The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-03-30

Statement of D.. 8. Sampsel of the Ex-
penses of the Incorporated Village of
Ashland During she Year Just Ending.
First. The cost of approving Main Street as pr
orders redeemed S4s75. No. of feet 1900. mt
per foot So .75.
The openings were paid for by the town-the
balance was taxed up to property holders and
nearly all paid. My thanks are due to the prop
erty holders for promptly settling their assessments,
thereby enabling me to close with the Supervisors.
Only about four hundred dollars remains unpaid.
Church Street shows a cost of $1,000, taxed at
what such cost as per orders of w. H. Mory.-
Thse were also all paid except alb out four hundred
dollars. We have built three new cisterns of brick,
two of these cost the Corporation 1877 dollars each,
paid for by the County Commissioners, and one
third by the corporation. On the end of Main
Street leading to tho Cemetery, there has been
nearly twelve hundred dollars expended in cutting
channels and building road. Six hundred dollars
of this amount was raised by private subscription,
and the balance is o tax on the town generally
On the other end of the Street there was also six
hundred dollars raised by private subscription to
purchase the right of way to straighten Main Street,
instead of proceeding under the law to appropriate
Mr.. Arthur's property. The Council concluded it
would be q saving to the Corporation to purchase
all Mr.. Arthurs property and use what is necessa-
ry for road purposes and sell the balance We
still think we can make nearly enough cut of the
balance of the property purchased to pay what is
stiIl due Mr.. Arthur. Whole amount paid Arthur,
$500. Subscription and old buildings seld, $675.
leaving the widows house and all the ground on
the South side of the road to dispose of One hum
dred and sixty dollars was expended on Center
Street for building-this was all paid for by the
property holders, except sixty dollars paid by the
corporation. Some considerable time and money
were expended in endeavoring to procure the right
of way to widen Orange Alley. The FIRST suit was
dismissed for the reason that the damage was too
igh-and laid unjustly on some of the parties
whose grounds we sought to appropriate-since
then we have compromised with all the parties ca
cept the widow Carnes and heirs. We pay Lepper
and Barnhart five hundred dollars and make the
Street improvements. We make the Street ina
provements for ]. B F. Sampse1 and pay him moth
ing. 1t is to be hoped that our offer will be accep-
ted by widow Carnes-thGn We are ready to open
up and improve Orange Street to the Rail Road
But should they refuse the case can be disposed of
in q few days legally. have taken the preliminary
steps to extend the boundaries of our Corporation
lines. This I think is Just many ofthese men who
are enjoying all the benefits of q corporation and
yet don't pay one cent for corporation purposes. A
Flew more words in regard to our financial cendi-
ton. Ever since the building of the Town Hall
we have been seriously embarrassed with opr debts.
We could not levy more than about seven mills
for all purposes, this with our taxable property
would yield US each year less than three thousand
| dollars. Then we have interest on old debts paid.
| Gas expenses and other necessary expenses were
paid. 1t would not leave anything to paysour old
indebtedness. Hence our credit wa s in ibad order
and money could only be got at enormous rates of
interest. The Council therefore passed an ordi-
nance to Loni the Indebtedness of the village,
thereby being enabled to levy enc mill for pay
ment of interest, and two mills for a sinking fun I
to apply in payment of old debts. This would 1iq-
uidate the entire Indebtedness of the Incorporation
in five years, leaving the other levy for Incidental
expenses and improvements that are almost essen
tally ne eessary. The entire Indebtedness will not
vary much from So. 800, of this about four thou
sand has been bonded at from one year to five
years, drawing seven per cent. payable semi annu-
ally. Most of the old paper taken up was at ten
Fer cent. For o more minute statement of moneys
paid out during the year, I refer you to the state
mont of the Treasurer: / will take occasion how
ever here to remark that nearly all orders paid
I rare r, old dabts cC1fracfed nv m predpcassorS
We have not increased our indebtedness except for
grounds for opening referred
to-. The Town Hall has yielded about forty dollars
recommend its sale and the proceeds applied to
i building a Market House, or the liquidation of our
present Indebtedness. make the above statement
at this early day that You may discuss these mat
tiers and vote intelligently.
Respectfully submitted.
DE- S. SAMPSEL, Mayor.
March 30th, 1868. GTimes Copy.