the
revised statutes of Utah of 1898 be and
the same hereby is amended to read
as follows
'2.612 Receipts. Certain warrants
receivable for certain taxes. The county
treasurer must give a receipt to the
person paying any tax. specifying
therein the amount of the assessment
the description and kind of property.
to whom assessed, and the several
amounts of state. county. city. school
and special taxes paid. Upon each no
tice or receipt so given said treasurer
shall stamp or write d statement that
the taxes on the land described in
said receipt, for a certain year, or GER
tain years, are delinquent, and that the
property has been sold for taxes. if
such be the fact as to said land or any
portion thereof.
County warrants shall be taken in
payment OF county taxes, city war
rants in payment of city taxes. and
school warrants in payment of school
district taxes; provided, that state
school taxes. county school taxes and
sinking fund taxes shall be paid in
cash.
This act shall take effect on ap-
proval."