River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-01-22

TRUST FUNDS.
The condition of the several educa-
tional trust funds, at the close OF the
fiscal year, was as follows:
School fund at interest, 81 679 557 10 s84, 435 IS
I'm versily fund, at in
Ag'l college fund, at in
Normal school fund, at
interest,". .......... l,O2g U9y 81 %, 94S IS
Total, at Interest,". s4, 157, O5s IS S1O0444 81
The increase, during the year, in the
amount at interest, is $67 S95 46, ard
the decrease in the amount on hand,
81, $50 GA net increase of 500, 043. Al.
CONTINGENT FUND.
January l, 1879, the balance to the
credit Of the governors contingent fund
was 1881 81. The appropriation to that
fund last year was 81, 10000, and the
expenditures therefrom 1892 10, leav-
ing balance to the credit of that fund,
at the beginning of the calendar year,
of $98981.
INDEBTEDNESS.
The aggregate Indebtedness of the
Itate remains as at the close of the last
llSCal year, anu CONSISTS OF
War bonds outstanding. Sill, 600 90
Certificates of Indebtedness to trust
fandS-......... .......... 2, "a, OOO OO
Currency certificates. ............. 81 o.
- -
- SIS Vot w
The Indebtedness of the counties,
cities, towns, villages and school districts
in the state, amounts to $40, 116, 1913. 10,
according to the returns made to the
secretary of state. More than usual ef-
forts have been made during the past
year to secure accuracy in these re-
turns, and it is believed they are essen
TALLY correct. The total public indebt-
edness of the people of Wisconsin is,
therefore, $12, 367 ,955.1S, or at the rate
of about eight and one.half dollars per
capita of estimated population, and
three and one-third per cent. of the as.
sessod valuation.
ASSESSMENTS.
The values of all properties in tho
state subject to taxation as returned by
the assessors for the past two ysar6, are
as follows:
Personal property 900, or. alS 90 sss 127, - 60
City and village Its 103. 800, 469 IS 81, 545 746 80
OtHeI Ecai estate. <oo oo3, 0uf % ~o@ o~j 49o oV
Totals s45s, $40, 5se 81 s406, 800, 1856 90
This shows an apparent decrease In
valuation of $40, 037 1897 80, and is an
indication of the zeal with which conf
munities seek to avoid the payment q
their just proportion of the public e8
pendiIues. 1t is evident that the value
OF taxable property III Wisconsin has
no: decreased since the assessment CT
1873. Indeed, we all know that it has
materially increased and that the as
ses,ment ought to show it. ! do not at
tribute the blame for these under-valu-
atoms solely to assessors. They cannot
be expected to do otherwise than reflect
the public sentiment. They are the
agents and servants Of the people by
whom they are elected. Nevertheless,
ii Is much 10 be regretted that assess
mcnts cannot be obtained, as the law
requires, upon the basis of actual value,
and thus show the real ratio of taxation.
fhe question, also, as to the policy or
right OF the state to exempt any, except
pltlic, property from taxation, is being
agitated in various sections of the state,
and the arguments adduced in favor of
making every class of property con-
tribute equally to the support of the
government which protects it, are wor-
Thy of your most considerate attention.
shall very cheerfuly cooperate with
you in any measure, looking to the
correction of the evils incident to the
present system of assessment.
TAXES.
The total taxes levied in the state for
the year 1878, amounted to 1861
$50 90, which is SCI, 769 90 less than the
t )tal taxes for the previous year, and
was at the rate of S1.93 en- each one
hundred dollars of the state assessment
for that year.
The purposes for which these taxes
were levied, the respective amounts and
rates, are as follows: /,