Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-12-12
The Town Hall Question Con-
tinued.

Eds. Tel:-In pursuance to agreement
we herewith submit to the readers of the
TELEGRAPH figures and suggestions show
ing how a town hall may be built in Ash
tabuIa at a cost of not less than $4,000,
and yet reduce our present taxes. This
may seem impossible to many, but little
head work, pencil and paper will satisfy
any reasonable person that this is the case.
The amount OF taxable property in Ash
tabula for the years 1879 and 1880 is
81, ,375, ,414, making the assessment on that
amount $13.T5414 Wefind by interviews
with leading property owners of the vii
lage that an advance of anywhere from
20 to 80 per cent on the new appraisement
on property will take place in 1880 TAX
ing as a basis to work on, an advance of
25 per cent only, we will have 81, ,192.67
to devote to the interests of She village.
By an ordinance passed by the Council
Nav 9th, 1879, a tax of One-haif of one
mill was levied for general purposes, and
that is all that can be levied on the extra
assessment, that would give the village
about 1875, or S225 more than we have
this year; and to streets one and one
! tenth mills, which would make, with the
half that would come in for use in 1880,
available for street purposes in 1890 about
s2,5OO. The state of our streets probably
requires larger amount of money next
year, as it will be necessary to do cOnsid-
erable work on Bridge street at the Har-
Dor, as well as other streets in the village.
Therefore it would be advisable to give TO
streets another mill and fOur-tenths, which
would make the amount available for
street purposes in 1880 about S4,7O0-this
would be over $4,000 more than streets
had in 1879, which, by judicious expendi-
ture, must certainly be doing duty towards
the streets. By the same ordinance the
Council have given to HarbOr improve
ments four and one-tenth mills. Now this
may not be quite enough to finish the
work contemplated, as it will in all prob
abilities cost more to do the work in the
spring than at the present time We
therefore give, to cover contingencies, one
mill more, which will increase that fund
over S1,7OO.
UFor The support of the Fire Department
(repairs, &c., that expense was given five
tenths OF a mill. They should have full
mill this year-new hose must be bought
and other necessary expenses, which we
learn from talks with the Chairman Of the
Fire and Water Committee, with the in
crease of half a mill that fund would have
$500 more to work on For lighting the
corporation, five-tenths of amill. This on
the increased assessment will give to light
ing purposes $500 more. For keeping in
repair Cemeteries and Parks, two-tenths
of a mill. The increase will give that de-
partment $1GO more. For the payment of
police and marshal, five-tenths of a mill,
which we think fully enough, with good
executive marshal.
Now we come to the bonded indebted
ness of the village, which in 1890 will re-
tentos, which will pay principal and inter
est on bonds due in 1880 and 1881 and
give us a small surplus. This will leave
the bonded Indebtedness to be taken care
of in 1881 to pay for bonds falling due in
1882 and 1888 an assessment Of less than
one mill For the support of armories,
two-tenths of miIl-the amount devoted
to that department-will give them more
money than they get this year. This gives
us sum total of seven and six-tenths
mills, which increases the amounts due
each department in our village govern
ment and we have two mills and four
tenths to devote to any purpose we see fit,
provided the Council should assess the
full amount as allowed by law.
In conversation with the township trust
ees we find they are willing and anxious
to join with the village in the building of
town hall, to cost in the neighborhood of
$4,000, and of which in 1880 they will
have about $1,000 raised Now let US
make an estimate of the amount that it
would be necessary for the village to raise,
which would be 1850. Should the build
ing be built in 1880 it will require an as
sessment to take care of bonds falling due
in 1881, in addition to present bonded IN
debtedness, six-tenths of a mill more,
which would make eight and two-tenths
mills, the total assessment for the year
1880. Figuring to give each department
the same amounts and more, with the ex-
ception of harbor Improvements which,
will not be needed after 1880, and which
will be redeemed as bonds mature and are
paid, until the taxes will gradually di-
minish year after year until within a few
years our taxes will be reduced to between
five and six mills, or about one-haf what
they now are, and we would have the sat
isfaction of looking upon a town hall
which would be the pride of the tax-pay-
ers and citizens of Ashtabula, With
town hall we stop the necessity of levying
purposes and will save the expense which
is now paid by the village for Council
chamber, which together with the rent of
the armory amounts to 1915, or the inter
est at six per cent. on over $4,000, or with
in 81 800 of the amount that the village
would have to raise to build a $4,000
town hall, not only this but it would give
US nice hall for large gatherings and for
the use of our Fire Departments, Military
Companies, &C. adding very materially
to the effectiveness of the entire force, and
that could be rented for other purposes at
figures more than large enough to ipay in
terest on its bonds. Below we submit a
recapitulation of our figures.
For General Purposes. ......... $40 mills
Streets. ................2 5-l0
aarDOf ................l
Fire Department
Lighting Streets. .. $40
Parks and Cemeteries. -, 2-10
Police and Marshal, -. 5-10 &"
" Bonded Indebtedness. =. L 2-10 4"
Armory Purposes, . 2-10 Z"
" Additional Indebtedness. 6-10 ="
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2-1O mills
A CITIZEN.
Peerless Skating Rink.