Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-02-27
FACT VS.. FICTION.
ACard from the Intendent.

having sought to impose upon the public
the belief that the town council wishes to
throw unjust burdens upon them in order
to obstruct the prosperity of the hotel, |
deem it just that such falsehoods should
be corrected by plain statement Of the
| truth.
The town assessment on the hotel
property is $4,000, making the amount
of tax $50. The state law provides, that
billiard rooms shall not be taxed less than
$50, which is the amount laid by the
town ordinance. AS they say they keep
a temperance house, their tax under the
ordinance is $40; on livery stable $25;
+, making the total taxes the town asks the
hotel proprietors to pay, exactly SITS,
and no more. Yet in their card they say
they are called on to pay $3.50.
They admit having invested S25, 900 in
the hotel, hence, under the town ordi-
nance, on their real estate alone, their
tax should be $3.50; yet including L.
censes, they are asked to pay $l75. It
seems to me "that little section in the
constitution (sec. s, art. 81" would fit
right in here-'taxcs to be uniform, in
respect to persons, and property, within
the jurisdiction of the body imposing the
same" ," Are the hotel proprietors anx-
ious to have their assessment increased :?
I would suggest to them before begin
ming to push very hard, against people
for selling liquor contrary to law, within
the town, to examine the amended char
ter.
These gentlemen know very we'll that
it is the custom to apply to council for
relief from taxes, where persons think
they have good grounds for so doing ;
and in no reasonable matter has council
ever refused to grant relief The truth
is, these gentry designed to ignore the
town council and town ordinances entire
ly. They thought bya quibble, to have
all the benefits of selling liquors without
paying the usual town licenses; two
words in the tax ordinance ''or supply
ing' put acomplete stopper on their shah
by purpose. They intended to supply
their guests with liquors, and refuse to
pay the town for license on the ground
that they kept no bar, and did not sell Ii
quors, but supplied their guests. Disap-
pointed in this, their editorial lackey,
with characteristic obsequiousness, pro-
! Nceeded to cast his filth over the mem
Bess of the town council.
Itis stated that the expenses Of the
town thSee years ago were S4,5OO. and
that in two years these have jumped up
two thousahd dollars. We will see pres
emily how much truth there is in this
statement.
When Gen! Candy appointed me to
my present position about five years ago,
the town had ah anti-war debt, principal
and interest off nearly $4,000, and there
was Judgment against the town for
$500; there tas new floating debt Of
about 81 ,4Od. To meet this there was
not dimsfn the town Treasury. The
old debty were compounded and have
gradually been paid, the new debt cleared
off, sh except during the yellow fever
season, each years expenses have been
Kept within the years income.
Before the war, the average yearly ex'
penses of the town were, in round num-
4 bers about 81, 900, and besides this each
citizen was required to do police or patro
duty at night, and were required to fur
nish, free Of expense to the town, a
certain number of hands to work on the
streets. For such service now Of course
the town has to pay.
Deducting old debts paid, new hose
bought, expenses on Jail and court house
yellow fever expenses, and such Other
items as in no proper sense constitute
the regular current expenses OF the town.
we have this result:
w Aug. fsss to Aug 1859; s3,373 0;
Current expenses of the towr for year from =.
| AUg. 1860 to Aug. 1870 JI35l o:
Aug, $50 to Aug. 1871, 3,sOi II
Current expenses of the town for year from .
Aug. 1871 to Aug. 1872, 2,9lo z:
Current expenses Of the town for six months
from July 1872 to Jan. 1873, lao J.
From the estimated expenses from
Jan. 1873 to Jan. 1874, deduct 81 400
for new hose; S275 for lamps and police
material; $3.50 town note, and We have
the estimated current expenses for the
year, SO, 752, it being the design to ex
pend the increase over previous years on
the streets and sidewalks.
The question of sewering 9th street fo1
nearly forty years was subject of anx
ious discussion among citizens and by thC
various town councils; its necessity wa:
felt to be almost imperative, yet that re-
suit was not achieved till last year
though it was proposed in councilin 1922
Its effects as 4 sanitary measure are o
incstimable value. Our citizens canno
have forgotten that four years ago bur
glaries and robberics were of constant oc
currence, sometimes two or three in ont
night, while the town was cursed by