The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-08
Davis and Dickinson Counties.

| Davis county is burdened with a debt
Of 100000. Dickinson county. little
more than double the size of Davis and
four or five times as productive, has a
| debt Of S14, 600, which could be paid off
to-day if it was due. Comment is I'M
necessary.-Abilene Reflector.
We have an idea that comment is
necessary. Dickinson county has a
valuation from which to raise public
expenses of $2,227, 1913, and Davis ST.
541 AS: Dickinson has an area of 544.-
$40 acres, and Davis 260, $50: the num-
Der Of acres occupied in Dickinson is
345, 309, in Davis 109.0S4: the value of
the products of Dickinson county in
1882 was 1888, 727, as against $685.
739 in Davis; Dickinson has a popula-
ton of -, 495 and Davis 1858. And
yet Dickinson county, with double the
valuation, twice the area, three times
the amount of land in use, and five
times as much produced, and more than
twice the population, has not dollar
OF Indebtedness, last year had tax levy
Of Sl.45 on the 500, Ia raise of % cents
over the year Previous which raised
for county expenses S45, 1896, while Davis
county, in addition to the above insig
nificant comparison carries a debt of
S120, 900, last year had a total levy of
$1.S7 on the 500, raising for county
expenses about So, S23. Both counties
maintain the same machinery. Davis
is making roads and building bridges
all the time, and has also had in the
last three or four years to catch up with
defalcation of $4,000 or SIS. 600.
What does Dickinson do with so much
money? and what advantage is it to the
tax payer to live in large county? For
fifteen years we have clipped and COM
pared the tax notices of county treas
urers in various portions of the state,
and we find that with some tritiing eX-
ceptiOnS neither valuation or indebted
ness affect the levy. In other words
the Kansas county, regardless of wealth
or debt, manages to consume every year
IN expenses from ten to twenty mills on
the dollar. We have always had an
idea that an increase of wealth would
affect the levy, but it don't. The COM
paTiSOn shows we think, considering her
resources, admirable management Oh the
part OfDaviS. IfDaviS had no debt to pro-
vide for, as is the case with Dickinson,
her levy would be but Sl.20 as against
S1.45 in Dickinson. How does one
county, for the same purposes, get along
on a levy of Sl.20 on S1.541 1873, while
the other needs S1.45 on 50, 227. 79S?
There seems to be room for a great deal
of comment, it strikes us.-JlmctiOn
City Union.
BRO. MARTIN hath delivered himself
unto us. He should know that the
larger the county, the larger the ex-
pense to run it. But we shall contine
ourselves to one or two points, and take
but slight advantage Of the opportunity
he has given us.
Dickinson county'S tax levy for 1883
was S1.45 for county expenses. But
out of this levy a debt of S24, 900 was
paid when it became due last March,
With debt Of S14,500, not due until
1889, with three bridges to build out
of the general fund at a cost of 200,
with the opening of a large number Of
new roads, (see list of road notices in
last weeks REFLECTOR) and with a
larger salary roll than Davis,
DickinsOn'S tao lery for county purposes
tbiS gear 1ciU be blt $I.05. And there
will then lie probable surplus to invest |
in good securities. In the face of this
the Union says: IF Davis had no debt |
to provide for, as is the case with Dick |
inSOn, her levy would be but S12O."
Why put it SO high in a county so lad
mirably managed" when Dickinson,
with debt of $14, 800, with new bridg-
IS to build and new roads to open, has
1 levy of only S1.05?
Dickinson county is probably better
and in better condition than
my other county in the state. Her val
lation is exceedingly low, her people
Ire honest and prosperous, her officials
capable and trustworthy and not given
o defalcatiOnS.
What benefit has Davis county re-
.eived from her 100000 Indebtedness?
S Junction City any the better for it?
1t is more than probable that that
lebt has held her down and tortured
Ter, while Abilene has caught up with
md passed her, and is every day widen
ng the distance between the two plac-
S. As an eminent judge remarked a
hort time ago, junction City can no
Onger be considered a rival of Abilene