Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-02-24
TO Buy or Not % Ruy.-Tax or mo Ta,


To Buy or Not TO Buy.-Tax or no Tax.
The principal topic of conversation in our
village for the ten days past has been neith-
er State or national question, but of a
matter concering ourselves--a purely local
subject; and that, the purchase of Fort
Stephenson by the town council, for public
purposes. This property consists of six vii
lage lots lying in the central part of town,
and in an undivided state. On this spotin
the last days of July, and first days of Au-
gust, 1918, was enacted some Of the most
daring exploits Of the war Of 1912, '19 and
IA; and the I'd day of August, 1918, saw
the complete defeat and rout of the British
and Indian armies by the gallant CRoeHAN
and his little band of true American soldiers.
The present owner, CHESTER EDeERToN,
Esq, of this town having signifed his de-
sire to sell the properly either in body or
cut it up into small parcels, some of our
citizens expressed desire that the town
should buy it and dedicate it the public.
Two meetings have been held, the second
on Saturday evening last at Birchard Hall.
Some two hundred were probably in attend
ance. The expression of opinion at that
meeting, and by the entire citizens of the
town was that the Fort should not pass in
to private hands. We do not know of six
persons in Fremont, but what say the town
ought to own it. This matter is settled.
The sticking point, and the one which
seems to divide the people is the manner of
buying Some think special tax ofoue mill to
one and one-half mills on the dollar valua-
ton, should be levied, in addition to that
already paid by the town. This project
finds favor with many, and we do not know
of one of our large property holders but
what are satisfied with this plan of an addi-
tional tax. Another portion contend that
the levy now authorized by law; five mills
on the dollar valuation is sufficient. The
present council only levied 4 mills on the
dollar, which raised fund of about SIS 5000.
With levy of five mills next year on the
new duplicate, sum of about $4,000 will
be realized, and many think that will be
sufficient sum purchase the property and
make all necessary Improvements. We are
of the opinion that this latter plan could ef-
feet the object Still we had rather and
we believe it would be better policy to give
the corporate authorities the power to in
crease the levy, at their discretion, from half
mill to a whole mill. AS we said before,
there is no opposition to speak Of, against
the purchase Of the property. And we
have no doubt that the Legislature will
grant the council the power to buy the
Fort property. The question of the tax
can be decided hereafter, if it should be
found that the five mills will not furnish
sufficient sum. Petitions to the Legisla-
ture are still in circulation, and every citi-
zen of our town who has any pride in per-
petuating the memory of the gallant SOL
diers and preserving the site of Fort Ste
phenson, should cheerfully sign his name to
the prayer. If this opportunity is suffered
to pass by unheeded, the lots will go into
other hands, and the next generation will
inquire in vain for the site of Fort Stephen
son.