Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-06-07
Eor thS Garfiff.

Ma FRYsRCER The 18th day of June is the
time appointed for the citizens of Lewistown to
decide by special election whether they will
vote tar to be levied on them yearly and every
year for each Fire Plug or not. The tax " i'll
be perpetual Now fires in LewistovR are mat
ters Of rather rare occurrence, when incendi-
aries and villains are not about-very rare in
deed Why, then, should the taxpayers saddle
themselves with 4 perpetual tar for this is in
truth the real state of the case. Taxpayers !.
look TO this in time, for the Council will be
bound, or rather feel bound, by your decision on
the 18th day of June, now close al hand. Re-
collect, the real question is not Fire Plugs " or
:. No Fire Plugs By no means-but Tax or y o
lax. So stands the case, torture il as YOU please
Why, every one is in favor of Fire Plugs, but
every one Us not in favor of the tar Mark that
as YOU 90 along. Why, am in favor of nothing
more decidedly than the Fire Plugs. but for all
that ] shall deposite my vote against the Fire
Plugs-that is, against the Town Council put
ting them IN on the contract drawn up last " IN
ter, and published in the paper Let every man
give reason for his conduct, if he has one TO
give il not, let him hold his peace. | shall
vote against the Fire Plugs for the following
reasons, viz
lst. 1t is unjust for the taxpayers Of the Bo-
rough TO pay the whole Of the tax or expense
Cd. Because the Borough is only one stock
holder among number, and holds less than
fourth part of the whole stock
Sd. Because the Borough, therefore. should
only be taxed by the L.ewistown Water Com
pany 10 the amount Of her share OF the stock
one-fourth, and not tot,r-fourths.
4th Because in the petition 10 the Legislature
the stockholders OF the Lewistown Water Com
pany agreed to put in the necessary plugs. They
put in three, If we are correct ] and wish 10 tax
the people three dollars a year for these -
Shame shame II is true they struck out the
word " necessary" so that the sentence merely
read plugs. Honest men might differ as to the
number deemed necessary. One man saws
itceire-snother three How many say you, ST.
mon Telescope Eighteen, and not one less.
says Simon. Well done, Simon cry the people :;
you have hit the right nHmber. Now we require
besides the siX or seven already put down, some
tiCe!re more but this should be done on usi
principles. II - the very nature OF monopoiss 10
groic. They arc like Jupiter; and what did
Jupiter do. Why, nothing less than this. and
this was quite enough h. eat hi, oIrn children :
We shall vote against the Fire Plugs the pre-
sent proposed contract,
5th. Because, while the Borough has al stake
only the Town Hall, worth some three thousand
or 50, the County has at stake the Court House
and Jail, worth some eighteen or twenty thous-
and. Reason because the Borough has the
whole OF the water tax to pay, and the County
not one cent! Is that justice Simon Tclc-
scope calls up the ghost of old Aristdes old
head, looks angry. aud says No
9th. Because the farmers, who arc more
deeply interested than the citizens of the Bo-
rough, by the terms of the said contract are to
pay nothing. They contribute AZ least four-tlths
of the inhabitants of the county, and with INF
nitely more involved in danger, contribute no
part of the said water tax. Put on YOUR specta-
cles--if you have none, borrow pair fer this
express occasion. How much grain and flour
have we sometimes stored in Lewistowu ware
houses Our statistics show more than one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars worth.
Is that nothing Is not that worth more than
the Town Hall, worth some three thousand -
Look at that, after you have wiped your spec
tacles, County Commissioners, aud ye laborious
farmers. Let us calculate thus-kssp on your
spectacles
Flour and Grain, 100 600
Court House and Jail, 1900
l3S 900
One hundred and thirty-eight thousand dollars !
pretty round sum. Now take of your spec
taces, Messrs. Commissioners, ahd We farmers
Of the county. Take $4,000, the value of the
Town Hall from The above sum. sfl ~hat have