The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-18

ton. Keokuk's limit Is $69O,9 which
leaves 1t now to the good $475,870
which it may issue in the future be
| fore 1t reaches the limit.
| A five mill levy yields $17,25S 6
year, and interest on 100000 bonds
for memorial building would be $40,
I, 900 year while they were all out
standing and less as they were paid
off, he said. The other $7,25S can be
applied to paying off bonds
He said the money for public i'm
provements is limited, not by bond
! levies, but by tax levy limitation foI
each item, as streets, sewers and other
things. Hence this memorial build
| ing will not affect improvements OF
streets and the like here. He ex-
planned this Thoroughly, partly in
/ answer to questions from G. M. Rich
who brought out many facts in the
legal aspect OF this phase of the mat
ter.
No doubt was cast on the legality
Of bonds for memorial building.
A. Hollingsworth also spoke along
the same lines.
Believes All Favor It.
Frank L. Griffey mentioned an ar
mory as one thing that should be in
the building and said now is good
time to build it, as regards price.
I'VE are all wondering what we
should do for our soldiers, said Very
Rev. J. W. Gillespie, "and I'm sure
this plan is for the best memorial we
can give them. l am sure that a
large number of taxpayers would
rather pay more for this than for any
other thing yet proposed
He mentioned the need Of an audi
forum and said he believed the entire
city will approve the plan.
A Hollingsworth mentioned an old
time plan Of getting the county to join
in larger building to. be used also
as court house in addition to its use
by the city OF Keokuk.
Cost Will Not Be Felt.
e. A. French said the cost to each
taxpayer each year will be very small
owing to the long time the bonds will
run and the smaller taxpayers will
hardly notice it.
I'm in favor of this city hall move
ment," said c. M. Rich, who said it
would be marked improvement.
The only objection he can see is the
possibility of its preventing other bond
issues for other improvements.
He said keoku1 should be bonded
up to near it's limit of over 100000,
and the money spent in municipal i'm
provements.
can indebtedness around 100000
for a city like Keokuk is nothing at
all" he said.
Henry S. Walker deprecated one mo-
ton Of Hazen /. Sawyer as being too
broad, and suggested commission on
details of the plan. The mayor re-
piled that such an executive commit
tee will be appointed to act with the
council on the project.
Many Reasons For It.
ut seems to me the city of keokuk
should by all means avail itself OF
this law" said County Attorney Nc
Manus, because it will SAFE money
in rent and will also provide many adj
yantages in the administration of city
affairs.
II am heartily in favor Of this be-
cause it is for the betterment of the
town in every way" said j. 0. Boyd
who spoke Of the advantage of having
an auditorium large enough for public
meetings which Keokuk now lacks
and often needs.
Keokuk took over two and half
million dollars worth of Liberty bonds,
lie said, and this new project will
make a patriotic soldiers memorial In
an easier way than to do it by volun-
tary subscriptions.
ho h11}1HjnO rn1farfql
market to show 1t is cheaper to build
now than 1t will be in few years, and
said this movement should be
speeded up.
John Nagel thought 100000 too
small figure to name as the cost OF
the building, and Frank l.. Griffey said
about 100000 is about the right
figure for proper building.
Adopted II Unanimously. 4
Mayor Lotion once said the idea is
to include the city offices, the police
the fire department, the
superior court, a city Jail, an auditor
ium for meetings and other things.
Several times there were questions
asked and answered, in order that
some one might get clear idea OF
some fact. This was especially the
case as to the legal aspects of the
matter, and all the lawyers there were
agreed that there are no difficulties in !
the way due to the phraseology Of the
new law.
Several men mentioned the need of
a campaign Of education, so that every
voter may understand the plan, and
that objections about it's cost which !
are expected from some quarters may
be answered by actual figures.
The cost per taxpayer per year will
be SO small, that not many are ex |
pected to object on that score, espe-
cially as the smaller taxpayers will
hardly feel it, and the largest owners
Of property in town favor 1t.
Hazen l. Sawyer's motion that the
mayor be directed to appoint an exc