Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1905-03-30

u" " M NOxO1u Dx1A0A40,
The people are being told that the
city taxes are less than last year.
This Is mere evasion Of the qucs.|
tion raised, 'Has the city received
adequate values for heavy expendi-
tures?" It makes no difference II
the CITY tax is 10 per cent higher or
lower, the question is whether tile
city revenues are being expended in
a careful and economical way. 5 ;S
In the matter of sidewalks 1t is ad-
mitted that the council fell down. ''
While tax was levied and fund
created for the purpose Of repairing
and putting in sidewalks anda large.
amount OF money was expended foS
this purpose, the sidewalks Of tie
city are not0riously In a condition as
to make walking perilous and to
menace the city in damage suits. AT
this time there is judR Rment against
the city for 1000 for injuries receiv-
ed on the sidewalks and suit of
81 700 is also pending for the same
cause.
It is stated that the condition OF
side walks is largely due to- the fact
that they are constantly being broken
by stock running over them, in ad-
dition to wear and to weather. The
officials have been requested to en-
force the said ordinance, but the
police have not done so, claiming it
not part Of their work. This enforce.
ment of the stock law Is by express
ordinance made the. duty of the city
police. ~. n
1t is admitted there has been an
unusual expenditure for policing the
city the past year, some $500 addition
al and good many people think that
the ordinance against stock running
at large should be strictly enforced
by some one In authority as tile
people pay enough for this protection.
There is also much complaint Of
mischief and vandalism committed
by boys who are allowed to disport
themselves in the streets at late
hour at night. There is an express
ordinance intended to prevent this
and If reasonably enforced by the city
authorities there should be no cause
for complaints of this kind.
The work on the streets has cost
large sum, much of it has been done
by road grader but IL is hard TO. sses ss5
where there IS an adequate return for
this large expense. ;,
Another matter that is referred to
as showing where the money went is
the road from the southeast having
cost the city about. Sl15O. A few
years ago the principal land owner
along the road offered to donate the
right of way to the city and the road
then might have been secured at
cost Of about $500. Instead of accept
ing these offers the council preferred
to bring condemnation suits which
resulted in judgments OF $1,000; after
ward, with difficulty and expense,
compromised at 81, l5O. 1t is hard to
see how any good Judgment was exer-
cised in this transaction.
And while on the subject of roads.
the most important roads to the city,
those leading In and out of the city,
are practically impossible. The
capital hill is such that farmers with
teams refuse to haul loads in and out
Of the city, and threatens additional
damage suits from people who do at
tempt it.
The large sum claimed to have
been spent on city streets, which
many think fol little or no noticeable
benefit, might have been spent on
the roads leading out Of the city to
great advantage to business interests.
March Snow Storm.