The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-12-23

y Will, IL Is UelieNeu, approximate the lois
/. lowing statement, viz:
1 Amount of debt funded this year
| szets years, ma . per &c zas~ts.z, =
.(f1oating debt including some I'M
paid checks of present year. 1900 90
! Balance officers salaries for this
] year for which checks have
NOT been issued .. s25 90
SDue for Market House Lot in 1872. 100 W
~ I'm ISL ,e1 - - Az &C
sfotal S43, 42s GO
1t will be observed that one item in
Fthe list of our expenditures is for a
Market House. This is not only per
mament improvement, added to our City,
but it is of great benefit ard convenience
to our citizeus, (the need of which had
long been felt,) in furnishing them a
certain place at which they may obtain
mark citing, as well as to the City 1t fur
nishes a Court room and Council Hall,
Mus saving rent 1t is believed that the
revenue derived from the rent OF the
stalls and of the public Hall, together
with the other facilities and advantages,
make it not only a very proper, but, a
other large item is for street improve
meuts. Whilst the effort to improve our
streets is certainly commeudable, expe-
rience teaches US that not another dol
| lars worth Of earth work should be done
Cd our streets, unless the same Is at once
graveled Street Improvements should
at all times be done with view TO sta
bility and permanency, and when thus
done, would certainly result in con-
siderable saving to the City. Whilst
gravel streets will last for years without
any repairs, dirt streets, unless thus pro
tected are constantly needing repairs
caused by the heavy rains.
/ 1t will be seen that nearly all the
( City's Indebtedness has been funded dur
/ ing the present year, and ample provision
has been made to pay every dollar OF it
promptly as it natures. Another SUBJ
/ ject of cougratuation Is that during the
/ last four years the Indebtedness of our
| City has been reduced some S25, 600, this
without any increase in taxation; whilst
our neighboring cities and townakEe pay
Ing fyQWgs 3 to 4 per .5t Ge9t Fs y
/ 42S Co. bearing interest ateeuy. cent,
/ their Indebtedness is hundreds n thou
sands at much larger rate of fiuterest.
Demands against our corporation are no
longer hawked and peddled about with
[ few buyers at a nominal value. but are
held by our own citizens firmly and com
mand readily cash at small discount.
This desirable result is due, gentlemen,
to your financial skill and good manage
ment, and that of your predecessors.
The arrangement recently entered into
with the Nashville and Chattanooga Rail
Road Company, settles one of the most
troublesome subjects which we, as a city,
have had to contend-the securing of a
good wharf-and at the same time pro
tecting our front from the steady en-
croachments of the river By this ar
rangement il is believed that we will
have one of the best wharves on the
river. Cost to US nothing. Heretofore,
with the exception OF the present year,
the expenses of keeping such inferior
landings as we could furnish, absorbed, at
least half the revenue derived from that
source. This trouble and expense we
are now rid of and hereafter the city will
receive one half the wharfage-clear of
expense or trouble-just so much reve.
nue. gained to the city 10 be applied to
ayment of debts and expenses. In ad-
dition to which is to be estimated the
certaiuty of protection to our river front,
by the system of piling contracted to be
gone by the Railroad Company, thus es.
sblishing aud restoring confidence in
s.ae permaneney of the same The city
q think, wisely agreed to appropriate the
Faxes received from lots fronting on the
river last year and this, to the improve
ment Of the bank with rock and gravel /;
|tbi- stimulated at the time property own
,ers to make the experiment, aud they
~ made it stand the test SO we'll that
there is now scarcely any one who doubts
the stability of the work. The financial
condition OF our city, together with the
abundant success our citizens have real
lied this year in al departments of bust
ness, faith IN our river front. the Ger
tainty of the Railroad termina,;,r ner
manently here, together With tho i'm nrove.
ments to be made on our wb.se r.,
stored confidence and given -. %
aeai estate which, before, it did -. -
he coming year promises 10 = 40 r.
the brightest for our civ W oDe "
confidently then, anticipate co,s;dera
Die increase in our revenue and ono of
the best Investments for on, 80 wo,Id
be to build good substanti.llass from
Obion street to Broadway - Mrs
Rhodes dwelling-thence to the high
land near the mill. The wo,L .l.o,ld he
we'll done and graveled on ton the
property of our citizens wouId he pro-
tected from overflow, thus iperaasina its
value which it is believed weld alone.
in short time more than nav the cost
Of its construction. 1t would encour-
age building in the district tb,s reclaim
ed and its vicinity 1t wonId give to
the citizens of West Hickman as we'll
as to those Of Tennessee, who are com
PEELED to pass through West Hickman
with their cotton, tobacco, &C.. a good
road by which they could reach the
business part OF our city at all seasons of
the year. In my message to you at the
of the year, urged the
buildiug of this road through West
Hickman. and the building of a Market
House the present year. am glad the
house was built, but regret exceedingly
that a so much needed improvement as
The levee could not be made, because OF
our financial inability.