Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-09-01
c ON MU NICATE
THE HARBOR

tees OF this village having in your last pa,
per called upon the free holders to meet on
Thursday next, for the purpose Of voting
upon The question of raising tax of two
per cent upon the real estate within the in.
corporated limits of the village, TO be ex.
J pended low ards the completion Of the works
upon our har5or, he writer is desrons OF
addressing few words 10 those qualified
to vote on the question, for which purpose
he must tres pass upon your kindness for
The use Of your columns.
The raising Of this tax seems to be un.
necessary, or nearly so, inasmuch as we
have now two excellent piers, at which yes
sells can land and receive their cargoes, du-
ring the greater portion of the season Of
navigation; there being not more than ten
days in each year when steamboats, are I'M
able 10 land; and though it would doubtless
be convenience to have facilities for land.
ing at all times, it may well be questioned
whether this benefit would be suffice ntly
great TO warrant us in levyng so considera-
bic tax. The exp erience of other places
teaches us that harbors are but little used
when there are piers, TO which access may
be had. Milwaukee has harbor capable
of admitting our large lower lake steamers;
yet there are ten vessels which stop at her
piers where one cutters the harbor On
lake Erie the steamers generally land at the
extreme end of the piers, at the mouths Of
the harbors instead Of entering them, and
such woill doubtless be the case here,
for the reason that it saves much time, which
he difficulty Of entering and turning in
narrow harbor causes them TO lose. 1t ap
pears, then, that during but few days would
a harbor be used; and it is repeated that it
may we'll be questioned whether the bene.
fit resulting from it would be sufficient to
warrant us in entaling great expense upon
ourselves, and that, too, for the completion
Of work which we are not bound to per-
form, and which we have every reason TO
believe will be completed for US at no ve,y
distant day, by the Congress of the United
States. We have every reason to believe
this; for, be it remembered that our appro-
pration was not lost upon its own merits.
1t was included in bill granting appropri-
atoms to many places which were entitled
to none, and as the whole bill had to be APP.
proved or rejected. our President did, what
as President subject 10 the constitution he
was bound 10 do, vetoed the bill But let
another bill be introduced into our next
lCongress, (Which will be in session within
three months) confined TO territorial objects
alone. and who can doubt that il will become
a law9 By such bill we obtained one o.
the appropriations we have already obtained
by such bill was an appropriation for the
impro We ment of the Fox and Wisconsin RI
vers granted during he last session Of Con
gress; and by such bills have many places
in the territory received appropriations.
Had the harbor bill become law the sea-
son is so far advanced that nothing would
have been done until the ensuing spring.
If this tax be raised it is robably too late
to expend it this fall. What necersity then
exists FOR raising it now? And why is it not
far better to wait until we have tried our
chances once again III Congress by ter
rtoral bill, as above suggested?
Our bulthens are already heavy and
grieyoas 10 be borne; we have our couufy
and our town taxes, corporation and our
ward taxes; our road, our poll, and our
school tax; occasionally We have taxes for
grading aud sde-walking streets; we are
now about expanding several hundred dol
f lars for the purchase ola fire. engine; and
the Lord only knows what we will not be
taxed for next. Is it not then advisable
that we should impose no further burthens
upon ourselves, excepting in cases of press.
ing emergency? Is this such case? Our
commercial interest suffers but little; our
town has been and is going on prospecting
and to prosper, buildings are being erected
on every side; our streets are thronged
with business men and with loaded wagons
What increase TO all these indications of
prosperity will the expenditure of this five
thousand and odd dollars cause. II is con-
ceived it will effect little or none. The
harbor will surely be completed ere long;
we feel assured Of it; we live on hope; hope
deferred hath not yet made The heart sick;
nor need it though we have 10 wait years
yet. This sum would do but little towards
J rendering our harbos more easy OF access
than il now is. Vessels can now enter il
While the writer pens this article, vessel
loaded with lumber is discharging her car
60 within il. II is believed that neither
five nor ten nor fifteen thousand collars will
place il in such s.tuat:on as 50 render il
Imore setviceable Ii must lie completed
haFtsre If will in ans more than ta ySFN