Bisbee daily review., 1905-10-28

| eTty owners and the Copper Queen
 company built the subway jointly, and ! they should stick together in the bar
 gain. The question now is, should
 the taxpayers, in other portions of the
 city, be called upon to pay any part
 of the expense account necessary to- wards it's maintenance. The Review
 maintains that the City Council
 should not appropriate one cent of the
 city's money for this purpose. and
 cur reasons for such position are as ! follows:
 The subway was built in 1903 by an | association of private individuals
 who were forced to this action on ac-
 count of the danger threatened to
 their property. Tombstone canyon
 had from year to year accumulated
 debris until its bed was considerably higher than the grade of Main street. l Neglect of this danger meant loss of
 property. amounting to several thou,
 sand dollars, aud the common law of l self-preservation forced building of the
 subway. It was built by private sub scripJion. and property owners along
 Main street never once thought of
 asking the taxpayers in general to
 help pay for this waterway. It is to
 be regretted that the subway did not
 prove a success as far as cleaning itself is concerned. But the bold fact remains that it has not been a success and requires annual expense on this account. But at that. it is a val uable investment for Main street property owners. Values have been materially increased along that thor ouehfare on account of it's building and already its cost has been more than saved by affording a protection against flood waters.
 The City of Bisbee is under no ob- ligatiOn to assist in the cleaning of the Main street subway, built to pro- tect the property owners of Main street. The City Council granted the ! association the privilege of tearing up the streets and laying the subway i as a private enterprise for which 1 Main street property owners were | willing to pay at that time, and should l be willing to pay still for the protec- tiOn furnished against the loss byI floods.
 While the amount involved in this ! instance is small, the question should | be decided once for all time. whether | CT not the city is compelled to pay an- nually any part of the expense of l keeping the subway open for the pass age of flood waters.
 The taxpayers in general have not participated in the increased values of Main street real estate on account of the building of the subway. and they should not be called upon for any part of the expense necessary for it's The city government, did not construct the subway as a pub ic improvement. It was a private enterprise for the protection of pri- Tate property and the investment has beer worth thousands of dollars to the promoters since it's completion. in- cluding cost of construction and -4 4t~4'ANN--eA44NS SAAANG AAdl llllt.
 The people of BisJee exIe Mayor Taylor to exercise his d1ty in this natter as in all others passed up to him for official deliberation. The Mayor has shown no hesitancy in put ling his foot down at the proper time when he thought the interests of the people were not being properly serv- ed, and the people expect him to play the same string out until the end of his term of office.