Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-10-13
County Seat.

favor of San Andreas by the highest judi
cial tribunal in the State. From the decis-
ion Of the Supreme Court there is no appeal
it is final. The motion for a rehearing
which was made by counsel for the Hill, was
overruled. and peremptory writ of mandam-
us. commanding the removal of the county
seat to San Andreas, in compliance with the
prayer of the plaintiffs. was issued. The
writ was delivered to Supervisor Peek. and
| by him served on the county officers on
Tuesday last. On Wednesday the records
and other county property were removed to
San Andreas. The officials who are requir
ed by law to reside at the county seat, will
of course speedily follow. There is no use
in reviewing the past history of this case it
Is understood by every citizen of Ca!averas; !;
it is also useless to talk about what sight
have been the result had we taken different
measures to oppose removal. We adopted
our plan of defence, "fought it out on that
line" and got beat. and we must now sub
NIT. as gracefully as possible. to the inconven-
fences which usually accompany defeat. The
expenses of li,igating this case--and they
have not been light-have fallen entirely on
Mokelumne Hill and San Andreas. The
citizens of other towns have seemingly taken
but little interest in the matter, and appar-
emily have been unconcerned spectators of the
fight. not caring which whipped. From this
time onward, however, they will have
chance to pay their portion of expenses incl
dental upon the removal of the county seat,
and erecting buildings necessary for the ac-
commodation of the county officers. Perhaps
1t will NOT be quite SO funny as it was look
ing on. Calaveras is now in debt somewhere
near two hundred thousand dollars, and in
stead of diminishing. the Indebtedness is con-
stantly increasing. The rate of taxation has
been so ruinously Ligh during the past few
years, that large amount of capital has been
driven out of the county and forced to seek
investment in San Francisco and other local
tiles. where taxatien is less onerous. This,
in addition to the marked depreciation of all
kinds of property. has materially reduced the
assessment roll of the county. and must nee
essarially cause corresponding increase in
the rate of taxation'in order to meet the le-
gitimate expenses Of the government of the
county, to say nothing about making provis-
ions for the payment of the outstanding in
debtedness. When these facts are taken into
consideration. what will be the consequence
when the thirty or forty thousand dollars
which the erection of a Court House, Jail and
other hildings at San Andreas will cost, are
added to our already enormous debt: Ad-
mitting that the fifteen thousand dollars
raised by the citizens of San Andreas are
devoted to the objects specified by law that
amount will not more than pay the expenses
of removal and the rent of offices until the
county buildings are completed. Large
amounts finterest-bearlng bonds, payable in
four years. have been and are being issued by
the county. With depleted treasury, an i'm
mense and constantly increasing debt hang
ing over us. and the taxable property rapidly
depreciating in value, where is the money
coming from to meet the current expenses.
and to pay even the interest on the bonds.
This Is serious question and one which de-
serves careful consideration by the Taxpayers
OF Calaveras. The affairs of the county ccr-
tainly cannot be C, nducted more economically
than they have been for the past two years,
and yet the money collected monthly by the
Township Collectors has fir, quently been in
sufficient to pay the salaries of the county
officials. While the removal of the county
seat to San Andreas will undoubtedly in
crease the value of property in that town, it
will be more than counterbalanced by the
deterioration of real estate in Mokelumne
Hill; so that the county will lose instead of
gaining by the change. We do not wish to
be regarded as .'croaker," but we do not
see how most unexampled rate of taxation
is to be avoided in tine future. Money enough
to pay the interest on our bonded debt, and
to meet the ordinary expenses of conducting
the affairs of the county, has got to be raised
by some means, and the present high rate of
taxation is not sunicient. The rate per cent.
this year is SO SO on a hundred dollars
Next year it will be at least Sc ON a hundred
Holders of county Indebtedness can be COM
forted by the idea that scrip will probably
be worth not less than 20 cents on the dollar
for some time yet. If we are Iot mistaken,
the disinterested parties who voted for the
removal of the county seat will yet rue the
day they cast thier ballots for San Andreas.