The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-08-04
A FEW FACTS.

J11A, mONANN
! A FEW FACTS.
The tax levy in this county
this year is Is mills Oh the dol
lar. The assessed valuation of taxa
Bile property will probably reach IS,
OOO, 900. This will produce q revenu.
of SIS. 900 from this PURGE The
amount to be received from licenses
may equal that Of last year-say $780,
600 and say $1,000 from special peol
tax-an aggregate of $l02, 600. Last
year the county received from the
same sources the um of $13l. 799.
Thus it will be seen the revenue Of
the county will fall off this year $780,.
799. Now let us see how the county
will stand financially year hence.
To ascertain this we must know what
it costs to run the county govern
ment. This is easily arrived at. There
was March /, 1882 $29, 354 cash in the
treasury. There vas collected from
property tax, special poor tax and
licenses last year the sum of $751;
799. Add to this the amount in the
treasury 3 year ago last March and we
have the sum of $161, 1853 which has
been at the disposal of the county dur
ing the fifteen months ended May 31st
last. Now let us see what the coun-
ty has on hand at the present date.
The commissioners transferred all
the money in the county fund to the
contingent fund at their meeting
last June. There remains in the lat
ter fund at date the sum of $2,Sl3 So
and in the poor fund about S., 1000 or
altogether not quite $l2, 600. Deduct
ing this amount from $i6l, 1873 and
we find the county has used the sum
OF $l49, 153 in cash during the time
specified. But these figures do not
represent the whole sum OF ext enses.
There are outstanding registered war
rants against the county to the
amount OF 81, and unaudited &C
counts to the amount of about IS 900,
making altogether the sum Of SIS ZOO.
This amount must be added to $780,
1853 and we have S164, 1873 as the
amount expended by the county dur.
ing the time mentioned. From this
latter sum must be s%ubtracted $25, 478,
the amount paid upon the county
building and we see that the sum OF
$138,675 has been paid out in meeting
the ordinary expenses of the county.
Here, then, we have reliable data
upon which to estimate the probable
amount needed to run the county
for twelve months hence. The solu-
ton of a simple problem in prepor-
ton will show it. If it takes $685.
675 to meet the expenses of Silver
Bow County for fifteen months what
sum will it take to run it twelve
months? The answer is $l12,53 st
Now let us see what we will have to
pay this amount. The county is al
ready in debt $15,O Another term
of court will be held this year. The
expenses of the term and other coun-
ty expenses will reach S., 1000 or
$4,000 by the lst of December next
when the present years taxes become
due. So it is safe to say the county |
will be in debt $25, 900 at the COM
mencement of the next year. As We !
haye before stated the expenses OF
the county for the ensuing year will
reach $1l2,536, and we will have but
5000 OO to meet it. This will leave
the county $l0,536 short, to which
add $25 200 accrued and accruing
debts and we find the county will be
SIS. 536 in debt a year hence ever if
the loan be refused.
But should it be granted let us see
how we will then stand. There will
have to be raised for interest 1000, |
and for a sinking fund, i'll case the
bonds are redeemed at the expiration
of five years, $4,000; total $27, 900.
But We find the county will be $685.
536 in debt at the lowest. estimate
without this additional burden. Add
ing the interest and sinking fund to
the latter figures, and it can be seen
the county will be $62, $3.50 IN debt be-
fore the next years levy can be col
lected, and an additional debt of $780,
600 in unredeemed bonds still hang
ing over US. These calculations are
made upon the supposition that the
current expenses OF the county will
not exceed the estimate
made. But should there be a large
increase over the usual number of
criminal cases the estimate of county
expenses will be found much too
low.
In considering this question there
are other matters to be taken into ac-
count The burning and destruction
OF one or two Of our largest mining
works would threw out of employ
ment from $50 to 500 men. A dis
aster of this character would be
seriously felt by every business man
in the community and it would be a
powerful factor in depreciating real
estate values, and creating a feeling
of uneasiness and insecurity in the
minds of all property holders. A
mining camp should always be pre-
pared for contingencies of thisInature
BY keeping a good stiff bank &C.
count to its credit. Itshould never
run in debt. The history of all Pa
cifc coast mining counties shsw
that those which incurred indebted
ness during their flush days are
bankrupt to-day. five heed the les
taught by other mining camps,
Silver Bow county would vote down
ne proposed loan by a unanimous
The Telegram nh oporotora, e+r;lo