Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-04-21
{flOlG N0.297.] .... 40 NO. 81.


or advantages. the purchase is attend
ed with no risk to the Corporation.
The price at which this property ha,
/ been bought will enable il To be put Or
! the market at rates so low and on
/ terms so accommodating as tO-plact
| a lot within reach of every one VIII,
! wants home. 1t has lot been bought
for speculation on the part of the Cor
! Poration. The chief advantage to The
| Corporation in this aspect OF the ease
viii consist in the increase OF its reve-
nues arising from the incl eased taxa
| bic value of the property sold and im-
proved; thus creating large munich
pal fund for the general improvement
of the town.
After making deductions for streets
80 feet wide, and for alleys l6 feet
wide. between every block of two
| acres, aud adding the cost of survey
ing, lots of one quarter, of an acre, an
then he sold at prices, ranging Irom
S75 to $500. Even at these low rates, A
sufficient sum would be realized. Ia
pay the entire debt, and leave a hand
some surplus i'm the treasury.
Among the Incidental a'Ivan tages 10
be derived frem the purchase, will be
the control thereby acquired by the
Corporation over the streets. This
matter of streets has ever bean a cause
-Of cOhtesbion and expense i'm most
corporations. Streets are Obliged to
be opened, even if private property
has To be taken therefor Hence arise
much ttouble, heavy expense aud Of
ten prolonged litigation all which
may be avoided, in our case, by this
purchase, and the establishment at
once, of wide, straight and convenient
streets
When ii is klIo vn that this land has
become the property of the Corpora
ton, there will be "a demand for lots
beyond all expectation. According
to present Indications, as soon as the
land Is put OH the market, sufficient
quantity will be sold to pay off one
half of the debt, and that, too, at rates
so accommodating as to place home
within the reach OF every one who has
to earn a living by the sweat Of his
brow.
Certain it is, there is no risk in
the investment.-The land will al
ways, ,be, good for the debt; and in an
investment, where nc risk is incurred,
but on the contrary, the assurance of
great advantage to the entire eommu-
nifty, it is an illiberal and short-sighted
policy that will refuse to reap the
prOGcred good. -.- -
# What we need to build up our town
is population; and the way 10 secure
population is to put the prices of lots
and houses at reasonable figures. All
viii admit that the high rates at which
property In Bristol and GOOdsOn has
been held, both for rent and for sale,
have had the effect of retarding the
growth of the place Any measure,
tending to cOunteract shis
effect and to reduce prices to healthy
basis. ought to receive the favor and
8 ppOrt OF I'll who are interested
in the future growth of the town.
We have heard of objections to the
proposed purchase on this very ground
that il will reduce the price of real
estate. So far from being an argu-
meut against the purchase, it is the
best argument in its favor. The de-
cline would be only temporary. Real
estate would soon take an upward
movement, and would continue to adj
vance pdri paSSu with the popuia
ton.
But if the purchase is not made,
what is to become o! the town? For
l3 years, this land has been lying in
tile heart Of the Corporation, as effec-
tually debarred from general settle
ment and Improvement as if it had
been put under lock and key. Must
it lie here for Is years longer, in the
same barricaded condition In the
mean time what is to become of our
town? Whittier will if have drifted?
Can you propose anything better?
l. the price paid too high? No! Are
the terms not accommodating enoughP
Yes! What, then is the matter! Is
it the fear of taxation? 1t has already
been shown that the purchase will be
aud must be, selt-sustaining. Not a
cent of additional taxation need be
imposed. On the contrary it will be
a means of eventually reducing the
taxes for municipal purposes. The
increase in the aggregate value of the
property sold and improved will enable
reduction to be made in the ratio of
taxation, without corresponding di-
minution, in the amount of the reve-
nue..
In conclusion, we appeal to our fell
low citizens, to give this question
candid and impartial consideration.-
We propose il solely as a measure Of
public utility. Our sole desire is TO
promote the general good and prosperi-
ty of the town. In our judgment,
this measure, if adopted, relieves the
town at Orce and forever of the hith-
ertO greatest barrier TO its growth
This barrier out of the way, the town
will be built up, population will in.
crease, aud every interest aud busi-
ness, will have impaired to 1t new life
and activity.