The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-11

4
be on equal terms In the market. The city
can be reasonable In her charges for storage,
| and can yet obtain a lair interest for her I'm
vested capital. Besides, we have now Inc ad'
vantage OF river communication and room
| for the storage Of our cobbles, shells, or1cKe,
planks and timber on the wharf ana gronnols
of the magazines, which is a great convent.
ence to us IN the street department and I'M
provements It is true we have paid more for
| the place than we had at first intended, but II
was not the fault of Council.
xrv.-THE PUBLIC PROPERTY.
The City OF Charleston is rich In the honora-
BILE sentiments Of her children, and even IN
material means she ls not 80 poor That sne
may not one day pay every dollar Of her debt.
And she will pay IT..
By reference to The report of the appraiser
it will appear that our real estate has g.. 6een zen
And our personal property at.... s,Ss5,575
In all. ...... $II ,o4s, LOU
This is exclusive of the estates of the Var1.
Gus religious. charitable and educational
institutions. In 1860, our real estate alone
amounted 10 something over twenty-five nail.
lion dollars, and as soon as prosperity shall
begin again to dawn, we may easily
reasceud to that figure. Last year our real
estate had been appraised by competent
board OF citizens at something over twenty
two million dollars, but by an imprudent SUBJ
mission to an unWarrantable popular clamor,
made. have never been able to appreciate
the good of this action; the evil seems to be
that we are holding onrselges up to the world
as much poorer than we really are.
Our public property, consisting OF our public
buildings and lands, amount 10 about $780,
600, besides the assets Of the sinking fund,
which are valuable. Both will be reported in
detail In special registers hereto annexed, to
which reference may be had. But II we were
amounts of capital that our old city has had
to eXpend for her streets, paVements, sewers,
drains, and other necessary improvements,
we may easily discover that our debt, although
it was not contracted especially for those OBJ
jects altogether, is no more than an equiva-
lent for the benefits which we now enjoy.
xv.-THE UPPER WARDS.
II is mistaken notion that the interests OF
one section of the city can be different from
the Interests of The whole. 1t is a mistaken
view that our upper wards do not derive equal
dement's from one communal union with the
old city, or that they are not equally concern
ed In our common prosperity. On the con-
trary, the upper wards will derive greater re-
suits from any renewed eXpanse OF our NUM-
cipal welfare than the lower city, inasmuch,
as the march Of Improvement naturally TENDS
luaC way, Ruu TtEeWeu eHtoiptiSo WIN tuotS
find more convenient field. But In all con-
dltlons of mans affairs, harmony Is the chief
supporter of all good and useful Institutions
more especially In days Of difficulty and dis
tress. 1t has, therefore, been matter OF
great concern to me, that just now the pro-
test of number of prominent citizens OF the
Neck against their quota of taxation Tor In
terest Of the city debt should have occurred.
It seems to me unreasonable and Injurious TO
the public veal. At the time Of the annexa-
tion, the entire debt of the city did not ex-
ceed 81, ,062, ,al4 93-lo0, and the available as.
sets, which were then at par and had
accumulated as slnkingtund, amounted
to $685. 47l00, nearly enough TO ex-
tinguish the former. Besides, the city at
the the s same as now, nearly $780, In all
this the Neck became willing CO.
partner The taxes, which were collected
from the upper wards up to 1860, were ex-
rended entirely for their account, and every
year the lower wards had to be charged With
an excess of payments. During the ten years
(ls50-60) the city treasurer paid for expenses
and improvements of Charleston Neck $685.
252 7s, which far exceeded their contributions.
All our Objectionable railroad subscriptions
were made when the Neck was already an In
tegral part OF the city, was represented In
Council, and voted on the policy. It Is curl.
GUS to me, but iL is discouraging. that Just az
mony and public spirit are absolutely essential
to greet asd encourage the dawning light of .
more hopeful season, go many OF our good and
really wel-meaning citiz.ns should mistake
the true highway of success. The farmers
may have better excuse for their action.
But even they may find that the law Will de-
clare them in the wrong-at all events. that
they are damaging their own good. More
public improvements will have 10 be made In
their immediate vicinity, aud partly for their
Immediate convenience, than their taxes Will
roSs be made L. that drains and Canals be con-
structed, and that their roads be improved.
Their poor must be supported by the city; they
have share in our schools and public institu-
tlons. Let us drop our dissensions-let US dis
miss DUR chickering's; the good of all is the good
OF each. The arch fend sows the tares.
XvI.-IMPROvEMENTs.
have already said that am lively friend
of public progress In all beneficial matters. ]
am sorry that our means are 30 limited, asl
should advocate many noble public works
which now for awhile will have to remain IN
move on for the present, and become more
enterprising as our foundation grows more Sc
cure. II our citizens would only now and then
come to our rescue much might be.accomplish-
ed within the year, even with our contracted
resources. Our drainage will have 10 be COM
peted, plank-roads WILL nave 10 De maze IN
King street to the lines, and In Line street,
Spring street, Rutledge street and Beaurain
street; the improvements on East Bay will
have to be completed, and Guignard street
Widened most of East Bay and Ans0n
street will have 10 be repaved Tradd
street requires 10 be improved, and King
street, from Market to Calhoun, demands
extensive repairs. Wards s and demand
a large share of our attention, and the
construction of causewsy, foot OF Columbus
street to the river, should be commenced,
to give convenient landing to i'm
portant interests. Formerly our citizens
were held to contribute to improvements
for their convenience and advantage. If any
section would make the start In that direc-
tIon. am sure Council would willingly re-
spond. A great and most important i'm
provement both for the Neck and the old city,
which projected during the late war, would
be the construction Of canal from the Ashley
to the Cooper River. 1t would facilitate the
carriage of produce, wood, lumber, timber,
ships store, and other matters for the market,
and besides enable us to Initiate perfect sys-
tenn of drainage at comparatively small ex.
pense, But we dare not think OF 1t just now.
Yet may say, let the Neck rally up in good
faith, and old Charleston will be no STEP
mother.
In concluding my report, 1t may not be IT.
ro,ora,t to ovnrooo pr0fOun6 pratftulp m