Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-04-03
To The Voters of Wa Kee
ney, Kansas

-
Mr.. EDITOR:=By request of
many concerned and interested
in the financial affairs of this lit
tie city, I will attempt to answer
some of the statements in the
World of March Goth. 1909.
I make the attempt with much
reluctance, especially, when we
consider that I am not an official
but mere private and taxpayer
of the city. I shall say little and
make no attempt to wit and hu-
NOR and funny sayings, but state
facts and truths as / have CLEAN
ed them in the last few days.
In the first place in looking
over Mr.. Peacock's communica-
ton in the World of March Goth,
1909, find that he gives an esti-
mate as to expense of installing
and maintaining water system,
which estimate is hardly fair
from the fact that he counts on
floating the $4,000 at 5 per cent,
when in fact no city of the third
class or even of the second class
has been able to float bonds at
less than 8 per cent, and as a
matter of truth not all of the
first class. And in this estimate
the City Clerk did not in his cal
culations make any allowance for
the $4,000 commission for float
ing the bonds; leaving net bal
ance of $36, 900 with which to do
business.
At the above rate of 6 per cent
our taxes would be more than
doubled, and we now pay as per
City Clerks estimate, SO. As per
thousand, so that instead of SO. As
we would pay about $4,000, so
that the property owner now
paying $1,000 on his home would
pay more than $4,000 each year,
while the person who does not
own any property would enjoy
as great benefit as the heaviest
tax payer; which is not fair to
the careful and prudent business
man who has, by his industry,
accumulated some property.
Further, that from the fact
that about one-half of the citizens
of this city own their own water
system. they would not be pa
irons of the city water system,
so that the system would not by
any means be self sustaining
Mr. Peacock has woefully I'M
DER estimated the running ex-
penses of the plant by about
81, 500, so that instead of it being
81 900 it would be about 81, 500.
And further, here is good place
to say that in a few instances it
would help the heavy taxpayer
but would be oppressive on the
poor. For instance, it would be
a benefit to r. e. Morse who is
amply able to pay for everything
he gets and help his neighbor,
while it would be oppressive on
Mrs. Evans who is we'll Supplied
with water, wind mill and pump,
but is not in such, financial con-
dition as tc justify the doubling
of her present bufdensome tax
eS. for as it now is. it requires of
her in order to sEhSist, the ut
most
Here I wish to state THAI Mr..
Peacock, City Clerk, says that
women may not vote for or
against bonds, while Fred S.
Jackson, the best Attorney Gen
eral Kansas has ever had and one
of the best in the United States,
says that women can vote foF and
against the bonds in the cities of
Kansas.
In the World of March 9th,
1909, Mr.. David NEcCol1um of
Lincoln, Kansas, a city of prac
tically double our population and
of more than five times on r
wealth. says that the waite r
works system of that city is not
self-supporting but that I'm con-
nection with an electric light
plant and system it is a little
more than self sustaining, the
deficiency being made up by the
lighting system. But in our
case it is impossible to have an
electric lighting plant because
the present city council have
seen fit to go the limit of bonds
for a water system.
And further, the most san
guine advocates of the water sys-
tenn for our little city have not
stopped long enough to think
that building, hose, wagons and
other equipment necessary to a
fire department are not consid-
cred, which would cost at the
loa eff copSi6aratiOn e. 400