Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-03-18


Ems. SrAR& CHuoSIcLE: The Coun,y State
ment, as published IN your paper, presents a
fact rather starting 10 the taxpayers of the
rural districts. The payment OF " Road Dam
ages" Is enormously large; yet mol dollar
has gone 10 country districts, the boroughs Of
Lewlsburs and .iillnburg having absorbed
the whole, the former receiving the lions
share. The county tax assessed IN the buro
of l.ewI>buTg Is 'SilO6.70; the damages paid
for opening streets IN the same, 81 s.99-a
little more than double the amount of tax ac-
tually received INTO the County Treasury from
the Taxpayers OF the borough within the year
The opening Of streets IN boroughS is not
n matter in which the people Of the townships
or the public al large have any interest.
can not think bat that our appraisers Of
road damages sometimes err. There are sell
dom any damages allowed Ia country districts
roads there are never !ald out unless public
necessity requires them; ant IN that case II
is supposed that, as the road is a public ne
cesslty, private interest should yield 10 the
public good. | doubt if there is a case on
record IN the County where farmer has been
paid full value for his land taken for roads,
although such roads may be serious incon-
venience 10 him, as well as considerable ex-
peHse, involving the necessity of extra fen
eng for all time 10 come. The very fact of
the extension of streets in boroushs being of
no public use, is often made the preteXt for
large damages. II VIII be urged that if the
public will wantonly lake a mans private
property and throw II out where 1t can be of
no advantage to the public, il should be well
paid for. know that II IS given reason,
too, why boroHshs receive such large DANA
ges in comparison with the townships, that the
land is so much more valuable. True, but it
is more valuable only because it can be used
for building purpOses-and 10 be SO used The
streets must first be run through it, for with
out streets II would have the value OF farming
lands only, but with streets it parts with that
characIerand assumes the character and price
oe town lcts-is no longer measured by The
acre. but BY the foot-aud appreciates from
100 to 500 per cent. in value. Lands thus
enhanced in worth by streets are taken as the
measure of value for the ground taken for the
public use. Damages are not assessed until
after the streets are opened, and as the price
Of the ground in the vicinity is taken as the
measure Of damages, the more 4 mans land
is enhanced In value, the greater will be his
damages!
When buildings are destroyed, or great
part of ones lot is taken, by the opening of
streets. il is Of course proper that damages
should be pads but when acres oi land are
cut into town lots by streets, il is generally
compensation enough 10 the owner.
The remedy propose, is that the Law be
so changed that each District shall pay its own
damages, as 1t now pays for opening and keep
ing up its own roads Then, roads or streets
can hardly be had unless truly needed; and
when public necessity requires them, the peo-
PIE of the Township or Borough will feel
greater interes, in seeing that damages are
real and not Imag mary or iictictious. before
they are paid. TAN PAYER.