The New York herald., 1872-10-27
TAXATION IN JERSEY CITY.
The Darkest Picture Yet Elk
hibited.
No Home and No Future for the Poor Property
Holder-A Widows Cry Of Distress-Com-
missioner startup and Senator McPher-
SON on tho situation-The Debt Of
Jersey City To-Day and the Debt
Two Years and Half Ago.

Two Years and q Half Ago.
Jersey City is now beginning to enjoy the fruits
OF the rule OF the Ring Last year the taxes were
considered to be very exorbitant, but this year
they win provo to be ruinous to hundreds The
rate is fixed and the bills are being prepared, but
they will not be furnished the taxpayers till the
election is past This is one Of the tactics OF the
Ring, who dread the consequences at the ballot
box n tho people should learn that the city Is DRIFT
ing fast to bankruptcy under the present admins
tration. Many poor man, who to-day enjoys
small home, will be homeless and houseless before
the expiration OF six months. None but the
wealthy or those In comfortable circumstances can
hold out under the twofod burden of assessments
and taxes levied under the Bumsted charter.
The rate OF taxation for CITY, county and State
last year In Jersey City was So 60 per cent? this
year the rate Is So 2s per cent. The city alone
Is So SO per cent the county tax so cents and the
State tax % cents. The taxable property Of the
city amounts to $66, 900. In addition to these
Hgures must be added the water tax and o poll
tax Of 81 for every male citizen In order 70
ascertain the cause OF this steady increase OF
taxation and the present financial condition Of the
city the HERALD representative called yesterday on
the City Clerk, the Comptroller. Mr. Startup, Chair
man OF the Committee on Streets in the Board OF
Public Works; Senator MCPHERSON and civil en-
gineer, who is not connected with any branch OF
the city government, but who has devoted much
attention to the manner in which the Engineering
and Surveying departments have been conducted.
Mr.. Startup said that the primary cause Of the
Increase of taxation was the exemption Of railroad
property fr0m taxation within the limits OF the
city. Last year the value of railroad property ex-
empt from taxation amounted to $6,000000; this
year 1t reaches 10000 900. Since the Pennsylvania
Central was exempted that company has pur-
chased strip of land along the line Of old South
Third street, or In that neighborhood, from Har-
sinus Cove to the HILL and, although the company
receive rents for several houses, they do not pay
dollar to the city. This very day have to go to
the Erie Railroad to fight them on very impor
tant matter. They have stopped up the creek
which carried or the water from the meadows into
the river because 1t passed near their carpenter
shop. The stagnant water is retained on the mea
dows and the consequence Is that disease is spread
Ing In that quarter.
'sBut to come back to the fiscal question: said
the reporter, show much money is due the city on
account Of unpaid assessmentsf'
'sThat is just what was coming at" was the
reply. sAbout four millions Of dollars. A large
number OF property owners have certioraried the
assessments, but they will certainly have to pay
them some time or another. In the meantime the
city has to bear the load OF interest on these un
paid assessments. Most OF these assessments be-
long to Bergen. To show you how much better or
the city this year than last year. let me say that
while we borrowed $780, 900 last year we only
called for $300, 600 this year"
REPoRrER-isit it still the practice in your Board
which only benent certain localities direotlyf
Mr.. STARTUP-We abolished that long ago. 1t was
ginning, and while am in tne Board shall take
care 1t VIII never be repeated. The only Jobs now
avenue improvements, where the work comes
under the reconstruction clause.
REPORTER-NOw about the Surveyors account.
At the commencement Of the fiscal year q resolu-
tion was passed BY your Board providing that the
gineering departments should not exceed the sum
or $50 900 year. whereas, according to the results
paid out rom the ist OF April TIL tie pre- present day
reaches the round sum OF $100,000. l have these
figures from an engineer whom regard as very
MI. srAsrUr-&ell regard such an authority as
very unreliable, and | challenge him to prove It.
ceed ss5 900 The bills for surveying and engineer
ing were very exorbitant In my opinion and dur
cent on an average. This reduction, understand
me, was made on bills contracted previous to the
REPoRrER-What about the late proposals for the
Walnut street bridge, where the lowest bid was
lected. even though two wealthy men offered to
Mr.. sTARrUr-The specifications were Informal,
and we will have to advertise again. The man
the Board suspected there was nigger In the
fence.
Senator MCPHERSON expressed his opinion on the
financial condition Of the city freely. He said in
answer to the question, whittier are we drifting
s'We, II we remain much longer In our present
c0nditi IN, we will DRIFT steadily and surely into
bankruptcy. The only remedy I would offer is
simply to collect the assessments. II l were
city l would say let US collect our assess
ments. II l were In the Board OF Works
would fight for that end day and night. But as
1lnrf md
the people fear that these assessments will be
thrown on them so long will the credit OF the city
be impaired II we only had o 1rm, an honest
we should soon tide over all our diniculties. Our
debt say is ten or eleven millions. Of this sum
four millions are due on assessments ana l
know corporations to-day that would be willing
that we would have no debt worth talking
about afterwards. The value OF our water
works IS increasing every year. Last year
say, the government were only properly admins
tered there would be no canse for alarm. The
worst phase OF the case Is that between the heavy
assessments and the hgn rate OF taxation many
small prOperty-hoders will be ruined"
According to the records in the possession of the
City Clerk and the Comptroller the debt OF Jersey
ited to the Water Department. When tho three
cities were consolidated, two years and half ago,
the debt was as follows:-
iHHrSssy HnSSyn Ciiy cty
Total debt: $4sA,a5o 54
increase in two and half years..... S56s5 0ag 4s
Here is an exhibit Of the Bumsted rule that needs
no commentary. little study Of those figures
will show that Bergen. with the smallest population
OF the three cities. was overloaded with dc5t. 1t
was the seat the home OF the Ring who promoted
~ vay ayu.u In fhof fho i'm