The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-28
Mr. HARPER's TAXES.

Among the names mentioned IN HE
ARGUS, as not paying their city taxes for
1871, was that of Ben Harper. The facts
about Mr.. Harpers case are these, as
stated by him: In October, 1869, his
hotel burned and his losses were so heavy
that he did not feel ike rebuilding such a
hotel as the city required, or even like re-
building at ALL
On the part of the citizens there was a
very great anxiety to secure a frst-elass
hotel, and Mr.. Harper was solicited by
many leading men here to rebuild. Sew
conferences were held on the subject, and
Mr.. Harper seemed inclined to build if the
hotel could be exempt from city, county
and other taxes for FIVE years. 1t was
generally thought this could be done but
after a good deal of discussion there seem
ed to be legal objection to exempting any
particular piece of property from taxes, no
power being giventhe Council for such an act
The Council was DESTROYS of securing the
building of the hotel, if it could be done by
freeing it from taxes for five years-and
that was the general feeling of the people,
as everybody seemed anxious to secure for
the city the benefits which would acrue to
all from such a house. Mr.. Harper finally
stated to the Council that he would go on
and build first class hotel if the Council
would, in some way, exempt it from city
taxes for five years. The legal obstacles
were finally solved by the Council agree
ing to pay Mr. Harper sufficient sum for
rent of the Council room to cover whatever
| the city taxes ON the real estate might be,
over and above the sum OF two hundred
dollars year which the Council was then
paying him as rent.
Finding so much difficulty in legally ar
ranging the matter as to city taxes, Mr..
Harper concluded not to make any appG-
cation to the Board of Supervisors, as to
other taxes, but went forward with the
work, and erected hotel in which every
Rock Islander feels Just pride.
In 1871 he collected the rent at a sum
which it was thought would cover the tax
es but when the taxes came to be extend
ed it was on the enormous and outrageous
assessment made for the purpose of au-
thorizing the issue of water bonds, and
the amount of tax ON the hotel property
was so much above the amount he had col
| lected for rent that he left the city taxes
on the hotel for that year unpaid. He
paid all his taxes on all his other property;
paid all taxes on the hotel furniture, and
even paid all the taxes assessed for street
lamps in the hotel real estate-but left the
other city taxes unpaid on the real estate
Of the hotel, for the reason stated. He
says he makes no question as to the legal
ty of the tax. although he is aware that
| the assessment was most enormous one,
/ but he says he never yet questioned the
legality Of any tax that he has always
I paid, freely his taxes on all his property,
and that he now only leaves the hotel tax
unpaid in consequence OF the understand
ing with the Council, heretofore alluded
t.. lie also says he is ready and willing
TO settle, any time, on the basis Of the
agreement made, aud he thinks that hon
orable and fair dealing between men re
quires that the understanding had witt
the Council in the fall of 1869, OF winter
of lS69-7O, should be fairly carried out
This is all he asks, and this, he thinks, nj
fair minded man will object 10. We sup
pose no man questions the universal bene
fit to all the property Of the city and t,
every kind Of business in the city in con
sequence of the building Of this hotel anl
the admirable manner in which it is kept
I Aud we also presume that few, if any peo
pie in the city would wish it removed from
the city or consent to its removal for tel
times the amount of the city taxes assess
ed upon it,