East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-05-06
ARE FIGHTING
AMENDMENTS
All Proposed Charter Amend
ments Will Not Have Smooth
Sailing Tuesday
EVEN WATER SYSTEM
HAS IT'S KNOCKERS
Commercial Club Committee Will En-
deayOr to Rally Voters to Support
Inrprovements-City Attorney Ra-
ley Explains Street Amendment.


ley Explains Street Amendment.
With the special election almost at
hand, it will be held Tuesday, inter-
est in that event is becoming strong
er and some spirit is entering into
the campaign. On the part of GER
tain parties there is opposition to
the street Improvement ordinance,
yet the friends of the measure say
th<y are satisfied the amendment
will be adopted if the people only in
vestigate the. matter sufficiently.
Opposition is also developing to the
voting of bonds for the mountain wa
ter system, though it is indirect rath-
er than direct opposition. Enemies
of the Improvement are circulating
stories to the effect that the noun
tain water system will mean an ad-
vance in rates and also that the
Thorn Hollow supply will not be suf-
ficient for the needs of the city.
In compliance with Instructions
given him at the monthly meeting of
the Commercial club last Tuesday,
President Dan P. Smythe has named
the following steering committee to
have charge of the campaign for the
various amendments: ]. v. Tallman.
Charles Greulich. Fred Steiwer. Mark
Patton and Dean Tatom.
In explanation of the street inn
proyement ordinance that is proposed
City Attorney J. r. Raley today pre-
pared the following statement
Street Improvements.
street Improvements are started
under the amendment the same as
under the present charter, either by
resolution of the council or petition
of the property owners to the coun-
Gil. The council then directs the city
surveyor TO make plans and specifica-
tions for the proposed improvement
and estimates of the cost, also a state
ment of the boundaries of the district
which the improvement will especial
ly benefit, and the percentage of the
total benefit which, in his judgment,
each lot in the district should pay.
His report is filed with the city re-
corder. The council examines the
same and publishes notice, describing
the plans and specifications. giving
the probable total cost and describ-
ing the district which will be assess
ed to pay for the improvement. This
notice is published for ten days. with
in which time remonstrances against
the improvement may be filed. as
provided by the present law. If no
remonstrance is filed, the council
calls for bids upon the improvement,
and if the council shall reject all the
bids received, the proposed amend
ment gives the council the right to
purchase the material and hire the
labor and do the work on a day basis
instead of by contract.
When the contract is signed and
the total cost of the Improvement de-
termined, the council takes up the
matter Of adjusting the cost among
the property owners, hears and de-
termines all objections to the pre-
limnary estimates of the city sur
veyor.
Council Has Latitude.
The amount to be assessed against
each lot is not, as in the present in
stance, the actual cost of construc-
tion in front of that lot. but the coun-
Gil is required to assess against each
lot the amount of the special and
peculiar benefits accruing to each lot
by reason of the Improvement, and
IN no case shall the assessment ex-
ceed the benefit to the lot
In order to make the matter eouit-
able, the council can raise or decrease
any particular assessment and is re-
qulred TO adjust the total cost between
all the lots in the most equitable man.
ner possible, according to the bene-
fit.
City Pays Also.
1t has been suggested that improve
ments in front Of property standing
in the name Of the city would have to
be paid for by the other property
owners. This IS not true as the CITY
in this case would stand in the same
position as any other property owner
and would have to pay the amount
III which its property is benefited by
the Improvement.
1t has also been suggested that 4
man owning a corner lot would have
20 pay for one-tourth Of the corner
lot at the Intersection. This is not
true. The test of the amount which
the man owning the corner lot would
have To pay would be the amount
which his property was benefited by
the whole improvements II hc is
benefited more than h.. uc.rhbor ne
pays NOR. suI ,na. is the only test
the 3mon5meu. provides
n Is Equitable
tHe Hura".. OF tJ. proposed
CONTINUED .n pas. IgElj