The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-11
CHURCH SEEKS
To EVADE TAXES
owes City a Large Sum for
Water Used in Temple
and Grounds.
BISH0PRIC CITED TO APPEAR
BEFORE COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Money Due in Delinquent
Water Taxes From Church
Is $1203.25.

There is a constant howl and wall from
the high chiefs OF the Mormon churcf
through the organ of the church that
there is no money in the city treasury
and that the money received by the city
is frittered away.
But there is one little matter that the
News In its weeping and %alIlnS anG
that is that the Mormon church Is a
debtor 10 tho city In the sum oil sl2oo. 20
for water used in the temple, tabernacle
and assembly hall. and the tcn.acre tract
of ground In which those buildings are
situated.
May Shut OF Water.
In view that this Item has not been
paid the presiding bishropric has been
requested 10 meet with the water COM
m!ttec of the city council this ThurSday
and show cause why the water should not
he turned on the same as any other
water user would be treated
IL has been contendcd by the cnurch
authorities that the temple grounds was
n public park and for that reason was
entitled to free water But II is not a
public mark no more than the temple
is public building. The latter is barred
to ali save the faithful and the grounds
arc barred TO all save certain hours dur
parks m are open 10 the public at all times
and are free TO all tho people all the
time.
Not Public Park,
This Is not true of the temple grounds.
II is not open to all the people. There
have been persons who visited the temple
grounds who have been elected there
from as also an attempt TO keep them
off the sidewalk around the temple
grounds because they were distributing
tracts that pertained 10 another branch
OF the same church which seeks to evade
payment OF water tax. and the church
officials close the entrance gates at their
own pleasure.
The greatest water hogs that ever fas-
tened themselves upon the water system
Of salt Lake have been these same temple
grounds. When the city has suffered In
the pas: from drouth from short water
supply prior 10 the completion of the
a time when the supply in the temple
grounds was curtailed. The water al
ways flowed thcre-both day and night,
Items Upon Which Tax Is Levied.
According 10 the iteE's upon which the
delinquent taxes OF sl205.25 are due there
Is horsepower boiler with $4,000 square
yards OF lawn. and it is upon these that
the city demands what rs due. -,
No one cares whether there are Il
baths in the temple or what amount OF
water Is used In the baptismal fount, but
they are interested in seeing that the
water used is paid for; The fact is that
in view that The public is barred from
the temple that the city authorities have
no means OF knowing whether there are
- baths or 13o baths in the temple. the
Guy Shouiu put IN a. wafer meter +" ,ncn
should be under the absolute control Of
the city and the church should be made
to pay FOR the water ii uses just as
every one else must do.
Should Pay the Taxes.
II the church paid into the city this
s12O3.26 ii the property which ii owns
in Salt Lake City. for instance like
Whitney Hall. and which is not used for
religious purpose. were taxed as II should
be, the News would discover that the
tax rate would drop very materially. but
the church evades the payment of taxes
upon its property through non assessment
and now hopes to evade the payment Of
water taxes.