Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-12-18

eral Point to- the full capacity of the
City Hail, assembled last Thursday
evening promptly at tie tap of the
bell, maniiesting the deep and gen
! Ieral interest in the subject to be
considered On motion of DR..
Motfett, the meeting organized by
electlng Ex-Mayor Cooper chair
man, and W. ii. Bennett secretary.
DR.. Vivian first addressed the
meeting, stating thas ITO pay or not
to pay" was the question, which
questions he hoped would be dis
cussed amicably, and the meeting
conducted orderly. He showed that
the County Board unjuStly required
the city of Mineral Point to pay
one-siXth Of the State and County
taX-that 10 per cent. of the IA
per cent. tax we have to pay is
to satisfy the levy made 10y the
County Board lie had always
favored settling the bond debt,
and Is stll 1t The same mind, but
objects 10 paying more than his
equitable share. Because the APP
porlionment of the Board is man
tcsiiy unjust, he thought any court
would declare it Illegal. lie appre-
ciated that refusal to pay may
complicate matters seriously, and
would not oppose IL had the over
assessment been Of a moderate sum,
but can t stand paying nearly twice
what he deemed m equitable pro.
porllon. While admitting the gross
Inequality of the city assessors val
uations, he thought that had no
bearing on the issue undes dis
crssion.
Mr.. Strong being called for, stated
he had not intended to say anything
to the meeting, but having opinions
ON the matter, would express them.
He showed that the erroneous ap
portionmcnt made by the Board
displayed gross carlessness aad in-
efficiency. Declared that The theory
that the Board would or could re-
nit to the city The amount OF over
tax, was f.I,acy; and gave it con
tidently as his opinion that an III
junction staying the collection would
be granted by any court on the
statement Of the case.
Mr.. Wilson, in response to call,
said he desired TO hear from the
other side, aud made a few remarks,
sustaining the position OF Messrs
Vivian and Strong relative to legal
ity of levy, aud success of an III
Junction, whether applied for by
| The community or by q single in
| diyidual. He had always been Goa
h3cnt that sooner or later the people
would have To pay more or less OF
this railroad claim. The situation
to-day verified the correctness Of his
opinions.
Mr. Henry being called said he
WAS pleased to see the Lively interest
manifested, but did no know what
was meant by 1.-THE other side;' as
he understood it there was but one
side. He SAID that fighting the
bond holders had come To an end
settlement by compromise vas now
all We have to do. He had always
though, aud said that ,0dh the ""'tei
support oj the peopie he could have
defeated the clam, out not having
that support, but opposition, he
could not succeed, and WAS com
PEELED to at last abandon the hope,
and Row wants il recorded that he
is III favor Of this settlement. lie
showed that the amount the city has
10 pay Oh account of the extra as
sessnent Of the Boards Cnly s. 600,
aud that the council had levied that
amount Of city taxes less than was
required, 80 that III point Of fact,
oul. tax is no heavier than it would
have been had the error not oc-
Cured. lie was confident the Board
would 10 Us justice, and advised a
special meeting Of that body to as
sure it. lie thinks the settlement
with Beechcr the best that can be
got, and advises payment OF the tax
10 cOnsummate it. Regards the tax
as q great calamity, baue, such as
tire, an epidemic Or scourge, which
must be met and endured lie
thought that,exclu-iye Of their error,
the Board had assessed the city fifty
to seventy-live thousand too high,
but hoped for reparation hereafter.
The decline Of business and Of prop
eltv in the couaty was referred TO