The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-10-04

"A SAhD.-l VIII De IOunO AT my OINce,
in Upton, each Saturday, ready to at
tend to any official business, until fur
I, Cher notice il given. .2rr nE -
E. c. RIGBY, Co. sup't.
AN%L.A+-4F IA t85FE "a
For the Upton Advertiser.
fe@ SEPT. seth, 1885.
Ed. AdsestSss:--By References TO late
numbers of the Advertiser, see that the
people'of Cedar county are called upon,
at the October election, to vote for the
appropriation of county funds, for differ
ent purposes, to the amount Of 81, 600,
besides an appropriation for bridge
across Cedar River at Covers Ferry.
There are some facts relative to the
funds of this county to which Iwish to
call the attention of the Taxpayers of
the county, before they vote on this
question. The Qnestion Tor censidera-
ton is, Are we willing, for the next two
years, perhaps, to be taxed to enable the
county to build a bridge acrQss the Cedar
! at Covers Ferry, O at any Sther point;
and ON IL be built withoutf
f. Let - ALLOWING statements heipeach
| one to form his own conclusions: Let
isB first examine the condition of the
funds in our county treasury. The
Board of Supervisors, at their last ses-
! sion, made appropriations to the amount
of some hundreds of dollars more than
there was money in the treasury; thus
making the county in debt for at least
that much. Besides this, the county
fund is indebted, by borrowing from
other funds, several thousand dollars.
In short, the great and prosperous coun-
ty Of Cedar, one Of the most productive
and fertile counties In our State, IL worth
in county funds, about 5000 less than
nothing, besides having outstanding
bonds against her as follows: Court
house bonds, So, 764, with interest at 10
per cent? several years in arrears; Rail-
road bonds, SIS, 600. with interest; Vol
unteer bonds, $500, drawing 10 per
cent interest. In other words, the coun-
ty is in debt, at this time, to the amount
Of SIG, 6sbesides large amount Of inte-
rest-enodgh, without doubt, to make
the round sum of at least $40, 900; and
most of this Indebtedness drawing 10
per cent interest, and must for several
years to come. While we have on hand
cash to liquidate THIS little debt to the
amount of S42O, of the Railroad fund.
The true state of things then is, the
county is in debt at the present time,
about 100000 more than she has any
means of paying, except by direct taxa
ton. And yet we are asked, at the next
election, to vote for appropriations for
the little sum necessary to build one-half
of the bridge across Cedar, for an appro-
pration of 81, 800 for the Soldiers Mon
ument, and $4,000 to purchase Poor
Farm; which amounts, added to the
present Indebtedness, would swell the
amount of debt to at least $50, 900 against
the county.
As an elcctor and Taxpayer of Cedar
county, am willing to vote for an ap-
preparation to complete the Monument,
which shall commemorate the sacrifice
of the noble, loyal dead Of old Cedar;
and am also willing, if the people think
best, to vote for an appropriation suffi-
cient for the, purchase of Poor Farm,
if we can thus most effectually relieve
the sufferings Of Goods poor" In our
county. But l am not willing, at this
time, in the present condition of our
county funds, to add to the debt Of the
county $4,000 orr Sl5, 600 fbr the benefit
of few interested parties on each side
Of Cedar River. .#@Htt
There is one point in this case I
l wish the voters of Cedar county to
be well posted in before voting on this
question. You have been told, and
doubtless will be again, that it is pro-
posed to build this bridge with the
Swamp Land Fund, and that it will not,
consequently, add to the taxation of the
county. Let us examine this subject
and see. First, we have on hand at
present Swamp Land Fund only to the
amount of 1882. There is due from
other funds enough to make the aggre-
gate $5,08l. This, with the addition Of
small amount of Western Indemnity
lands, constitutes our Swamp Land
Fund. And the proposition is, with .
cash capital on hand Of funds which can
be used for that purpose Of 81 1892, to
pledge the county to furnish a sum Of
not less than, perhaps, S15,O 600; this too,
in the face Of other outstanding debts, as
before enumerated, Of not less than $780,