The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-09-05


When people congregate together,
either for protection, comfort, taste or in
business pursuits, there is necessarily an
expenditure of labor and money to be
encountered commensurate with the OBJ
jects, advantages, and privileges to be
enjoyed, and this cost varies with the in
telligence, foresight and determination of
the people.
In the present day ana state of civiliza-
ton and progress, cities or towns must
have streets or highways, and facilities
for doing business; they must have com
Portable homes; and no city is without
''the poor and afflicted who must be
cared for.
To make it healthy and prolong life
when people corgregato in masses, and
make city, there must of necessity be
drainage, sewerage, good water supply,
city government, and many other ex-
penses, not only for the city, but imposed
by general laws of the State and the
United States.
Lambertville has taken position among
the cities of New Jersey and IL is now in
cumbent on the citizens not only to main
tain that position, but to grow, and make
progress, in accordance with the many
natural and artificial advantages with
which it is favored.
In an ordinance OF the city council
passed Aug. 18th, approved Aug. 10th,
are the following appropriations, viz:
TO pay for the support OF the poor 81 800
70 pay for the repairs and improve
ment ofthc streets, 100
To pay contingent expenses, 200
Making total sum Of $1,000
Which is raised year after year, by tax
ing the citizens, and in the manner in
which it is now expended, at the end OF
the year there is nothing of permanent
OF progressive character to show for the
expenditure, and the same process of tax
alton and expenditure has to be gone over
the next year, and by augmented increase.
The sum of 81 200 will pay ) per cent.
interest on $S4, 000 and if bonds were
issued to that amount at 5 per cent, and
that sum was expended upon our city, it
would accomplish all that is needed,
would increase the value Of property and
give employment to many, and make our
city increase in population, and thus dis
tribute the burthen of taxation over a
greater number.
There is, just now, feeling of aver
sion to a public debt, and there are many
sad examples given by our sister cities in
which the taxes are very high, compared
with our own, which are not unreasonable.
Ii we cannot agree with the assertion
attributed to a no;ed iinancier that "a
public debt is a blessing we could get
very much of what We want by the issu-
ing of bonds to the amount fsay $40, 900,
5 per cent interest redeemable in ten
years, to be expended nearly as follows:
Buildings for hospital and poor, = 5000
Street Improvements, &c, l5,0O0
Sewers and drainage 10000
Issuing bonds clerk ing. &C. 900
$40 900
Yearly taxes, based on the present levy,
for 10 years, would amount to $42, 900; so
that at the end of ten years, the improve
ments would be on hand and the bonds all
cancelled
1t may be asked how the interest on
the bonds would be raised | would an
swer that the first two years it would have
to be paid out of the principal; after that
by the increased valuation of the property
and the redemption of bonds.
This method properly carried into effect
would give us good streets, good sewer
age, farm fer the poor, and a he spital,
all of which an greatly needed, and at q
very early day, so that this generation
may enjoy the benefit