, 1906-02-23

worthy OF the support and confidence
of the city. AS to the laying of the
laterals in the alleys, DR.. Hamilton had
no decided opinion, but did not think
it advisable.
Mr.. Symons opposes Hurry.
Mr.. Stickney then announced that
the subject was open to general dis
c%ussion, and that anyone present, ire
spective of membership, was invited to
be heard. ]. H. Symons was called
upon for an address and responded.
He said that, in his opinion, the city
council is in the position that a judge
would be if he called for a verdict
from a jury before the evidence had
been submitted to them. If a mistake
was being made, it did no good to
cover it up. Mr. Symons reminded his
hearers of the mistake made by a for
mer city council in selling t~hirty-year
bonds and making absolutely no pro-
vision for the repayment of them, and
that it now takes a levy of IL mills
I poS bhS AiNSiNoI upOh lhooS bohubs
The proposed bond issue, with a sink
ing fund attached, will increase the
city taxes by so per cent, and in the
past few years the levy was jumped
from the 4 mills which was sufficient
when he was city clerk to 10 mills at
the present time. There is no great
need for hurry, Mr.. Symons contend
ed. The railroad company is bound
by contract to care for the existing
main, and if the company lays a new
main, connections can be put in at a
small expense to the city, which can
be used for a new system when the
city is in a position to pay for it.
Opposes Increaseof Interest.
w. H. Holiday was then called upon
for an address. Mr.. Holiday said that
the present total debt of the county,
city and school districts is s204,000,
S11, 700. or in round numbers $1,000 is
paid out monthly by the community for
interest. He vas of the opinion that
it is not a good business proposition to
add an additional debt of $50 1000, with
interest at the rate of at least $4,000
a year. The present system is paid for
chiefly by private individuals and those
who have paid for it have as good in
dividual water rights as any ranch
man. 1t is not a good proposition to
abandon everything and to charge peo-
pie who cannot afford it IS water tax,
in addition to increased taxes. Mr..
Holiday said that the prosperity Of
every merchant depends upon the
prosperity of his customers, and that
the proposed issue of bonds would
place the burden upon those least able
to pay it. Personally, his own prop
erty interests would be rendered safer
by a better water system, but as the
proposed plan would work a hardship
he believed upon a number of people,
he was opposed to it.
Mayor Mckee Heard.
Mayor j. B. Mckee, who was pres
ent, was then called upon. The mayor
said that he had not come to make a
speech, but to listen. He ~coutended
that an improvement to the present
water system an imperative necessity,
as the outskirts of the city are with
out fire protection and in some in
stances h~ouseholders have to depend
upon their neighbors for water for
daily use. Small companies control
the ~laterals and will not in some in
stances allow other people to tap them
and always charge from s25 to $50 for
the privilege. The assertion by Mr..
Hasenkamp that too much money vas
asked for, he said, carried with it no
point, as the report of Mayor Miller's
committee did not contemplate any
thing like such an extensive system as
the present council proposed. Mr..
Mckee gave figures to show that the
cost of the proposed new system would
be $4S, 900, with an additional Sl5 to
provide a service to the lot line OF
each residence. He thought that, II
construction rates upon material could
be procured from the Union Pacific,
the total cost would be lowered from
$4,000 to $4,000. There is no money
in the city treasury available for the
purpose of preparing plans and the
time is limited If anything is to be
done this year. The mayor took an
opposite view to Mr.. Symons, and
thought that the only way to remedy
the existing patchwork system, which
has been wrong from the beginning,
is to begin all over again.
Vice. President Favors Plan.
Eli Crumrine took the floor and said
that he was distinctly In favor of the
new water system. The present hap
hazard system has been wrong from
the beginning and there is no reason
that it should be perpetuated. Mr..
Crumrine related a little incident
which occurred during an enforced in
terview he once had with Justice
Grant, when the justice mulcted him
of nm additional 81 because he made