Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-12-09
CorrespOndence.
For the NEwspRALER

For the NEwsDRALER
To THE TAXPAYERS OF JOHNSON. Eel
lors Torwmen. dark day is upon US
Our financial prospects are such as Il
awaken profound anxiety. A bridge ant
road, for the people, living south OF th'
river, for the one taken from them by the
r. r., are sure to be required /; aud at q
cost of. probably. not less than four thou
sand dollars. Eleven hundred are due
the late select.men, aud as it is now in La,c,
there will be added in costs, doubtless, five
hundred dollars more. The Bonds, now
to be issued, being forIy-eigh, thousand
aud the interest on them, during their life.
will. with the charge Of collecting, be a
fraction over sixty thousand dollars more.
On the town there has been debt, Of long
standing, Of three thousand dollars. The
whole exclusive of the bridge and road
referred to above) amounts to one hundred
and f,ceipe thousand sac hundred dollars
The Grand List is now. think, forty two
hundred dollars -Grea, as this burden is,
it Is, in my opinion, our duty to enter into
such arrangements with the corporation as
TO lift it by few instalmeDts. 1t is not
with us as it is with growing towns. AL.
ready they have men Of wealth, aud more,
from time to time, are to be expected.
Such towns, therefore, will be in better
condition to meet such liabilities in the fu.
ture than 10 the preseat. The contrary
is the ease with US. We have no men of
,ceaIth, and not but few in, what may
be called, easy circum tanccs. | look for
no incomers with riches, and any, who
may come. will be only such as buy out
those now here and ,cishing 10 remore.
Many Of our farming class are not yet out
Of the debt they contracted, on buying
their farms. Their current expenses are
such as to leave but a small sum toward
their debt. Super.add to these
expenses those which this rast burden will
impose, and, if no bankruptcies follow, few
men will be more grateful thanI. To me,
the future holds out no better
prospects than the present. And, for one,
| prefer to sacrifice ourselves, who have
involved our town in this great calamity,
rather than fasten i. upon postcriiy, who,
so far as the future may be OWNED by the
present, will have burdens enough of their
own. Does any one reply "that the town
cannot meet such insallmcnts, as [ sug.
gest." My answer is ready. We can do
it as well as any in the coming twenty
years. At any rate, If VIC cannot, none
during the life Of the bonds can. Then,
IN honor, not to say in morals, it is i'm.
peratlvely on rs 10 relieve the coming
town, from such crushing load. There
is no time to be lost. Let a request be
made. by our citizens, Chad,c,ck and
knight TO Horace Fairbanks not TO al.
low the bonds to pass out of his hands, Vii.
ii we see if we can compromise. 10y three
or four installments. And (ifhc will agree
10 iD let town meeting be convened at
The earliest day, to test the taxpayers on
The matter. Better to settle the matter
now than TO have so appalling an incum.
brance lie upon our property. Nay let
his matter 60 down and what prudent
man who detests debt will consent to re.
main in the town? am willing TO he
faxed for my proportion cf the sore bur.
len noie.
JAMES DoU6uERTY.
johnson, Dec. 5. 1874.