Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-07-18
THE CITY OF PARIS.

, The report OF the Prefect OF the Seine
for 1859, supplies some interesting fact!
and figures We learn that a sum Of / 8,
2O3, l93f, in addition to that which came
from the loan which the city had been au
thorized to raise, was devoted to the pur-
chase of fhouses and buildings and the ex
ecution of works for the Improvements Of
f streets and thoroughfares; and that sum
would have been still larger, if one of G..
75O, ,5S2E had been taken to increase the
reserve of the municipal treasuary, which
had leszencd by sum of IO,OOO,0O0f hav-
ing appropriated to the Caissc des Travauz
, de Paris "These figures" says the re-
port, prove that the Municipal Council
of Paris, in entering, in May, 1853, into
an agreement with the Government to ex-
eeute, in the space of ten years, works and
improvements estimated to cost 100000
OOOE, in return for a subvcntion of only
5O,OOO,O00f, did not miscalculate the
resources of which the city could dispose
for that purpose" And, in addition to all
this, not only, says the report were the
sums required for the payment Of the in
terest, premiums, and lots of the debts du-
| " provided, but one Of 5,743, ,415f. was set
apart towards the payment of the debt
The report then goes on to explain what
it calls 'the secret of the results" and
that secret is, that within the last seven
I years-that is, since the establishment of
the empirC-the ordinary receipts of the
city have increased in a much greater pro-
portion than the ordinary expenses. Thus,
in 1852. the year-in which the empire was
established, in which the great works of
Paris were commenced, the ordinary receipts
we're only 52,576,6 ,63lf, and in 1859. they
were 79,327 ,925f-incrcasc, 26,75I, ,294f
whereas the odrinary expenses, which, in
1852, were 44,939,436f., were, in 1859,
59,lG3, ,17Sf-an increase of only H.
23.742f That" says the report, sis
all the mystery of the pretended marvcls
accomplished in Paris during the last seven
years by the municipal administration :
1t Is to the augmentation of the pOpula-
ton, to the influx Of provincial and foreign
visitors, and to the general increase of pub
lie and private prosperity that the report
ascribcs principally the augmentation of
the municipal revenues; but it admits that
the increase Of certain Octroi duties; the es-
tablishment of taxes on wholesale dealings
in the markets; the increased rent for mar
kct stalls; the increase of the tax on cabs
and omnibusses; and number of other
things; as also a more equitable division of
charges common to the Government and
the municipality. have likewise cnOtribu-
ted to that augmentation.
The report then notices various items in
the revenues which are new or have in
creased. Among them are these: The
imposition of tax of &c. per cubic metre
on gas consumed which last year yielded
a revenue of 98,OOOf; the tax on dogs,
which, though reducing the number of
dogs from 45,6l7, in 1856, to about 35,-
900. in 1859, yielded more in the latter
year than 30O,OOOE; the tax on cabs and
on omnibusscs, (thesc vehicles arc 3.997 I
in number.) which in 1852 only amounted
to Al, l4lf, produced in 1859, $685.
T44f The report announces that the mu-
has not yet been able to obtain
the imposition of tax on all carriages,
horses, and vehicles, employed in Paris;-
and remarks, as a singulality, That in this
capital it is "thc wcalthiest classes which
manifest the strongest repugnances to new
taxes" I
The report refers to the extension of
Paris. The expense of the Octroi will, says
the report. be increased from 2,925.72
to 4,275,962f The report notices that, in
expectation of the aggrandizement of Paris,
many persons residing outside the octroi
viii have laid in for their own private use
stocks of wood, wine, &c, in order to avoid
paying the Octroi duties of Paris, which are
higher than those of their communes; and :
It expresses doubt that they have made
1 good bargain, inasmuch as they have paid
for those articles, and especially wine. more ;
than they will beyorth this year. 1t does
not purpose to interfere with them; but ii
says great number of other Iersons in
,Onniyance with SPECTATORS have clandes-
.inely collected as many as 100000 or
100000 casks of wine, with the intention
# depriying the city of Paris of the I
,ctroi duty theceon, which it calculates at !
I5,00O, ,O0Of, or l6.UO0,O0O.; but it says
hat, in virtue of regulations adopted by !
he Council of State. they will be made !
% pay the duties The report concludes
9y proposing to set aside reserve fund of {
he sum of l5,O0o.0oOE for the expenses {
which the enlargement of Paris viii neees- /;
the formation Of magnif-
.ent promenade by the union, on the dem /
,lition of the octroi wall, ofwhat are now l
he outer Boulcyards and the Chemin de
2oude; the construction of the new mairies, I
le. but the report says that the sum will
all far short of what will eventually be l
lcedcd. z
The desire of b.ing in the fashion does
IL