Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-08-27
far lhe chronlcIs.

Of dollars. AT of one per cent (the
present city tax-@adding privilege rates)
the revenue is $4,000 -Four or 6veI
miles of metalled streets is all that has
been made yet This has nearly ell been
done in the last ten years, during which
period the property on these improved
streets has more than quadrupled in value,
There are yet important unimproved
streets in the city, about six miles In
length.
To make these streets of q due grade
and rock them, it is estimated that $780,
600 is requisite. By constructing these
streets and rendering accessible many
otherwise inaccessible places, dwelling
houses, mills and factories would at once
be built up and the outside capital that
would at once flow in, would be almost in
calculable, to say nothing of the huge tide
of incoming population. This would give
the city taxable basis of more than FIVE
millions of dollars, which at the present
rate would yield s25, 900 annual revenue.
This would be sufficient in two years to
pay off the entire cost OF improving and
making said six miles of streets, and
would be of incalculable convenience to a
|
all know that the great desideratum here
now is dwelling houses. Will people
build unless they can get an accessible
route to their dwellings,? Can poor men
buy and build on the high priced i'm
proved streets2 If they could, are there
any lots there to sell? Is ii not then to
the interest of all to SO provide that
larger population and capital can be in
duced to come here? Ofwhat use to the
public are the taxes unless after paying
executive and police expenses they are
used in constructing streets2 Is it not
good policy to anticipate our revenue and
at once enjoy its benefits? some will urge
that the debt is too large for GAINESVILLE
They will say that 100000 in r. R.
bonds, $4,000 old debt, and $4,000 new
debt-making $3.50, 000-is rather much.
! But the debt to the r. r. is provided for
, by separate tax--and if the road never
pays any dividend, which is not probable,
the benefit it confers will more than COM
pensate for the 100000 principal and
interest we pay to secure it. Suppose it
! had run few miles north or south Of
, GAINESVILLE, where would our property
values now be?
A sinking fund made up of one thous-
and dollars per annum would more than
meet the principal of the bonds at maturi-
? ty, and the interest being $4,000 per an
mum, the whole amount of annual cost
to secure these improvements, even if all
the bonds were sold at once, would be
t $4,000 per annum. Deduct this from the
: present revenue (Which we have seen would
| no.ob ;noraaOa unIap Aho ~
/, and we have left for ordinary expenses,
$4,000. Say it takes $4,000 to pay police
and executive expenses, and we still have
d $4,000 per annum to pay old debts and re.
Y pair streets. Sell the city stock in the
. wharf and this would yield, at low figures
$4,000, which in one years time. with the
balance of unappropriated revenue, would
S extinguish the entire old debt and leave
j us after that with a net income Of $4,000 tC
A repair streets This is all based on the
present taxable values. Say that in fifteen
years this doubes--we then have an an.
nual income of $4,000, free from the
:, sinking fund, salaries, and interest on the
= 100000 The citizens are asked carefully
q to ponder this matter, and Judge, as mer
d Of sense, if it be not to their Interest
y to have this improvement made as soor
g as may be.
J. Some object that the bonds could no
be sold at anything like fair price, Blu
), we hear the city council has settled soc
- in the dollar as the minimum. But it il
+ urged contractors and capitalists will mo-
It give SOC. for them. If so, they will not b
G issued, no interest will be paid on them
q and they can not in any way affect tho
present or any other tax or taxable basis
! But where men live on an unimproved stree
d and need this improvement, as many sadly
}, do, they will take the bonds and construc
the streets themselves; if not, no damag,
;, can be DONE
And those living on streets alread,
y thoroughly made ought to be willing t
1t give the same privilege to others not 81
1T fortunate in their locations or investments
q The question is to be submitted to a vot,
of the citizens, and the streets proposed Il
be made are as follows
u Water street, from College to Southern
9, boundary.
n Spring street, from Union to Southern
,fI boundary
Union street, from Commerce to East
ern boundary (of which one square is nov
done).
T. First street, from Strawberry alley Il
'f Marion, and from Union to Southern
A. boundary.
j Second street, from Marion to lowe
le Red River bridge, and from Union t,
IS Southern boundary.
'e College street, from Spring to Eastern
'r boundary.
rs Commerce street, from Third to Seventh
q street.
Or Washington, from Water to Railroad.
s. Williams, from Water to Easter
boundary.
1t will be seen by reference to the map
g. that an eye has been had to two things il
he all of these streets--one is for trade an,