La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1916-05-20
CITY COUNCIL.
City Dads Will Repeal Poll Tax and
Dog Tax Ordinances, Both Of
Which Are Unjust.

Mayor l-amD preslulng. AFTER ais
posing OF the white way problem. an
account OF which will be found In
another column OF this issue. the city
fathers disposed of number OF mi
nor matters. thusly:
Petitions for the erection OF cleo
trio signs In front OF their places of
business on First street, by Spicer
Bros. and the Ideal Automobile and
Machine Company were granted.
Applications for cement workers
licenses by Burnside & Kirkpatrick
and Cramp & McLaren were also
granted
City Attorney Allen was instructed
TO commence condemnation proceed
ings to secure title to piece OF land
thirty-five feet square In the rear of
the corner property in the Wickham
addition fronting the Santa Fe rail-
road track. This tract of land Is nee
essary for road purposes in order to
eliminate very dangerous turn in
the right-of way that makes 1t i'm
possible for approaching vehicles to
see each other.
Ordinance No. 227 providing for
extensions to Sewer Districts NJ and
d was placed on its first reading
One is for the extension OF the sewer
on Rice avenue from Seventh to
Eighth street. and the other for an
Addition between Ration and Colora-
do avenues.
Mr. Milliken. on behalf OF the
Fourth OF July committee. asked for
the use OF the streets and the privi-
lege OF all concessions granted on that
day. which was agreed to.
As June lst will inaugura,e the
open season for the collection OF poll
tax, considerable discussion ensued
as to the justice OF this tax. Some Of
the aldermen thought this tax was a
relic of barbarism and ought to be
abrogated. About $3.50 was realized
last year from the collection OF poll
tax. and 10 per cent of this amount
was paid to the man who was on the
collecting job. Every voter Is sup
posed to pay poll tax. but about two
thirds OF them fail to do so and the
burden falls on the property owners
III
The same condition applies to the
dog tax. as no, over one-tenth OF the
owners OF dogs in town pay the tax.
Most OF the aldermen were In favor
OF repeating both the poll tax and the
dog tax. but II will be too late to
make an ordinance effective this
year. as the tax In both cases Will be
due on June LIST. The ordinance and
license committee was instructed to
investigate the matter and make a
recommendation which will be acted
on at the next meeting OF the city
council
Thee bids were opened for Install
ing curbs and cutters on Ration av-
enue from Fifth street south to Tenth
street. one block on Colorado ayen-
ue, and also for sidewalks. curbs and
cutters on Colorado avenue In Park
Addition. The contract was awarded
TO Cramp & Mcl.aren. after the bids
had been submitted to Engineer Lew
Is to figure out the lowest bidder.
Cramp a. McI.aren, s2.077.s7; q. A.
Dahlgren. s?.2as.12: Burnside a.
kirkpatrick. t2.4o3.5O.
G. A. Kiigore's dream OF triangle
park at the intersection OF Tenth
street and the county road was
knocked into a cooked hat when a
letter was read by the city clerk
from Mrs. A. II. Paulsen, owner OF
one OF the properties which II was
proposed TO utilize In making pos
siblc the triangular beauty spot,
Mrs. Pauiscn wrote that II the city
would pay all costs OF the transfer OF
the property Tor use as specifi"d. ana
place sidewalks. curbiEg and gutter
on all lotsi2.1t,15 and 1G.she would
agree TO the plan. ms the projected
improvement deprived her OF one
complete building site. The city
council evidently did not think the
game worth the candle. 40 the tri.
angular park was consigned TO In
nocuous oblivion.
Among the bills allowed was one
OF the Santa Fe for SO cents. This
was for one-half of the wages paid
10 temporary watchman on Brad
ish avenue In February. on account
OF a load of hay that got stuck In the
subway. making II necessary for
public travel to go over the Santa Fe
tracks for n period Of six hours. The