Baxter Springs news., 1918-05-03
SAYS SEWER As
SESSMENT WRONG.
GRANTHAM THINKS LATER
DIVIDED INTO DISTRICTS
AL SEWERS SHOULD BE
TWO BLOCKS COST $4,000
Plummer-Adams Threaten To
Throw Up COntracts-Want
Guarantee for Present
Construction

The Plummer-Adams construction
company, handling the sewer con-
struction in Baxter Springs, have
asked that they be guaranteed the
cost of construction inasmuch as the
sewer bonds have not been sold. ].
o. Treece is circulating petition
asking the property owners of two
business blocks to put up the money
for the actual cost of construction.
At least one man, ]. W. Grantham,
while attributing the most public
spirited motives to Mr.. Treece, has
made known his intention Of refusing
TO sign this paper. The two blocks
IN question are the east side of Mill
.ary St., from Sheridan to River st.
The sewer to be placed in the alley
between Military and East SITS. This
seven hundred and twenty feet Of
mall sewer is to cost the property
,wners approximately $4,000. Plum
mer-Adams are asking that the prop
,rty owners now pay them the actual
cost Of construction, which is $1,000,
or about $1.70 n foot. This as pro-
ection until the bonds have been sold
1t which time the money will be given
back to the property owners and the
entire amount assessed against the
property. ]. w. Grantham's part in
he collection of this $1,000 is some
hing like 500. Mr.. Grantham says
he helped circulate the petition for
leverage and wants it bad but that he
ion't think two blocks ought to have
% pay s1O,700 more than the cost OF
installation. He says he understands
10 one is dishonest and that the mon
oy is going to the residence district
where sewers that cost $500 a foot
are only costing the property owners
in some cases 40 cents foot.
The law specifies that the cost OF
sewerage be pro rated against the as
sessed valuation Of the property and
his has been conformed with here.
Mr.. Grantham calls attention to the
manner in which nearly all towns ov-
n the country put in sewerage by de-
signaling several districts and thus
equalizing the cost. This method was
used in Columbus some years ago
where it was considered that sewerage
vas more valuable to the residence
districts than to the business district.
Baxter Springs has followed the let
ter of the statute and the whole city
placed in one lateral sewer district,
which of course works hardship on
he business property owners.
1t is reported that the Plummer-
Adams company are not well pleased
with the way things are going and
have threatened to throw up their
contract or part of it. Mr.. Grantham
says if Plummer-Adams will cancel
their contract on these two blocks he
can go out and get the $1,000 in an
hour to build the sewer under -pri-
vate contract.
Mr.. Treece, in circulating the pc
tition, is merely filling his function
as councilman and anxious to facili-
tate and push along the work as
swiftly as possible. II will cost Mr..
Treece in the neighborhOod OF $0OO
for just one building in these blocks
and his motives, it is very apparent
are unselfish. It seems when the or
iginal method was adopted to put in
the city into one district there was
practically no complaint, most OF the
business block owners being informed
that this method was the law and 1t
couldn't be helped. It seems that to
remedy the matter now, if in truth
it should be remedied, would occas-
ion q good deal of work and trouble
Mr.. Grantham thinks g sewer is like
any other public improvement, as a
sidewalk, paving, water, etc., and that
the. cost should be distributed as
equitably as possible and by districts
He feels that it is easier for the res
idence property owner to pay as much
as he pays for sewerage than it is for
him to pay as much as thirty times
as much as some for each foot OF
sewer built. This will cost the own
ers of the two business blocks ap-
prOximately $1,000 per foot as
against 40 cents per foot for some Of
r