The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-25
WATER MAIN EXTENSION ON
N K|NLEY AVENUE HALTED

form Of government the city made Its
own assessment and levee and col
lected at our own counters al
moneys due. Now we are working
under the incorporation law OF the
state and this is done through the
county officers, and we are required
to certify to them our needs for the
different departments during the
year, and we are limited in our ex-
penditure to the amount so certified
to.
Our water boundaries for taxation
have already been fixed in conformity
to this anticipated improvement being
perfected before December 81, 1914.
Should it not be completed by that
time or before the tax is paid, the
county will be compelled to collect
for something the tax payers have
not received, and we. the city, Will
be compelled to refund like amount
in each individual case on more than
four hundred separate pieces of prop
erty Just imagine the confusion TAX
ing place in our own office with hum
dreds of irate tax payers.
Bad as such mix up would be, 1t
would only entail trouble withous
financial loss, but If we are forced to
re-adjust our tax boundaries in &C
cordance with your decision not to
do this work at this time but should
decide to do So early in the spring
our opportunity to assess this real
estate for water purposes has passed
and we have no recourse on the prop
erty for another year to reimburse us
for an expenditure during the interim
for fire hydrants.
Another Location.
This argument applies with equal
force to the extension We purpose or
dering on Fourteenth street from
Ridge to Charles street 1.-TWO squares).
We must kindly insist that we be
saved from all this trouble and loss
to ourselves and the great inconveni-
ence and distress 1t will entail on our
constituents. They are looking to Us
for relief from their present trouble
which will be multiplied many times
over II they are forced to do without
water during the winter months.
Please reconsider the matter in the
light of the above statement of facts
and order the pipes for this work and
for 1872 feet on Fourteenth street
where we know you will have ten or
more new customers. While we did
contemplate ordering considerable
new work for Reid's addition, yet
most of the property. while not served
by you, is nevertheless within the
thousand feet fire limits and is now
paying taxes. Therefore this improve
ment can be done at your convent
ence.
While the reasons above enumerat-
ed are certainly sufficient to cause
you to make this improvement with
out further delay. they form but one
side Of a triangle OF trouble and dis
appointment for the people involved,
as we'll as the Keokuk Electric and
Gas company and the street railway
company, and the city. The building
of the railway and the laying OF gas
mains is dependent on your laying
the water mains, while all Of these
depended on the city and property
owners putting in sufficient storm
and sanitary sewer system to accom-
modate the present and all future
needs OF these new additions. The
city has performed her part at cost
Of about $500, while the owners OF
these two tracts OF land which you
are to serve have expended about
half as much. I trust you will con
slider your obligations to all the par
ties interested as imperative, and al
once notify us OF your Intention to dc
the work. A reply at once will be
appreciated as levy must be made
in few days.
Yours truly,
! J. A. NJ. COLLINS,
Com m Ia siOner