Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-04-10

The FINANCIAL STATEMENT Of the out
going Board of Commissioners of this place
appears in our advertising columns Of this
| issue
1t will be noted that the two items of debt
accounted for 90 not meet the receipts from
I loans, that is the present board leave a slight
increase of debt upon the corporation; this
was not intended, bat the renewal of the
bridge on Factory Avenue being necessary
and knowledge Of it coming after the bulk
of the years expenses were incurred, they
were unable to decrease the debt. We make
this statement in the interest of the retiring
board.
DEATH OF Lulu GERNAND.--Thc illness
of Miss Luln, daughter of Mr. Jos, A. Ger
nand Gracrham of which mention has been
made in these columns, terminated fatally on
Sunday last. The deceased had been CON
frmed invalid for about one year. having
more recently suffered several severe hemor
rhagcs, which thoroughly broke her down.
Throughout all of her sutierings she was
/
she was upheld by the consciousness Of hay
ing lived pure and christian life, all who
remember her will believe. The deceased
was "a years, months and % days old !;
her remains were inferred in the Graceham
cemetery on Tuesday.
OUR CORPORATION AFFAIRS Il glance
at the financial statement in this issue must
convince the people of this town that with
the present basis and at the present rate of
taxation, our borough affairs will not run
smoothly The Office of Burgess has been
almost self sustaining during the past year
and the items of streets, bridges, lamps and
| lighting sewering salaries and cost of COL
Letting taxes, every one Of them necessary,
fully account for all the money that will be
forthcoming, while the item for work done
on the streets is not large; it is conceded
that $30is not enough for lamplightng, and
the cost of sewers and bridges during the
past year is not an amount greater than nat
urally should be required to be placed an
nually in some such permanent improve
mcnts of our streets, these facts in connection
with this, that the corporation debt has
gradually increased year by year until ii now
borders on two hundred dollars, are the
reasons that we give for the opinion express
ed in the first lines of this item. The credit
of the corporation has been excellent and
there has been no difficulty experienced in
securing loans of money, but that is by no
means saying that the corporation should be
in debt, three four,hs Of the amount of one
wears taxes; it makes things work badly,
renders il disagreeablc to the commissioners
and brings the disgruntled citizen to the top
on all occasions Hence, provisions should
be made for the continuance of the present
needed annual outlay and for steady re-
ducton of the debt TO that end we would
again suggest the taxation of personal prop
crtv, barring the stock in trade of business
houses, with the tax rate kept the same as
!, present and an annual appropriation of 10
or 20 per cent of the receipts to pay the ex-
listing debt. Unless this, or some other feas
iblc plan is adopted, we are at loss to un
dcrstand how either the work of the corpor
alton is to be kept up, or the present debt
paid.
At the election on Monday next will be an
excellent opportunity for our people to eK
press themselves on the subject and as the
law permits non real estate owners to take
, part in clecting the officers, both sides viii
have an equal chance to be heard and thai
reminds us to say, that said non real estate
J owners vote as well as receive the benefits O
| pavcmcnts crossings light and law and or
der and should unqu. stionably be made te
bear their share ofthc cost.