Wilmington journal., 1873-07-25


1t is Important that the Taxpayers
should know something about the
financial condition Of the State as well
rs their means and ability to meet the
demands upon her.
The total funded debt of North
Carolina October 1st, 1860, Vas
Public Treasurer, i'll his report 10 the
Legislature, dated November 18th,
1860. Governor Ellis, III his message
2Uth, 1860, also put down the funded
debt of the State at 50, 129, 800, on
the 1st of October, 1860, and then said !:
''In addition to the foregoing actual
Indebtedness, the public faith is
pledged to the following railroad COM
panics III the amounts named, upon a
compliance with certain conditions set
forth i'll their respective charters. and
in n balance of the appropriation to
the Cape Fear and Deep River Navi-
cation Works
To VIM. g;On. Charlotte ami Ruth
'rtord ka'lroan Com i.ary. ,7JJ. .aGt
To Western North Carolina Railroad
ro Fatetteviile and Western Eaiiroad
cmpany.... Observation-Disclosures. 1Co, 900
II CAPE Fear and Deep Niver Navi-
2ation Works ......... 2o,GG0
1909 $50
These liabilities of the State were
created by acts passed prior TO the
war. The Legislature passed snbse
Guent acts in relation to said corpora
tions, but the State was finally bound
by different acts in the amounts stated
by Governor Ellis, and Il great deal
r., Al Il
to were passed before the unfortunate
legislation Of 1890, which brought
repToach and discredit upon the State
On the 1st OF July, 1868, the liabili-
ties of the State amounted to about
S1S,0cn NGO.
IT, question arises whether or not
the people are willing to Try to make
provision for meeting the Interest on
valid and questionable. This subject
opens Il field for discussion too wide
for me now to attempt To explore il.
l have nelther time nor space to do 50.
Many an honest man may acknowledge
unable to pay it. But our people d.
Eot acknowledge the business Of a
large part Of the nominal indebtedness
of the State.
The State of North Carolina, ,.>-
tending from 33 degrees 53 minutes to
36 degrees 80 minutes North latitude,
contains about so, 7O4 square miles
and about 1000, ,000 Of acres, about
$500, 900 of which, only, are cultivated
According to the census Of 1870, the
number of acres OF laud i'll fa"nls III
the State was 20, 99G, 9S3. Ia 1860, the
number OF acres i'll farin was 23, 1872
900. In 1870. the number OF acres i'll
farms was -, $50, 4lG, showing that
| there were not rs many acres farms
| in 1870 as there were III 1870.
These statements show the progress
Of our agricultural operations to be
| backward, instead of forward
| BY the census of 1850 the population
| of North Carolina was S69, ,039. IN
1860 the population was 992, ,622. In
1870 the population of the State was
1,O71 ,361. These figures show that
our population has been OF slow growth,
as well as our wealth.
In 1870, North Carolina was the
third State in population in the Union,
and ahead of New York and Mass;o-
chusetts.
In 1850, North Carolina was the
tenth State in population il. che Union.
In 1860 she was the 18th State, and
in 1870 she was the 4th State
According to the Comptroller's Re
port to the Legislature for the fisca
year ending September 30, 1860, the
number of acres of land listed for tax
alton in that year was 26, 1913, 723, val
ued at SS5, 622, ,602. Town property
was valued at $12, $50. BIB, making the
aggregate valuation of real estate S97
672, ,975.
According to the Auditors Report
to the Legislature for the fiscal yeal
ending September 30, 1872, the mum
| Der of acres of land listed for taxation
in that year was %, ,943, 1S4. valued a
S69, AZ, ,946. Town property was val
ued at $12, ,717,117 making the aggre
gate valuation of real estate $50,
10000.
It thus appears that the valuation o
real estate was 5,512, ,912 less in 1877:
than 1T was in 1860. So that insteat
of our land increasing i'll value, it ha
decreased $5,512,912 within the las
II years.
The fact, however unfavorable, mus
be admitted, that considerable par
of our land is waste and sterile. Mucl
of the arabic land is gradually wearing
out, by imprudeht management an,
improper culture, so that ther
is some reason for its decreas