The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-05-25
IConsnlunicQfed.
EDITOR JOURNAL :


bearing that name, who Hmost earnestly
recommends an investigation into the books,
papers and public acts appertaining to the
Offices of Treasurer and Auditor of Wander
burgh county" ''Center" states in said
communication that " it is but just that they
(meaning the citizens of said township
should have the satisfaction of knowing the
use and manner TO which their very bur
thensome taxes are applied" From the
language used in the last paragraph quoted,
one would suppose that "a Center" was not
a reader Of the newspapers of Evansville;
for the very information he desires TO OBJ
tain, OF processes to be in ignorance of APP
pears yearly in all the daily and weekly
newspapers published in said city. The
publication OF the receipts and expenditures
at the County Treasury has been required
OF the County Boards for the last twenty
years; and in this county the publication
has been regularly and conspicuously made
and for an old newspaper reader-One pos
sessing the intelligence of the writer Of that
commandments profess ignorance upon
SO important subject, can only be excused
upon the ground of forgetfulness, for am
convinced he must have seen the reports
containing the information desired The
annual report for the year 1853, containing
the same information, will appear some time
next month. hope "Centre" will read it,
for it is important for the citizens to notice
such things, and if abuses creep upon us
under the sanction of legal enactments, we
may be prepared to change the laws them
selves and correct them.
"Centre" complains of the burthens of
| taxation under which he labors. If he re-
sided in our hourishing city with all his
possessions, and was subjected to the addi-
tiona! taxes thereof, he most assuredly
would be anxious to sell out and leave us,
for some country more congenial, where
such laws as we are subject to, have not
been enacted.
1t is impossible to calculate how the pee-
pie of Vanderburgh can obyiate the neces-
sity of paying more taxes than the citizens
of the neighboring counties surrounding us.
Evansville is almost surrounded by creeks,
| requiring the maintenance of number Of
expensive bridges to enable the people of
the interior to reach it. Centre township
enjoys the benefits of three of them. Two
of these have been built within the last
two years, at cost to the people of the
county of $4,000, and yet the County
Board is engaged in the work of building
bridges.
The taxes, for county purposes, for the
year 1853 were much higher than in former
years. The cause producing such state of
things is well known TO large number of
the citizens, but as your correspondent may
not be aware of it, will here state it:
In June, 1857, a petition was presented
to the County Board, then in session, sign.
cd by four hundred and tLirty-eigh citizens
OF the county, representing a majority in
value of all the taxable property thereof
asking the erection of bridge over Pigeon
Creek, on Franklin Avenue, in Lamasco,
the cost of which was variousIy estimated
to amount TO twenty five, thirty, thirty five,
and even forty thousand dollars. The Board
very reluctantly contracted for the heaviest
part OF the work, and in June, 1858, assess
ed the taxes sufficient wherewith to pay the
workmen with whom they had contracted
That assessment, together with a sufficient
sum to defray the ordinary expenses of the
county, produced the high taxes of which
Centre " complains
Within the last three years, the County Commits
sioners have been compelled 10 re-erect
Court House, at "A cost OF. 900
And Bridges have cost s5S not iuciuded)... 90 I3s
CuiFerts. l,I6J
Sounty 9,67t
Courts Baffs and Jurors, 9,19l
And the interest paid on Bonds issued to
the H. & q. Railroad Co. amounted to-. n ,sst
All of which items were regularly report
cd, together with all other subjects of coun-
ty expense. And the reports were published
for several weeks in all the newspapers OF
Evansville. If "Centre" did not see the
reports, he cannot be regular and careful
reader of our newspapers. As to the inves
tigation proposed, so far as the Auditors Of
fee is concerned, have very little to say
The Board of Commissioners, in Obedience
to the statute laws of Indiana, discharge
that duty each and every year And thu
result of their investigation is given to the
people of the county, embodied in the re
port alluded to herein. am but the clerk
and have not the least objection to having
my work inspected, examined, and investi
gated. believe it to be correct, and be.
lieving so, have no wish to deprive "Centre'
or any others from satisfying themselve,
} upon the subject, if they are of q differen
opinion. WM. II. WALKER,
County Auditor.
J Dap There has been another murder cas-,
in the Washington Criminal Court. Tn
! murderer was poor man, and was founc
guilty and sentenced accordingly. Tn