Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-01

sessmcnrs Of corner lots, that had al
ready been assessed for paving along
one side, and pay the sum deducted
with money from It's Improvement
funi, rather than go into court and
attempt to fight the cases. with two ad-
verse decisions in similar cases as
precedent OF What might be expected
in any Other such cases.
Lower Assessments SO is Per Cont.
So, guided by a. court decision IN one
Of the old asphalt paving cases, the
council, in 1911, adopted the general
rule Of assessing against such proper
ties onlv two-thrds OF the whole as
sessment for the new paving. This rule
has been adhered to during the two
/ wears in practically ali of the ninety
! two corner lot assessments that nave
been so reduced.
/ The result has been that. while the
share of the cost. that the city has had
10 pay from its Improvement fund has
been greatly increased. the lawsuits
and court costs. that would probably
hsya resulted from a plan of assessing
corner lots for the full cost of the pay
ing have been brought almost 10 a,
minimum.
Only Five Cases Begun.
Ont of several hundred properties
that havo been assessed for paving
during the two years. appeals have been
taken from the councils assessment IN
OnIy five instances. The five Involve
assessments Of a total Of $i,234.32 out
Of $G2G69.42 One Of these cases was
settled while on trial by the city max
ing a small concession to the property
( owner.
! Members Of the commission think
this IS the ono best argument that the
taxpayers, as a whole. and especially
those whose properties have been lev
led against for concrete paving, are
satisfied with the city's method OF
making what the cOuncilmen beNeVe
IS an equitable adjustment OF the cost
II can scarcely be denied successfully
that the commissions method OF as
snssing corner lots is the most import
ant single reason that has made four
miles Of paving possible in two years
Deductions Made Bonds Necessary.
The commission opened the cam
palgn for paving IN 1911 without haV-
ing had any provision made by the pre-
cc!ine administration for the unusual
expenditure 1t was not able to anticl-
pate in time during that year the ex-
pense that It was going TO be called Oh
for paving this year.
with contractors bills OF s24 IT'S foI
intersections, extra grading and de-
ductions from corner lot assessments,
that It had assumed to pay, the councii
found late this season that 1t must
either create a bond issue, drawing .
per cent and retire the bonds year by
wear, or issue Improvement funds war
rants that it did not have the money
to pay, which would draw per cent.
It chose the former and authorized
an issue OF $4,000 worth Of bonds
$4,000 Of which will mature in 1914 and
$4,000 each succeeding year. These
bonds were sold at par. Five or Six
thousand dollars of this money will GO
to pay for the Third avenue storm sew
er IN the First ward.
| There is not much gainsayIng that
the Marshalltown property owner, un-
der the present plan Of assessments
gets off cheaper for paving here than
IN many other Iowa cities. In Sioux
City, for example, the cost Of all street
and alley intersections is prorated
among the properties and levied
! against the properties, according to the
front footage, in addition to the paw
ing the lot abuts.
More Paving in 1918.
The work oT improving pr!Hctpa,
; streets with concrete paving will be
! continued this year, according to the
. councils present plans. How much viii
be laid can not be told at this time. But
Mayor Jones and the councirnen think
! that mile or two this year would be
about enough.
Petitions for fourteen and one-hal
blocks Of concrete paving were fi'et
during 1912, but were not granted Tn
l streets petitioned for were:
2 Blocks
: Third, Church to Boone ..........2
3 Second, Lincoln to Center ........ A..
: State, Seventh to Ninth street. ...2