Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-05-26

The following letter was presented
with the petitions: 1
The Honorable City Commission. City
of Bismarck, North Dakota.
Gentlemen:
The Paving Committee of the Bis.
marck Comnlercial club herewithre.
spectfully presents petitions repre-
senting 54.3 per cent Of the front
footage involved; 51.4 per cent, Of tho
property 4 owners affected,
and 63 per- cent Of the resident prop
erty owners concerned. praying for
the creation in Bismarck OF a paving
district, as outlined IN the preamble
of said petitions.
Total Of 1oo,13s Feet.
The proposed district embraces q
total of lOO,13S front feet; the sigma
lures upon the petitions presented
herewith represent $500 front feet.
or SAB per cent OF the total.
The whole number of individual
owners in the proposed district is
527. OF these, I'll, or 51.4 per cent
of the total, have endorsed the pro-
ject by signing these petitions. OF
the 256 property owners not repre-
sented here, 85 are non-residents.
leaving out of total of 527, but Ill
resident property owners who are not
for this improvement.
The total front foOtage remaining
unsigned to date is 45,738. OF this
amount there is owned by non-resi-
dents 9,095 feet, indicating that 63
per cent of all the resident property
included in the proposed district is
signed for.
.,...g Little Opposition.
The committee has encountered lit
tie active opposition to the paving
project. A majority of those ap-
preached but who did not care to
sign, expressed themselves as not 0p.
posed to the improvement. Less than
a score of all the property owners
in Bismarck who have been inter.
viewed by the committee have declin-
ed to petition for the creation Of the
paving district; Of these, not more
than half dozen have declared
themselves opposed to the project in
it's general features, and all Of the
remainder have expressed a willing.
ness to abide by the decision Of the
majoritq
Decided Sentiment.
The committee has found q very
general and very decided sentiment
for immediate action. 1t is felt that
there is no good reason why actual
paving, in the downtown district, at
least, should not begin this year. Tho
petitioners herewith represented
pray that the preliminary work pro.
ceed with all possible dispatch. It is
felt by the property own
ers and tax payers interested in this
project that much of the beneficial
effect which is expected from the Inn.
provement will be lost unless thero
IS something definite in the way OF
accomplishment to show for the Cap
tai City when the legislature con.
1enes next winter. -
In connection with the proposed i'm.
the committee begs the
liberty of calling attention. to the fact
hat Bismarck is not now laDofine
lnder heavy tax burdens, as compa1-
I'd with other North Dakota cities OF
he same class and smaller. Th0
1915 tax levy for all purposes was
,62 mills in Bismarck In Valley
City the levy was 6S9 mills; in Dew.
Is Lake, 74.5 mills; In DickinSOn.
;7.2 mills; in Minot, 7l.3 mills, and
n Mandan, 74.5 mills. OF the ten
eading cities in North lDakota, only
our enjoy a lower tax rate than Bis.
narck, and five pay higher taxes.
Taxation comparod.
With regard to special assess.
nents for public improvements. e
nay be stated that Fargo. with N
valuation less than ; II
(Contilued o 80 TAf0Al