Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-04-16

Rivers, and | find their average
value is $13.91 per acre, largely
over the average value of any
other belt of counties in the
State, taking the same number of
counties, The very section you
want to get at with your Board
is doing better than any other
portion Of the State.
/ will be compelled to look a
little over about Shelby before
| am done, and see how she will
average.
Moore is a small county, with
more barren lands and hills
than any county in the State to
her territory. Franklin is most
ly barren and mountain land,
Lincoln has a great deal Of bar
ran land on her southern border.
Giles h; S full share, but both
have a large portion of as fine
lands as any in the State. Bed
ford is a good county, has some
of the finest blue grass lands in
the State. Marshall is good
county, the finest cedar III the
State; if she had a railroad she
would rank nearly with Maury,
for few years ago she added
10 her domain the Colnersville
District of Giles county, one Of
the best districts Of the old
county. Maury is conceded by
all to head the list in value.
You next call attention to
Lewis, and complain at her not
having more than five hundred
dollars worth of town lots. |
think that doeswell for Lewis, for
it is certainly one Of the poor
est counties in the State.
Now, sir, we will see whether
YOU have not swallowed a cam
ell and arc now straining at a
gnat. / take a belt or block Of
seven counties embracing your
own (Shelby) and what do |
find? y beam, brother, in your
own eye-pluck it out and look :
Shelby, $500 per acre, Upton
$10.S5, Haywood $10.39, Madi-
son 1894, Fayette $9.43. Hardo-
man $3.50, McNairy So 67. the
average value of these counties
$10.23 per acre. Oh, what a
contrast two cities in their Dor
ders, two Of the counties whose
western border is washed by
the great father Of waters, raj
roads in abundance, soil unsur-
passed by any, lies we'll and
will produce in abundance, any
crop the husbandmm may see
fit to plant, and the average val
lie only $l0.23 per acre, and
yet you are so anxious for a
State Board of equalization
you mnst leave your fertile home,
come to our hills and barrens to
show the inequality and unfair
ness in assessments, and we with
our hills and barrens lave as
sessed our lands nearly four dol
lars per acre higher than you.
You must do better at home
before you complain at us; we
think our land is assessed high
enough; if yours are, let us hear
now how it is that your lands
are so much cheaper than ours.
We are solicitOus abOutthe mat
ter; we know you have much
more rich lands than we, two
cities, water and railroad out
lets, when we have but one that
is railroad, and not as much rail
road advantage as you.
Your seven counties pay tax
on over siXty-two millions, while
pay on over thirty-four. Think
of that! Memphis, Jackson, two
cities with their immense wealth,
only paying tax on a little over
% millions more than we. With
all that you have nearly 275
thousand more acres of land than
we; you folks ought to have a
board of some kind. / am at a
loss to know what kind of board
would be best; | leave that for
you to say.
Now, sir, | have taken up the
counties you call special atten-
ton to, ard show they far ex-
coed in value per acre any
other belt of the same number
of counties in the State, and are
above the average value of the
State. Ifthe State averaged with
our counties 1891 per acre, it
would run the realty of the State
excepting town lOtsto three hun
dred and sixty-two millions,es-
timating the State at 26 million
acres.
For the life of me / can't see
that your State Board would
remedy the evil of which you
speak. 1t can only increase the