The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-01-15


Putnam County, as at present constituted,
contains sixteen original surveyed townships,
g. five hundred g. seventy'six square miles OF
territory. OF these townships nine only con-
tain any considerable amount Of taxable pro-
perty, or Improvements ofmuch worth. -Four
of the nine townships paying the taxes and
containing the wealth of the County it is
proposed to attach to the County of Allen.
The four townships Of which it is proposed
to divost Putnam County, from the fertility
of their soil--the character of their inhab-
tants, and their already highly improved con-
diton, must continue for long time 10 share
and tighten the taxation of the people of Put
nam County, which without their aid it will
be easily perceived would be most oppressive.
They are the most early settled part of the
county. They are covered with rich and
we'll cultivated farms. They possess the ad
vantages of opened and improved roads.
These advantages are not enjoyed by the
other parts of the county to anything like the
same extent; and in fact large portions of
the county are wholly destitute of them
These four townships contain one-fourth of
the territory, one-thrd of the taxable p1o-
perty, and have received larger share of
the benefits of county taxation in the loca-
ton and construction of roads, &c. than the
rest of the county; They have received their
full share of the $l2 or $l4, 900, for which
the town of Kalida was sold, which was paid
out for the current expenses of the county,
and after devouring the heritage left TO aid
us in our infancy, and helping TO sink the
county in debt about $ll, 600, it is proposed
to take them from us, and give them TO Allen
County. Thus leaving Putnam County with
only three-fourths of the territory she COM
menced with, and that the widest, least
settled, and least able to pay taxes, to COM
mence the world anew, with debt of $ll,-
900, hanging over her, to be paid by taxation
alone and her current expenses 10 remain
the same as they would be if left in the full
possession of all her territory and resources.
The whole amount of taxes collected for
county purposes from the organization of the
county to the present time is $15,054 81,
of this amount $5,ll 43, has been paid
by the four southern townships which it is
proposed to attach to Allen County; more
than one-third then, of the entire taxes of
aihe courty are to be cut off from us to graft
fly the grasping cupidty of few corner lot
Spectators in the village of Waupaukonetta.
1t is fact admitting of no controversy that
this section of the state already pays for
county purposes an aggregate of taxes great
ly superior to that paid by the older and
more wealthy portions, owing to the fact
that the value of the taxable property is so
very small; and the additional fact that the
County administration Of new and thinly
settled county costs but little, if any less
than those possessing five or ten times as
much wealth.
For the nine years from the organization
of Putnam County to the first Monday of
June, 1S43, the total expenditures amount
to $30,17 81, of this amount $l4, ,499 81,
was paid for the erection and repair of public
buildings, about $4,000 for the location of
roads and other like purposes leaving $l3,-
ST. 81, paid to county officers, and for other
purposes strictly pertaining to county juris-
dictlon; and which must and have been
paid, with but little variation by other coun-
ties be they large or small; and which is in
truth of no possible advantage to any body
save the holder of the county office. Is it
policy to swell the number of officers without
a great necessity demanding it? Is it the
true policy of a parental Government 10 dou-
bic the burdens Of taxation already so op-
pressve, unless there be a cause shown for
the same which admits of no answer but
Would it be just or equitable
in the legislative body, for no other cause,
than that shown by the people of Waupau-
konetta, to erect the county of Auglaize,
rob Putnam County of one-fourth of her
territory, and impose upon the people of Put
nam an aggregate of annual county taxation
Dne third greater than the enormous amount
already paid3
Putnam County has erected public build
ugs, costing her $4,000, and in doing so
she has contracted a debt of something near
$1,000. For the faithful payment of that
lebt both she, and the persons from whom
he obtained the loans, relied upon the re-
ources of the county as then and now pos
essed. If she is divested of one-third of her
axable property will she be able to pay the
urrent expenses Of theSIcounty-meet the
interest punctually on her Indebtedness, and
'e able in any reasonable time to discharge
he principals? 1t strikes the undersigned
hat the present taxes, paid for state, county,
anal board, school, township, poor and other
purposes, especially when taken in connec-
ion with that additional tax, the levying of
which is now in agitation, and which the
ofthe state treasury loudly demands,
or the purpose of discharging the indebted
less of the state, will amount to sufficient
ent upon the little patches of corn, and
potatoes cultivated in these woods, without
n addition to all this increasing the burden
# county taxation one-third. And if the
legislature in an evil moment should aid in
he cnnSumlnafinn of this fraud ffnr such il IS