Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-05
They HES|TATE:
ON ANNEXATION
Residents OF County South of City
Limits Fear Neglect From
The Council.
EXPERIENCE WAS COSTLY.
Other Suburban Districts Were Shut
ON From Lights and Road Repair
On Joining Salt Lake,

A plan 10 boost Salt Lake Citys area
by annexing the large tract Of land be.
tween Tenth South and Twelfth South
streets. and running west frcm tht
state prison 10 tho Jordan river was
launched at a meeting of property
owners held last night at the CONNER
yial club,
The movement, however, was NOT
boosted through but received serious
set back In the form of speeches ops
posing 1t. for the reason that the city
had not made good any of the prom
ises made when other tracts gave up
projected county improvements to
share in what they thought would be
better city improvements
The fact that the water mains and
sewer connections have never been
brought to the present city limits and
that the people between Myth and
Tenth South streets west OF State are.
struggling along without sidewalks, and
electric lights. while just over the hor-
der the county illunntnes the streets
and cares for the roads, was used as
q decisive argument against annexa-
tion Also the fact WAS mentioned
that dangerous railroad crossings on
the city property az Tenth South street
We're not lighted, and that In the Wa
serloo district annexation had only
meant the shutting off OF all county
lights without the substitution OF any
Others, or the Hiding of either water
mains or sewers.
NOT ENTHu SI-ASTIC.
Added to these arguments based on
the expe riemce OF other tracts that had
experimental with becoming the bor-
derland OF a city government not or
eanized to deliver benefits TO the peo-
pie in return for their taxes, was the
further Item that 1t would itcreasee
the property yax about II per cent, and
this finally prevailed in setting gen
eral opinion against the move at this
time. An adjournment was flnally
taken however. for one week, and II
the friends of the movement should IN
the meantime muster courage to at
tempt 10 talk annexation again, am
other big meeting will then be held
The speeches against annexation were
not radically opposed to cisy extension,
hut were in favor OF waiting to make
the move until the city did something
for the country to the north Of Tenth
South and east OF State that is already
in the city limits and Is totally neglect
ed. Just as ON State Street the prob
lem of the driver is 10 some way force
his team 10 yank and pull till IL gets
his vehicle through to the place where
tho county takes charge OF the high
way so on West Temple street and
other westerly streets. 1t Is q long
fought out problem to drive through the
city to the country precincts, where
the roads receive normal attention, 4nd
where driving becomes possible. The
Unique situation was therefore present
ed last night of refusing TO be an
neSed to the city because the county
is making improvements
SOME EXPERIENCES
The people In that district have petit
toned for sewer many times, and
despite the fact that they have paid
city taxes for years, the watermains
remain right where they We're stopped
over decade ago, just below Ninth
South street on West Temple, while the
price of Joining the city WAS to have
all street illumination cut OFF, and sec
the roads sink into an unprecedented
state OF unrepair. A fear OF extending
the area of neglect was what most
gravitated against change
At the meeting Hast night there We're
present about so taxpayers Addison
Cain was elected chairman and L. NJ
Cannon secretary. w. A. Smoot. who
helped to lay out the town In early
days. spoke In favor OF anne nation on
the grounds that II would give better
water service and improve the roads, as
well as possibly. doing away With cess.
pools In certain parts OF the districts.
Samuel Russell opposed annexation just
at this time on the grounds that the
city had brought no benefits to other
districts recently annexed and that II
would be we'll to walt until such bene-
fits became in evidence before giving
up county protection,
Iohl f. Howclls spoke along the same
line as did a number of others, and on
q final vote 1t was decided to postpone
action for one week. the next meeting
TO be held Friday evening. April ~
The district to he annexed If the peo-
pie are willing, embraces all territory
north OF Twelfth South street that IL
not already within the city limits II
includes about 5000 people and property
valued at abont 100000. The city
limits NOW go 10 Twelfth South for "A
number of blocks running east from
State street.