Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-03-31
Sussex county Flnancesi


FROM BAD TO woRsR-THR TAXES HIGHER AND
THE DEBT HEAvIKR-GRNERAL PLUNDRRINa
OF THE PEOPLE.
Especially reported for the Commercial and Trbune1
The expose made In these columns In 1868 of
the debt and general bad management of tho
fiuances,of Sussex County has had the effect to
arouse the people there to a full sense Of the
enormous profigacy, waste and swindling that
has been carried on by the Salisbury managers of
that county during the last ten years. This state
of public sentiment has SO frightened these man
ipulators of the county funds that they have
made strenuous exertions to cover up their In
famous work, and if downright lying will cover
up anything, their newspaper organs in this State,
proficents in this art, will surely accomplish il.
Our old friend Comegys, of Kent, used to say,
"when you see Whig growing particularly
"ernary." getting DRINK, lying, and cheating,
&C., look out for him, he is preparing to
turn bis politics. A party of false
digious and continued lying. II they should
tell the truth AID the whole trath without preva-
ricaon or suppression, every Issue oil their paper
would make Republicans. In this liue, the
| SUSSEX Journal declares " the debt Of the county
is not over S30OOl Drift it Is, it says 1t cannot
be over $4,000 Or If it is $4,000, this Is not Sc
very much for q county to owe." This false
hood very lamely put, is also circulated by the
Gdsette Of this city, without any computations
OF conscience because II is not troubled with any
such I'm ineouvenient faculty. Now just see
what scamps they are. The comfy no'o owes The ns
| Farmers Bank Sio,O0U W
| IL owes the State School Fund 5,000. "
County orders ailoat drawing interest a,5UpW
Funded and Understanding debt S26,0O0.O IN
Two years ago il was only S25 600 90. 90 they
haye actually Increased the debt $1,000 under The
most strenuous efforts to reduce it! This too
with the taxes increased year by year. In 1866
the taxed levied were little less than $4,000 W
1869 they have levied aud are now collecting
nearly 551 QUO 90 for this year. (exlct figures arr
$40 22g 60 y When the county was ruled by th
Wings, the highest tax ever levied In any ont
year was less than $4,000, and generally les
than $4,000. These facts we have recently verl
fled by an accurate investigation, and we Know
them TO be correct.
The county orders, as we two years ago stated
are still selling at % per cent. discount, and W
know of one large transaction in which they SOL
for 50 per cent. discount. The simple truth
that the county is overwhelmingly In debt, au
: growing more so all the time, while the taxes az
: every year iucre lsiug from four TO ten thousan
dollars But little OF this money either is spet
f in public improvements. There is actually To-
4 OF this than formerly. The roads and bridges Oh
not so well kept ms formerly, and no other publ
improvements have been made, except partculs
Y Jobs In the interest of some leader of The part,
, Ponder had road made at Milton nj the expent
:, Of the county To serve his interest at n cost I
: over 5000. Hickman. At Lewes, had anoth'
r made that cost over $1,000, 10 serve his own /
,errst and Russell, OF Cedar Creek, had u mi
a and malt OF road rcmalc in front Of his farm,
the county expense. Scores Of such jobs are b
J. lug douc all the time, and il is thus that Il
= county funds are squandered upon the lavorit
- OF the party.