The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-19
ADJUSTMENTS TO-DAY.
THE METALS.
ImHo MAKES IMPROVEMENTS

MAJ F1O MANG0 nv
Just to keep the record straight and
prevent any misunderstanding of an
important question, it might be well
10 consider who is really making the
improvements in Salt Lake. particu
larly the public works which the city
administration cites with evident pride
as an excuse for it's maladministration
of the city offices.
Beginning with the Morris admins
tration a campaign of improvement
was initiated with the approval of all
the people of Salt Lake. 1t included
in the beginning the acquisition of the
Big Cottonwood water supply, the con-
struction of a great conduit, the en-
largement of the water supply, a bet
ter distributing system in the city
limits. the construction of a modern
sewerage system, the installation of
sidewalks over large area, and the
paving of certain city streets.
X x X
For the cost of the water acquired,
the conduit and the sewerage system,
the people of Salt Lake voted a heavy
bond issue proposed by the Norris adj
ministration and opposed by the men
most prominent now in the "Ameri-
can" party. After the negotiations for
the Big Cottonwood water had been
concluded, the Americans tried to
defeat the project by court proceed
ings brought in the name of one of
their party.
They declared the city had acquired
no water by the negotiations and now
claim credit for the increase in the
water supply; they opposed the bonds,
and now point with great pride to the
improvements made and still being
made with the proceeds of the bonds.
Their one appeal for support is
based on improvements planned by
Thompson's predecessor. and they talk
of these improvements as if the
American" party had subscribed a
few millions privately among its
wealthy members and made Salt Lake
city present of the great water sup
ply. the big sewers. the street pave
ments and the sidewalks
X
Who pays for these things. anyway?
Don't the citizens of Salt Lake de-
serve any credit for the public spirit
and progressiveness which led them to
vote improvement bonds?
Doesn't the taxpayer come in for
some little share of the praise the
Americans" are giving themselves so
lavishly for spending vast sums of
public money?
Wasn't the city just as public-spirit-
ed, as liberal in its willingness to inn
prove under Morris as it has been I'M
der Thompson?
And haven't the taxpayers who pro-
vide the money perfect right TO in
sist that these large expenditures
shall be made with proper regard for
economy, efficiency and honesty in
public service?
Salt Lake wants its streets paved
but it isn't particularly proud Of the
contracts the american" council has
made with Pat Moran for the paving.
1t wants sidewalks, but that is no rea-
son it should rejoice over the bungIe
that let the sidewalk contractors can
eel their contracts when they pleased
and then charge from 20 to 40 per cent
more for the same work on new con-
tract. The people are anxious for a
good sewage system, but they need
not be expected to look cheerful when
they think they are paying more than
they should for it. They like to see
Second avenue macadamized, but they
vince when they learn that an en-
gineer's blunder is going to cost some
$4,000 unnecessarily for relaying wa
ter pipes or lowering those already
laid.
Still further, the people of Salt Lake
know by the figures of the "Ameri-
cam city auditor that the city's tax
levy for this year, and more, will all
be spent before it is collected; and
this, too. in spite of the fact that the
levy will be raised to the legal limit
on a valuation much higher than it