The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-05-21
TO TAX PAYERS.
Railroad BOnds-Their Economy.


year seven per cent. bonds to aid in
building the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe Railroad.
People who are already paying high
taxes, naturally inquire if such expend-
iture won't Increase their taxes.
We are one of that sort and propose
to present the matter as it strikes US.
The interest on 100000 at seven per
cent. is $4,000 annually; the sinking
fund for the payment of the debt sc, 666
more. We have now a tax list of about
S2,l50,000. Over three fourths of this
valuation is of real estate; on this val
uation we are now paying, for all pur-
poses, local and general, tax of two
and q half per cent. Let US now see
how this Railroad will increase the ag-
gregate of our tax-list. There will be
about thirty miles of the road built in
the county. This, with station houses
and rolling stock, can not be put on
our tax roll at less than $4,000 per
mile, making an addition to our taxable
property of $780, 700, the tax on which,
tthe present rate, would be $500 per
aiinum, or enough of itself to pay over
half the interest on the bonds.
There are in. the county 4l,oOO acres
of railroad lands, which will be placed
ON the tax roll so soon as this road is
built. At the lowest possible estimate
this win be valued at So per acre, max
ing total of $4,000. At the present
rate of taxation this item will amount
to s3,075. 3ntr 2. a4
There is in the county, in round
Numbers, 100000 acres of land. Is
there voter in the county who does
not believe that a junctionsof railroads
in the county viii add an average of
from SO to So per acre on this land !?
But suppose we place it at the very
lowest figure, and say the Increased
value will average but 81 per acre.
This will be an increased valuation of
taxable property amounting to $3.50, 600.
At the present rate of taxation this will
amount to Sf3, $50. %
80 REoAPITULATIoN.
Thirty miles of railroad at $4,000 per
yalue Of a 900 acres ofiand nj "A Der SoOO'"''
are, not now taxable .....t.. 123, 000
Increase of 81 per acre In value of
tahd al county . t'si-- &c, --l., 5ooOOu
Total increase -. 1878 zoo
Tax on S973,OOO at present rate of tax
alton, S24,S25, being more than enough
by nearly $4,000, on these three items
alone, 10 pay the interest and sinking
fluid ANNUALLY.
Every candid man must admit that
tlieisboye estimates are not only within
bounds, but are made at the lowest fig
ures. 1t will be observed that il makes
no account of the amount of personal
property which would be added by
natural increase, or that which would
be added from abroad by the building
Of the road. .slr
No account has been taken of the
rapid increase in property in the above
figures. From 1854 to 1868, inclusive,
our taxable valuation has just about
doubled. In 1864 it was Sl,0S5,S27.
In 1868 it was S2,I52, 1873. This is an
Increase of 20 per cent. per annum. 1t
has been caused by no unnatural ex-
element, but has been slow and healthy.
With II surety of two railroads through
the county, forming an important juno
ton, the increase will be much more
rapid within the next five years. 1t il
safe to say that within'tw years after
wecommence paying the railroad tax
es, the valuation will be five million:
of dollars. Last year we paid Il total
tax in Lyon county of about $4,000
About $4,000 of this was for school
purposes, leaving $4,000 for county
expenses and state tax. This was rails
ed on levy of abe ut two and half pei
cent Ii our prediction of five mill
ions of property i'll the next five year.
should prove true, and we see nothing
unreasonable in it, tax levy of 1;
mills, 10 less than we now pay, would
raise $4,000. This would pay the in
terest and sinking fund on both ou
railroads, S4l, 1892, and leave S33, SOS fol
county expenses and state taxes. Thi,
will certainly cover all our county ex
penses, because it must be remembered
that some $4,000 which We now rais
in the county to pay interest and sink
ing fund on school house bonds, will
be done away with in a very few years
So that il. will readily be seen, if voter
will but take time to figure on the mat
ter, that in five years from now, witt
two railroads running through tn
county, we will not pay as much tax a
we do at present. 1t all comes iron
the increase of property, and no reason
able man can say that We have figure
una RI. We believe that the increas
viii be much greater than we have e;
timated it, and that in five years froI
now, with sixty miles of railroad in tn
county we will not be paying over ha
our present rate Of taxes.
Merchants! Business Men! Farm
ersi Taxpayers generalllyl If votin
100000 TO the Atchison, Topeka
Santa Re Railroad will insure its COZ
struction in one year and n half, we ca,
richly afford to do it as a measure
relief from burdensome taxation alon,
On the basis OF our present count
and school district expenditures W
can, by this means, reduce our tac
0ne-hGiE at least. Remember that d
debts OF the various School Distric
Incurred in erecting School Hous,
large enough and good enough for II
nxet ten years will have been pai
One-third our present taxes come fro
these sources alone. The specific II
the cure of the evils of taxation is $500
600 in county bonds TO the propose
railroad. Now is our oppOrtunit
which We ought to take advantage o
gatl RAILROAD MEETINGS..