The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-06-01
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE
TURNED DOWN SATURDAY
Bonding Proposition Gets a Major.
ity, But Lacks Three-Fifths-Full
Strength of Opposition.

The special election held last Satur-
day to vote on the proposition of bond
ing the city for 100000 to put in sew
erage and drainage system, resulted in
the defeat of the measure. 1t received
a ma ority of the votes cast, but fell
20 short of the necessary three fifths
The total vote polled was 429, of which
236 were for the proposition and 1913
against The first, second, fifth and
sixth wards gave u majority vote for
the sewers, but the third and fourth,
which are on the west side and have no
sewerage whatever, were strongly
against it. The sixth ward. which is
probably better provided with sewers
than any other part of the city, gave
the largest majority for them. The Of
fetal vote on the proposition will not be
announced until it is canvassed by the
council next Monday evening, but the
unofficial vote is given in detail below:
Ward .....l 2 3 4 s G
For sewer. .4s SO Sc 81 30 40
Against Al % 40 90 % 26
The election excited great deal Of
interest among the opponents of the
proposition, who probably polled their
full strength. If those favoring it had
been nalf as active, the bonds would have
carried by over two to one. There
should have been at least twice the num-
Der of votes cast, but most of the
friends of the measure didn't even take
interest enough to go to the polls. They
were surprised, however, when they
learned that the bonds had been defeat
ed and generally expressed regret. But
it is only fair to say that the city adj
ministration and its special friends did
everything that it was possible to do for
the bonds. Most of the heavy taXpay-
ers were also favorable to the PROPOSE
ton, but some of them did not get out
and work. To the discredit of the city
it can truthfully be said that enough
|
feat them merely to give the admins
tration a black eye. In doing so they
were working against their own inter
ests. but were so narrow as to let par
tisan politics govern their action. Those
opposed to the bonds, or some of them
at least. conducted a dirty campaign in
circulating anonymous circulars, two oil
| three sets of which We're distributed
around town. Some of them contained
/ positive falsehoods. none of them pre-
scented single valid reason against
the bonds and it is no wonder that the
authors of the circulars were ashamed
| to sign their names to them.
i Mayor Fechter feels cnagrined over
| the defeat of the bonds. but is not dis
couraged. He is not the character OF
On the other hand, he says some Other
method must be adopted to improve the
health conditions of the city. He sug-
gests the building of drainage ditch
from the northwest boundary line OF
the city to the southern limits. which
would cut off the seepage water that
comes in from the Naches river and the
irrigated lands above the city. L. S
Engineer Elliott suggested this about a
year ago after an examination of the
conditions. saying it would partially
drain the city and do away with the
sub irrigated condition. Such a ditch
it is estimated. would cost from $1,000
to $4,000. 1t would be constructed. the
mayor says. by general taxation. How
ever, he has not vet definitely determin
ed what is best to be done. Many PEG
pie are urging him to again submit the
bonding proposition to vote ms soon as
the formalities can be complied with
but he does not seem to favor this plan
1t is imperative. however, that some
thing be done without delay and the
present administration has already
i demonstrated on more than one occa-
sion. that it is the kind that "does
things"
/ Geo, w Berg mason foreman for f