New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-08-03

which will be generally popular, particularly
among the alumni, who have had the best oPpor-
tunity TO learn and appreciate his worth
The Croaeu Water Debt.
To tn Editor Of TIE Tribune
TIE debt already created by the construction Of
the Croton Aqueduct, laying down distributing
pipes within the City and the payment OF interest
upon the waterloans amounts 20 about Sl2 00V ,00O
The work is now so far completed that threefourths
OF the inhabitants of the City may be supplied
from i, with pure and wholesome water, This
being the case, the question naturally arises,
Ought not the City to pay the interest of this
largo debt without rcsortng to further loans,
thereby Increasing its amount 10 this question
there surely be but answer. If, then, the
City ought to pay this interest it accrues, and
the annual charges for superintendent and re-
pairs, how can the money be most conveniently
and equitably raised? Three modes have been
suggested, viz: lst By increasing the general
tax real and personal property sufficiently to
raise the whole amount, and allow the water 10 be
free. I'd. By allowing as many as choose to take
the water at az annual rent, and raiSiBg the ba-
lance by an increase of the general tax. And Sd.
By assessing upon the houses and lots in al!
streets where distributing pipes are, or may be
| laid, sufficient amount to pay the whole OF the
| interest and other charges. The first mode is so
manifestly unjust that it deserves no consdera-
ton The second would be the true one, only
that its operation would be so slow at first that i,
would produce nearly the same injustice raising
the whole amount by taxation, and it is liable to the
objection that the water-taker would pay both
rent ard tax for the of the water, in perhaps
equal amounts. The third mode is objected to,
because only the real estate of the City would be
subjected to its operation, and the large amount
of personal property owned by the citizens would
escape its share of the burthen. This objection
has some weight but it is by no means certain
that it would be more uni ust than 1t would be to
make it pay equally with the real estate, which is
principally benefited by the use of the water. A
plan which appears to unite the advantages of the
second and third, but is more equitable them
either alone, and can conveniently be carried into
practice, is as follows. At the end of the present
season there will be laid down in the City abeu,
13o miles of distributing pipes these will pass in
| front of about $4,000 lots of these about one
quarter may be vacant, one-quarter have two-stsry
houses upon them, and the remaining half have
three.storv houses, or other valuable Buildings
Let the vacant lots be assessed 81 each. $44 ,00C
Two-story houses and lots $40 each 80. $1l0, 00C
Three. story houses &c. $14 each. ..... 1908 200
| This will produce per annum. .-.------ $462, 00(
whether the owners occupants take the water oil
| not IF it is taken and used for any other thar
| ordinary domestic purposes further sum wouldbe
charged. These additional charges there is good
| reason to believe will within one year amount &c
100000 per annum. This added to the assess
ments brings the amount to $582,00o per annum
1 IL ha
quired a further sum of $169 900 must be raised
which can be done conveniently and equiably by
| increasing the general tax upon real and persona
property to that extent. The reasons in favor o.
this mixed plan of assessment and general tax are
that it is equitable and convenient; equitable, be-
cause the real estate which receives the creates
amount of benefit will bear the largest proportion
of the burthen, and again, those water takers who
have large establishments and pay large water
rents, will have those rents very materially In
creased by the addition to the general tax which
will be required to supply the balance of the de-
mand upon the water fund. In the second place
it can be executed conveniently; all the arrange
nents must be az complete and perfect for collect.
ing the rents from voluntary tenants as they will
require to be for collecting general assessment
the only difference will be the payment of one or
more additional collectors.
he water tenants must all be called upon semi
annually for their rents-they never yet in any
place did, and there is reason to expect that
they will now here in Newly ork, call voluntarily
at the Office of the Water Board for the purpose
Of making payment. Collectors must therefore
be employed if the rent is ever collected, and when
these making their rounds through the city, it
will not add materalyto the labor to call at cvery
house instead of every second or third. The col
ccting machinery mus; be had and it may well
be used. Will the present City Government take
measures to prevent the increase of this already
large debt, or will they, like some of their predc-