The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-01-30
SEWER ASSESSMENTS
City Council Hears Complaints
.."... and Protests. 5

Special session of the city council
met Friday. evening 10 consider com.
plants and protests against the pro-
posed assessment of the sewer work
contract of II. ]. Cathroe, of Omaha,
Numerous objections had been pre-
pared and complaints were represent
ed in council by attorneys or in per.
son. Considering the number of pro-
perties affected by the assessment,
something over five hundred, and the
extent OF the work done, the com.
plants and protests are exceptionally
few in number -a
Taking into, consideration the ex.
tent of the work done and the amount
of figures represented in the assess.
ment roll, City Engineer Il. G. +.
Bridges discovered remarkably few
errors in the preparation OF the list
of properties and the estimated costs
to each.
Some, of the objections made were
on account OF the method of assess.
'ment, according to the area of a bene.
flied property instead of by front
foot as was first contemplated. The
area assessment is generally recog-
niZed as being the more equitable un-
der the greater number of circum.
stances Where the areas of lots to
be considered went beyond the usual
100 feet length of the city lot the
length of the area considered in the
assessment was limited to 100 feet
Protests and objections were made
in writing and filed with the city
clerk. T. II. Carlin. All were read
and presented TO the council before
action on any was taken and upon al
most all of the owners or representa-
tives appeared in person. Attorney
Frank 4. Nash talked for number OF
property owners and b. A. Wright
presented the case of property owners
along North Ninth street. ...s .t...
A total of eleven petitions were
presented The North Ninth street
remonstrance was signed by nine pro-
perry owners, one of whom filed sep
arate objection.
Resolution was adopted by the coun-
Gil authorizing the city engineer to
make corrections to the assessment
on the basis of the corrected errors
and changes and TO present the as.
W tue loI
consideration at a meeting To he held
Monday evening.
Other Mattess.
Attorney James A. Dewitt and Sec
rotary |. W. Cook presented a matter
TO the city council for the Oskaloosa
Commercial club. II will have atten.
ton later. SIS. .a- ,ss..
License payments took up a few
minutes in discussion OF certain
phases. "a .# ......- ST..
Councilman Fred Blattner took the
chair to relieve Mayor Reynolds, who
was called out, and the councilman
from the Fifth ward presided during
the consideration OF the sewer as
essments. e
In, the midst of the discussions a
recess was taken, given a. few min.
utes to Professor Clarence NJ Case,
of Penn College, representing the Os.
kaloosa Welfare League, and asking
the cooperation of the city council
in arranging for mass meeting to
place the subject of government by
commission before the people. A mo-
tion was carried providing for the ap.
pointment of committee of council
members and Messrs. Penders, Min.
nick and Lafollette were the mem.
bers named.
Adjourned to meet Monday evening.
The session was near four hours i'm
length and dismissal came just before
midnight.