Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-19

| urer's offices have dug out the facts and
| figures below enumerated:
On the 4th of November last, the
Auditor turned over the books con-
tanning the taxes for 1872 for collection
in which we find the
VALUATION OF
Lands. ........... $2,76l, PAS
Town Property .......,. 1,413,62O
Personal ........,....... 1,693,984
r.. r. Assessment. ..... 461, $40
Total =. 1880, 73l
TAxEs LEVIED.
State 21a mills, county 4, county
school l, bridge l, Insane Hospital
dues =, railroad bonds interest 2, max
ing total Of IL mills, which, on the
total valuation will raise 75,96S.77.
Now, we arc frequently asked why
our taxes are so high, and not one tax
payer in fifty. probably, stops to think
for what he is paying taxes.
First, then, let us take the first item
in the above list-"State taxes" This
is levy made by the State Census
Board equally all over the State, for
the purpose of dcfraying the expenses
of the State, and Of which each indi-
vidual who lives in the enjoyment of
property must contribute to the extent
of % mills on every dollar of the as
sessment of that property. The levy
OFF, 4 mills, raises in this county, $l5,-
S26.S6.
Second, "County taxes" This is the
tax levied to defray the expenses of
the county, such as paying the officers
salaries, jurics, witnesses, fuel, lights,
stationery, books, repairing public
buildings, paying township officers,
Constablcs. Justices of the Peace,
Clerks, Trustees, ETC., etc. Antl, just
here, let us sayy that there is a very er-
roneons impression in the minds of a
large majority of taxpayers, that the
officers Of the county eat up SO vast an
amount of the taxes in the salaries they
receive. We are writing conscien-
tious article upon our taxes, with the
determination to state nothing but
facts which the books1we have exam
ined will bear us out in stating. Now,
one mill pays all the salaried officers Of
the county. So that, if man has
81 600 assessed to him, he pays one
dollar of taxes for the purpose of pay
ing all the officers. Not very much,
you will concede, for one man to pay,
while an equal distribution on all,
makes up tolerable salary for each
and all the officers The levy of four
mills for county purposes, raises $685.
322.91.
Third. "County School, This tax
| is levied upon the people all over the
county, and is used in paying
for teaching our common schools.
The levy of one mill on the dollar
raises $6,330.75.
| Fourth, Bridge Tax" This needs
no explanation, as every reader under
stands that fair amount must be raised
every year to be prepared for contin-
| gencies from floods which almost year.
ly sweep our wooden structures out OF
existence. We think it would be wiser
to substitute iron for wooden bridges,
anyhow. The cost would be buta slight
advance, and when we have one per-
manently located and built it is last
ing institution, and, although we all
might have to pay heavier tax for q
few years, it would ultimately become
extinct, or amere nominal one ct mos
for repairs Of the necessary planking
The levy Of one mill raises &c, 800. rs.
Fifth, "Poor Farm" A very nee
essary tax, for "the poor we always
have among us +" This tax covers al
expenses of conducting the Poor Farm
provides shelter and food for suffer
ing ones, and is a light tax indeed TO
a county as populons as WApello. tn,
j levy raises the same amount as the two
previously cited.
Sixth, "Insane Hospital Dues" Ii
this we confess some little surprise
} because the Hospital at Mt. Pleasan
was always supposed by lis to be
State institution, to be supported b,
State revenue. Wapello county ha
now nine patients in the hospital. Tn
expense of keeping them is regularl
charged up, and quarterly bills ar
sent to the State departments, wher
they are examined a.d sent to the coun
ties from whence the patients hail
From claims now on file in the Audi
tors Office, we find that our count,
has to pay on an average $3.50 pc
quarter or every three months. TIL
law provides that the amount paid TO
each patient, may be collected from tn,
parents, guardians, or estate of the un
fortunate but with one or two ex
ceptions. our county is unable TO get ,
refund Of one cent. The levy for 1877:
is one half mill less than formerly. L
raises S3,165.36.
| Seventh, RAILROAD Bond Interest.
BY this time in our history, each tax
payer should know what this means
But for fear it has escaped the memory
of "the oldest inhabitant," we will re
fresh it and remind him that son.,
time in 1854, or thereabouts
the county judge was pelted with pc
titions, whose aggregate length would
probably encircle the Court House
praying him to order an election tt
submit to the voters of the county /
proposition to aid in constructing tn,
Burlington Il Platte River Railroad
| by county stock through this county,
100000. Judge Osburn then issued
l JULIUS w AlO 1AOuHt VI COY 3OO,UOU
when his term expired and Judg
Flint became his successor. The latte
refused to issue any more bonds, an,
the railroad company Jumped theboun
ty"and refused to issue stock unless tn
balance of the 100000 was forthcom
f ing. No interest was paid on tn
coupons of the issued bonds, until tn
county was sued and mandasmused b.
J the Supreme Court, and now we hav
the lively satisfaction of paying al
back interest, and in few years NOR
, the bonds themselves will become due
| This little arrangement cannot be sad
died upon "Grant's administration,
nor the corrupt rings of the Rcpubli
can party" because that little cotilliol
was got up and managed by the part
which allowed you to pay your count.
taxes at 30 cents OH the dollar.
y A suit is now pending, in which tn
county sues the company for stock t.
: the amount of bonds issued, but it i
like Rip Van Wrinkles sleep,-nevc
revives, and probably will not com
to final issue until we taxpayers ar
; gray, and many of us under the sod
+ with all due respect to the attorney
who are managing the case on the par
, of the county.
And these, then, is the sum total o
our taxes which are levied by the coun
4 ty authorities. But you ask, why ar
my taxes so high? Let us tell you