The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-29
REBUILDIRG THE WASTE PLACES.
The Movement 10 Obtain Municipal
Encouragement.

The following is the full text of the petition
presented at the last meeting ofthe City Coun-
ell by number of enterprisng citizens who
are actively engaged In building up The burnt
district and other waste places of Charleston,
asking for temporary exemption from city
taxes upon such improvements as an encour-
agement to future operations In this direction.
There can scarcely be subject of more inter-
est and Importance to Charleston than the re-
Mobilization of the city in lisa bellum glory,
and the exemption from local taxation prayed
for would certainly appear to be no more than
q statesmanlike act of foresight and prudence
In fostering and stimulating series Of enter
prizes which, In the end, will repay thousand
fold the temporary sacrifice proposed now.
It Isl significant and encouraging fact, in con-
nectlon with this subject, that contracts for the
erection of ten new buildings, in the burnt
'disstrlct, We're given out yesterday:
: THE eErlT1oN
70: Ms Hoqor ,Ms. Aayor and the honorable
We, the nndersig1ed,' being dssirous Of re.
building the burnt district. and waste places in
The city. do respectfully petitlonS3onr honor.
able body to aid us In the accomplish shmene->t
our aim; snoC on account OF the benefit to be
dpriyed by individuals, but for that which will
be received By the city aud BY the citizens at
large. 1t will benefit the poor aud needy-as
building necessarily gives employment to o
large number OF mechanics and laborers. It
will benefit the merchants not only by the In.
crease in their business, biit by the increased
circulation of money from capital drawn into
the city. 1t will beneft-the city not only from
the fact that It will receive more taxes from
the Increase In business generally, but also
because It will enhance the value Of property
throughout the city and tighten the taxpayers
generally. For instance, nearly one-quarter
of the city Is vacant and unproductlve; and we
will respectfully remark that very many own
ers of vacant lots either cannot or do not pay
c''>lS taxes; that the city Is oIten obliged to
use coefs4ge measures 10 collect; that property
IS thus very sen sold at sacrifice. greatly
oeLoW its acsun, ts.s m thus deprecialing prop
erty throughout the clCy:>If Eve hundred lots,
now valued at five hundreo>dollars each,
making at present dead capitaf|et- twenty.
fire Thousand dollars, had buildings, say>eX, an
average value of twenty. five hundred dollafe
put upon each of them, the value would be
increased to The value Of one hundred and
tfty thousand dollars. So that If The city were
to release all persons building on the burnt dis
trlct from city taxes for the period Of five
years, Il would, In one year, re-enter into
the entire amount 1t had remitted, and enjoy
the benefit 1t would derive from the accrued
value for all time to come. Business would be
stimulated. Capitalists Induced to bring
money into the city, The city Itself would be
greatly and uselully benefited. We, therefore,
respectfully petition your honorable body 10
release all persons building on the burnt dis
trIct (withIn period to be designated by your
body from city taxes for the period OF -
years.
And we will ever pray, as In duty bound,
(Signed) ALFRED BERNARD, and others.