The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-23
LIKE An
n MILL CITY
LEVY


the tax levy to nine or 10 mills,
managed to get It as low as 11h
mills last night.
The council took up the work
where it left off at midnight Tues
day and slashed the library from
$32,360 to $23,250. The only other
department which was scathed en-
route through the elimination mill
was the fire department, which
was cut from $169,270 to $161, TO
by striking an item for $500
water tower.
1t would seem from close -obser-
Walton that the figures as totaled
at the end of last nights pruning
will Withstand further meetings.
The council has held two executive
sessions lasting until midnight
each time and If any more cuts are
to be made, it is argued, they can
only be accomplished by council
men blindfolding themselves to the
city's needs and slashing indis-
criminately. The total appropria-
lions passed last night are 1871, SIT.
Councilman Baldwin made fight
against new fire stations and de-
clared the present department bet
ter than in any other city OF this
size. In making this stand he
brought in the police department
and said the rule elsewhere was a
police department twice the size
of the fire department, but the rule
here was reversed.
Fire Commissioner O'Brien an
swered him by stating it was true
the rule was changed here, but
through no fault of the fire depart
ment. Rather the department had
been treated considerably by past
councils while increases in the POI
lice department were seldom allow
ed though badly needed. He said
Tacoma is ahead of Spokane in
point of apparatus and number OF
firemen. Baldwin here interposed
the remark, And she's bankrupt"
The discussion of Tacoma affairs
were not taken up further, for
Councilman Funk charged into the
thick of battle to reinforce OBrien.
"The only sections that suffer
when the council makes cuts are
the outlying districts" he almost
shouted. This people OF outlying
sections would rather pay II mills
and have one mill to spend, than
pay 10 mills and have none to
spend. They have received few
betterments. Only the downtown
district is maintained as it should
be-"
1.-THE mayor is responsible for
this administration and wants
low levy. We councilmen should
support him." -interposed Council
man Schiller. 81 represent a ward
of heavy taxpayers who urge me
to make the levy as low as posi-
BILE. The assessed valuation has
grown and we ought to get along
at the same ratio as last year. The
excessive demands department
heads have made are something
astounding. We ought to consider
only how little we can get along
with. We will stand in a bad light
with the people if we levy IL or
IL mills when the mayor has de-
clared we can run the city on nine
or TO-"
All of the argument was aimed
at the proposed new fire station
for Mantle park. Preceding the
discussion Justice Mann and 9TH
ers from the Mantle Improvement
club addressed the council and ask
ed for fire protection. Justice
Mann said that more than 400
magnificent dwelling are now at
the mercy of fire. The depart
ment cannot get apparatus into the
section before the ordinary dwell
ing is burned to the ground. No
team can climb the hill at speed
and it is imperative that station
be located upon the hill, they
urged.
Fire Commissioner O'Brien said
the commission has recommended
fire protection for Mantle for the
past three years. 1t hopes to get
site between Fourteenth and
Twenty-ninth far enough east OF
Grand to protect Altamont heights.
He referred to the forest fires of
the past summer which, had the
wind or any other disadvantage
arisen, would probably have wiped
out both Mantle and Altamont.
Police Chief Rice appeared In a
final appeal for the council to
change it's previous action wherein
the municipal court bailiff was
transferred back to his department
from the judiciary department.. He
said the board had ordered Major
Gwydir, license inspector, tackled
to his department, and he promptly
tackled the bailiff to the judiciary
department with Justice Mann's
consent.
He also got In few words about
the proposed increase of ~ men