Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-08-03
hundred dollars of taxable property fer the

"o""'SA uoitnts VI taAeo'e F'SfSN'
year 1855.
Now take the average of the aggregate rates
for the years 1861 4 1852 which is ~ cents to
the 100 doilarS, and you will observe that we
have lowered The rate Of tax for 1888, hve cents
on the 100 dollars below the average rate Tor
the years fsls5l and 1852.
In this mannerit is easy for any one to carry
out his own celebrations and it will be perceiv-
ed that as the amount of wealth aud population
increase in the County, the rate OF your taxes
must in the same ratio decrease, because ordi-
narily the expenses Of the county government
do not increase in the same proportion with
the increase Ct wealth and capital.
And again, for the sake of illustrating the
expediency OF voting the stock for this road
(andI take it for granted that unless the stock
is taken the road will not be buiIt,) let US take
the single article Of salt, and there cannot be
the least doubt. that the farmers in tins coun-
~, each year, will save enough on that Item a.
lone, in case these roads are built to pay the
whole tax necessary to meet the annual inter.
est on the County Bonds Of 100000. These
Bonds negotaaz 1t 7.per cent will require
a 900 to n isAerest annually. Upon
e uirio , eevsr and John Pow
I(1 NJ - .gf, =
correct infdunsiso sspnn that subject. Il q
found that here are required annually 2OOc
barrels of sale to supply the demand for the
county Of Johpson; and that $500 per barrel
is the averagefrice paid for salt in Iowa City
Taking This q correct estimate johnson
comfy pays q somebody ten thousand dollars
for that article each year. Salt can be pur.
kchased at Chicago at this time at one dollar
per barrel; adj to this the cost oftransportation
to Iowa City when these Railroads are com.
plcted, fifty cents per barrel, and you have il
at one dollar INDIA half.
Two thousand barrels at this pr,ce amount
to three thouand dollars, which being taken
from the cost Of this article without railroads
and You have saved seven thousand dollars
an amount, sufficient to pay the whole OF the
interest on your County bonds of hundred
thousand dollars. The amount here estima
ted as the sun paid for salt in this county eacl
year, witheu the means Of cheap transport
ton, may seem large. but letme tell you tina
although the people of this county may no
directly purchase this amount for their imme
date constipation yet the merchants and porl
packers do, for the purpose of sailing the ,nea
packed in the county. and ihis,it of expens
has ultimaely to be paid by the farmer by wa.
of tariff b. the price ofhis pork. The porl
buyer adds it to the expense of his bushes
and the farmerpays it in the way Of reduction
from the prce of his pork.
did not Intend in this commune alton Il
enter into aminute detail, to show the immens
advantages Of railroads; but ! am satisfied
that the inel'igencSof this community will
lead themso cast their votes in favor of tn
proposition submitted to them on the 9th da
Of August next.
1t is to De hoped that you will let no con
siderations whatever except those which i n
volve life sndsleath, keep you from the cleo
ton on that day. There is an influence sough
to be usedto thwart the success of this meas
} urc. whiclAh aSitschief motive power from 10
. calities besAno the limits Of this county, an
t whose hoss9ity is directly arrayed against tn
} best interests and welfare of this community
There is : sly and insidious game of this kim
attempted 70 be used against this measure {
wh,cl.it only becomes necessary to inform 20
to put you On your guard against it. allude
our nearest neghbor on the Mississippi rive
Be therefore active ard vigi'ant; and as you RI
gard your own best interests, endeavor to Sc
that all who are friendly to this measure be a
the pc Is on the 9th day of August 1853.
July 29th, 1853. A FARMER.