Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-03-23
The RrRttlebOrO ana whitehall Rail-
rnmh and nhn Enrrnnra.


road and the Farmers.
The one great question which is now up
permost In the minds Of the taxpayers of
Brattleboro Is whether we can afford, as a
town, to give $4,000 TO secure the prompt
construction of the Brattleboro and White
hall ralroad-or, more correctly speaking,
the question is, can we afford not TO do az
In all the argument and discussion which
we have entered into on this subject in our
columns, we have confined ourselves TO
facts and figures in preference to engaging
in a mere statement of theories and proba-
bilities, and in this article we shall adhere
to like course. In answering the ques-
lions above stated, then, as they affect the
interests of the farmers OF Brattleboro, it
may be said in the outset that the accom-
plshment of any new enterprise which, in
the end, materially lessons the rate of farm
taxation, is certainly of appreciable benefit
to the owners of tue farms. If, for in
stance, our whole taxable property as
town is increased 25 per cent. by an addi-
ton TO the tax-list which chiefly or wholly
affects the village of Brattleboro, the farm
er's tax is by this means reduced from $40
TO Sl6 per annum, or in that proportion,
while the produciiveness and salable value
of his farm remain undimlnished or are in
creased. To meet the requirements of each
succeeding year certain sun of money
must be raised by taxation, and to Illus
trate our meaning we may say that, when
the basis of property valuation is, as at
present, s., 400, 900, $3.50 on the hundred, or
fov ~ . I,t
the basis Of valuation is increased 10 S3,-
0OO,0 900, tax of s1.2O, or l is per cent, will
raise this amount. In the former case, at
l 1-2 per cent, the list of $1,000 pays SIS per
annum, while in the latter, at 10 per
cent, the same list pays only SPA clear
saving OF SO per year on each $1,000 of val
uation. Continuing the illustration, we
say that in order 10 raise the necessary
$4,000 for the Braltleboro and Whitehall
railroad the list of $1,000 would be taxed
$26,50, as shown last week, payable in such
instalments as the town may decide-or a
sum which Is actually less than the saving
of taxes in niho years, if the tax-list is
raised, by the success of the enterprise,
from So, 40O,0 600 to 100000.
The question which naturally follows il,
would the basis of property valuation be
thus raised, and if so, to what class of prop
erty would the chief increase of value, and
the consequent increase of taxation newt
ably accrue? In answer to the first part of
this question it is enough for the present 10
say that every reasonable probability, and
the history OF all like enterprises IN the
past which have been built in answer to a
natural demand for their existence, as
sures us that the construction of this line
of railroad would be followed by such re-
vival and increase of our local business as
has not been seen in this generation. The
answer to the last part of the question is
best found in the presentation of certain
facts and figures concerning the increase
in the value of property of different classes
In this town since the construction of the
Vermont and Massachusetts railroad. From
1850 TO 1876 the grand list of Braltleboro
has risen from Sl2, 243.6l to 1928 ,632, 10, and
to show upon what kind of property this
increase has chiefly been we will state
comparison, drawn from actual statistics,
between well-kuown village real estate and
certain valuable farms. In the village we
will take N. b. Willisto1's block, the house
now owned by b. d. Harris, Geo. Howes
house, and Thompson & Rangers block,
as none of these pieces of property have
been materially changed in value by re-
pairs, or otherwise. Among the farms we
will name Robert Goodenough's, II. N.
Burnett's and the Martin farm. The valu-
alton of this property in 1850 was as fol-
lows.-