The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-03-12

dition oftbe streets and sidewalks. e.p'
cially the latter. Most Of the sidewalR
have been built several years and hav
FOR two or three years past, been mar
tanned and kept up by repairs. While 1t
not probable that tbore will be "A detnan
for the making Of many, il any, new side
walks yet there is no doubt that expet
sive repairs will have, in many case
to be made.
The ground timbers, and the tim Der
supporting the planking as well as th
planks or boards themselves, are in man
places greatly decaysd and are givin,
way. The interests Of tie city demand
that the sidewalks should DO kept an,
maintained In safe and secure condition
as well as the interests of the peBons who
use them. The funds required to max,
these repairs will purchase the exemption
OF tho city from liability upon the sssies,
ofterms. Our city IL not without its les
son of experience in this regard.
And here the remark may be made Ma,
these repairs cannot, it is believed, be
made except out Of some fund raised BY
| general taxation. II is not believed 20 be
at all competent or practicable TO make
such repairs by means of special assess
ments. The courts seem to have so settled
tuIt
The city having accepted its charter
with the ample powers IL contains in res.
pect to its sidewalks and streets generally y,
has thereby imposed upon itself cores
ponding dutics and obligations.
As to The matter of street filling. you
will be governed, of course, By the de-
mands of the case, and by the means at
the command Of the city and the powers
"a. nI In Ia ,ts -.
ter, and ia tho laws and constitution Of the
State.
TIE cry iNLEBrEDN Ess.
The report, Of tho city co N ptrollar here
tOfOrc made, and which may b. here
after called for at any time, will show you,
u II supposed. the amount, character and
nature Of the city iniebtodnes,.
IL. generally believed, though 1 have
no exact knowledge upon the poin. nj pres
ont, that this Indebtedness already equals
or exceeds tho amount allowed by the 18th
section Of article Of the new constitution
Of the State. Should this be the case, the
question may often arise as 70 the author
i,y OF the city to make this or that contract,
~ 10 whether this or that improv enent
should be undertaken or entered upon,
&c. With reference TO this section of the |
constitution, my own opinion has been tina, |
Whatever other application Il may have I
at Ietst docs hot apply to the ordinary |
and usual current and necessary expcnscs 4
VI the city government; nor would il I
likely TO apply TO the making of i'm |
proveinents By special assessments. |
You will have no more important duty /
10 perform than that Of devising ways and |
means for the payment Of tho Interest on |
The bonded Indebtedness OF tho city aftcr /
Its current expenses are provided
bonds, and the redemption or
perhaps the funding Of the outstan ding
city orders. ] would call your attention |
10 this last matter ~ one deserving a care
ful Consideration. -r - - /
cry LITIGATION. 30 LIS
twill he remembered that the city failed
20 collect n large number of special assess
nsnts for street filing, made r. ] SCI that
wing 20 this failure judgment was rccov-
rel for n large sum against the city aud
he same finally settled on by tho issuance
@ Fox, howard Il Co, Of the bond. Of the
,ity. Certain rariic' who lad paid thcir
pecial assessncnt anI who, Of oourse, are
'equircd 10 pay intc"'st on these bonds IN
he way Of taxes, instituted suit against the
'ity fOg tho recovery back OF the assess
nents paid by them. Two cases Of this
>ind were tried In our circuit court last
April and were in September following
iccided in favor Of the city. one Of these
'nsos, Walter Falls ". The City of Cairo.
vas taken by appeal 70 the Suprcne
,Ourt last January, and the case submitted
Ipon the brief. of the attorneys OF the
ar;ies TO the suit Although that pa.ticu-
nr suit involves only about Sl,6O0 vet Il
nay be considered as represen ting quite q
lrge class Of other cases In the same con-
i,ion; and should il DO decided against
he city in that court, not only will the
rttlcmcnt Of that case, but the settlement
{ many others also, at once DO called
pr.
j have thought proper 10 call your atten-
ION to this matter, ms you may be called
pom, at mn early day, To take some action
D the premises. The decision in question
iii quite probably be made known in the
curse of u month OF two.
HE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF
TAXES.
desire 10 call your attention to the
latter Of the collection Of the balance
the ulcollccted taxes for the wear Of
so Matters which ! need not detail
ere have, To some extent, interfercd with
re speedy collection of the taxes for the
ear past and is quite probable that You
i'll be required to take some action
the matter facilitating the accomplish
ent of the desired object.
Taxes are said to be, and are generally
IL TO be, burthens-bur,hens imposed
pom persons and properly for the public
cod; and while AS Judge Sherwood
Pennsylvania, has remarked, "no sys-
m of taxation which the wit of mes over
,viscd has been found perfectly equal,
u all concede that fair, just and equal as
ssment of each mans property according
its true and actual value, and the prompt, Cd
ithful and impartial collection Of the
xes imposed according to such m assess
emit is all that can be reasonably asked
expected,
Economy in TIE administration of the
fairs of the city, and the prompt and
ithful collection of tho taxes demanded
: the condition and wants az the city
and the impartial collection
all license fees and moneys, will not
A. ]