Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-02-28
CITIZENS ASSOCIATION.
HIGHER / T TAX.

was read. He is vially opposed to
funding the county debt.
At the suggestion of Secretary
Fry a committee of three was appoint
ed to furnish at the next meeting q
schedule of business which shall be
observed at each meeting. In this
way each branch of the business of
the association will be brought before
the meeting. Judge McFarlane,
VIM. Pollock and Secretary Fry,
were appointed on this committee.
Judge McFarlane being. called on.
stated that in his opinion the only
way to build the roads was to have
the co Inty furnish 500 for each
500 furnished by private subscrip-
ton.
He is opposed to funding the coun-
ty debt or levying a tax. He takes
great pride in having II county out
of debt. Mr.. w. II. KEENAN, sup
ported the same plan suggested by
Mr.. McFarlane in u few well taken
remarks.
Mr. j. j. Gill offered q resolution
and in its support addressed the chair
as follows:
Disappointment had been express
ed that there had been no report to-
night from the committee on roads
and streets. Doubtless good cause
exists for this delay. 1t may. arise
from certain provision of our consti-
tuition and laws. Our county courts
are restricted by the constitution from
8 absorbing to the capital stock of
corporations or associations and from
loans or donations to them and the
authority formerly vested in them, to
macadamize roads has been taken
away. Under the road law of 1877,
county courts appear to have no pow
err over highways beyond the ordina-
ry working of them through overseers.
Our constitution and our laws under
it, both need alteration. If the ex-
perience of this winter, if the loss of
over three millions of dollars worth
of products, through want OF roads,
of which at least one hundred and
fifty Thousand will have to be sus-
tanned by this county, does not move
the heart of our Legislature to make
suitable provisions for good, roads,
then all | rave to say is, that this
commonwealth will be and will de-
serve to be ~stigmatized by her ad-
Joining sisters as the great-stick-in-
the-mud.
Fortunately, however. there is a
power in our midst that is authorized
30 improve both streets and roads.
Our city council in addition to i'm
proving streets, can extend macadam
for one mile beyondlit its boundaries on
all highways leading into town. 1t
can receive and apply any subscrip-
lions or donations that our citizens or
farmers may feel inclined to make
for the purpose of improving any par
ticular route. 1t is that part of oul
| roads that are nearest to our town
and on that account most cut up by
accumulated travel that the council
has jurisdiction Of. We can com
mence with these and have them
ready to be carried further by the
county as soon as it shall be author
lied to do SO. The revenue Of Mexi-
co is in the neighborhood of $1,000.
With slight exception the salaries of
its officers are not large and the m
preston prevails that a larger pro-
portion of this income might be de-
voted to our streets and roads in the
future than has been done in the past
and / have introduced this resolution
tosdirect attention to this matter.
Judge McFarlane offered a substi-
tute and asked Mr.. Gill to accept it
in place of his motion. Mr.. Gill de-
clined to accept the Judges PROPOSE
ton because, while property owners
he had conversed with, thought o
might be accomplished by our pres
ent eyenu as to our streets and
roads, all had declined to increase
their tax.
Mr.. Fred Llewellyn stated that he
wanted samples from all the clay
banks in the county to send to a man
in Monroe county, who wished to
come here and open a pottery.
Some suggestions were made that
the city should legislats so that tramps
could be put 70 work. Geo. Robert
son, city attorney, stated that there
was no need for legislation in that di-
rection, all that was necessary was to
arrest the tramps, and he would
prosecute them as Migrants. He
also stated that most of the work that
had been done on the streets in the
last year had been done by convict
labor.
Mr.. Pollock stated in behalf of the
council, that every dollar that could
be spared and that was at the COM
mand of the council had been put on
the streets, and if the people were
not satisfied they must vote more
means to the council to use for rock
roads. The association adjourned to
meet Friday night one week.
OYSTER DrNNER.-Next Saturday