Year: 1879

improvements nave Deen MADE IN the cen


tral portions Of the city within the las


year or two at the expense Of the proper


ty holders-as, for instance, on Chapllne


Market and Twelfth streets. In fact thI


very example was set by the propert,


owners Of those localities which, NOR


than anything else, has lead to this yer,


idea OF improving real estate at the cost


principally, Of those to be especially ben


Gifted by the improvement.


There is an exaggerated idea Of the cost


OF theimprovements contemplated under


the bill published this morning. Some


property owners have been scared by


wholly imaginary statements as to the cos,


Of such improvements. Are they aware
that Market street was improved at a cost
Of 50 cents per lIneal foot to the real es.
tate abutting on it, and Twelfth street at a
cost OF only IS cents, and Chapline street
las we learnl OF q cost OF only 10 cents.
And recollect that this involved the
improvement Of One.hal the street 10 each
property holder, the city only furnishing
the boulders and curbing. And yet the
cost was only SIS at the most to the own.
er Of 30 foot lot, and less than that
amount on two Of the streets improved.


Now we hold as q matter OF enlightened
selfshness that real estate owners ought
to be willingto pay an expense like this for
a new paved street, instead Of resting con.
tent with street full Of mud holes during
one portion Of the year and covered deep
with dust during the other portion. And
the same argument is good in respect to a
sewer underneath many OF the alleys and
streets. A well drained and well paved
locality is a more desirable portion
of the city than one that does not possess
such advantages, and, other things being
equal, property will always be preferred
by renters in such localities.


We need not make an argument to show
that this method of improving the city is
the only one that for many years to come
promises to bring about any results. The
city has noreyenue worth speaking Of to
expend in that way. The bill contem.
plates, however, that she will in all cases
pay something. This she can afford
to do, while she cannot afford to as.
sumo the whole burden. And unless
we are willing to wait for another
generation to bring this city up to a
decent level Of improvements, our only
chance is to avail ourselves OF the adyan-
tages offered by the bill before the Legis.
lature. Under it every locality Of the city
desiring, either on account of its health or
It's convenience, to pave q street or put
down sewer, can readily secure such an
advantage, the city coming in as partici-
pant in the cost Of the improvement.


Another consideration worthy Of weight
is this. The plan will practically do away
with general taxation for these two kinds
Of improvements. When a citizen has
paid for the improvement Of his own
property he has the consolation Of know
ing ~ that he has at last secured desi.
rable improvement, and (2) that he will not
be taxed for other peoples improvements,
and 10y that in the end he will pay out less
than under the present system, because
the present system is simply tax year in
and year out for improvements to other
peoples property, and in the nature OF
things will run in perpetuity, whereas the
new system cuts of this odious feature,
and practically reduces taxation for i'm.
provements to taxation for ones own
direct benefit.