Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-10-03
ovEnonAReE ON DITCH s8s.
james II. PIerce's Explanation.


or Of your paper have noticed some articles
and figures given by you In reference TO over
tax on ditch sa2 that has caused large number
OF my nelghbors 70 examine their tax receipts.
being taxpayer and resident on the bank OF
the ditch In question, also having been Commits
sioncr In charge OF said ditch at the time of levy
Ing tax and construction Of same, II was quite
natural for my neighbors TO cnll on me TO know
how this thing was, and not being In possession
OF the facts sufficient 10 fully satisfy myself OF
them wns requested by such men "a II. C.
Lawrence, D. Lucns, +. II. Thompson, John
Eberly md other heavy tax payers to call at the
Auditors Office md get the exact iacts and re-
port them, which consented to do and have
done. And after careful examination OF all
the transactions and proceedings, vouchers and
accounts, and having fully satisfied myself OF the
correctness OF the same, am ready to make the
following report, which will be found substan-
TALLY correct. hut as there Is large number OF
taxpayers that have spoken to me, besides a
large number that have not seen nor will he
able to see, that are largely interested In this
matter, have thought best to ask You to pub
lish II In your paper and oblige not only myself
but large number Of your readers. who, al
though not agreeing with you politically admire
your pluck and perseverance, not TO say any
thing about your check, In collecting matters OF
Interest for the readers OF your paper
To give those not acquainted with the history
Of this ditch better understanding Of this mat
ter, will first say that ditch 332 really consists
OF four separate ditches designated as follows
Main line Tthls being the he'd OF Grassy crcckl
Plank road arm. J. r. Newton arm and II. C,
Lawrence arm, the whole consisting Of o2iS miles
OF ditch. The apportionments OF these bitches
hntr
Interested In the outlet nre made to contribute
their proper proportion for the construction Of
same, so that It will be seen that any change
that might be made In tho original apportion-
ment by striking ont lands assessed or changing
plan Of constructing ditch on either of the arms
would only affect the arm so changed but nny
change on main line would affect the whole
| ditch. There was a number of changes made
adding to the original estimated Ecost of ditch.
The most notable were on Plank road arm, as
| follows: The grade line Of this arm was dropped
4-l0 OF one foot. The year following the location
| Of this ditch there was township ditch laid
parallel with this for about three miles, necessi
| tating the striking off of n number Of tracts &C
| land that were taxed on this arm. Also there
were constructed large number of culverts not
IN the original estimate On main line there
was number of cut-ofis made, the most expen-
sive being at Lininsers farm. The additional
cost Including purchases Of right OF way being
SilsS But think have given items enough
to show taxpayers on bitches TINT an original
apportionment sheet is a very poor guide to go
by to get the actual cost oil ditch. SO we viii
come to the main point at issue at once. Has
there been any money stolen or misappropriated
belonging to this ditch? The only way that
can SEQ to get at the facts is to compare figures
I EpIr o11 ell al1 A.
J. S. Ellis and countersigned by J. H. Pierce.
commissioner las required by special ditch law],
amounting to sl7,60i.47, interest on same for an
average of four years, the bonds running six
years, the first year paying only interest, the
principle and interest in five annual payments,
at per cent, per annum, s4e2e.25 treasurer
fees s24s.oO. Total expense of ditch So 7sl.7
Cash collected on duplicate to date, s24s62.5e.
Delinquent tax s73i. Total assessments for the
ditch, s25, ,596.56. Balance in favor of ditch S..
Sl4.S. ] will say however that the exact bal
ance cannot got at Entl the commissioners
make a final settlement between the ditch and
special ditch fund. notice that you ask Audi
tor Poe to stand up and answer some questions
with reference to the cost of a certain mile o
, ditch, which would be the two upper sections Of
Plank road arm, that hardly consider fail
questions to ask OF n man that never had any
thing to do with the matter except to enter or
the tax duplicates Of 1882 and 1888 a certain tax
levy ordered by the board of commissioners, the
first order being made in 1878 three years before
. he became Auditor, the last In 1888, as Messrs
Dunipace and Fries informed me at the Audi
tors Office to-day, Mr.. Junkins not being pres
ent. As l was one of the commissioners tha
made the first order, levied the tax, and paic
1 the money for the improvement, ought to b.
better posted in the matter than Mr.. Poe an,
have decided to stand up and answer your ques
tions for him. Your query is that II that mile G
j ditch cost S26s.36 and there has been collecte
e from lands adjacent to that mile Sl,655.5l, +
IN know what has become OF the balance OF tina
money. Now i will answer that question b
y asking you another. If the balance of the none
= had been stolen as you intimated and the lowe
O mile of that arm cost Ss67.l3, and the adjacen
(. lands pay se2.10, where the devil are you goin
to get the money to pay the balance WITH to sa
y nothing of its proper proportion OF the outlet
v The figures given are the exact figures of cost G
8 ditch and leyies on adjacent lands. Now !
II seems seems to me M this , whole matter SINNERS itse
commissioners in ordering. the full levy contir
@ ued on the tax duplicate Of 1883 act judiciousl
did the commissioners after the December co
lection act judiciousy and for the best interest
!. Of the taxpayers by continuing the last half g
,
u money enough in the treasury to pay the ii
:, debtedness of the ditch, or would 1t have bee
Ii better to have ordered the treasurer 10 hay
. stricken the same from the duplicate, as hr
been done in number OF cases OF excessive lie,
e les? l admit that there is fair chance for
e difference OF opinion on these questions. hay
passed over almost the entire line of the ditc
. within the last week, and find large number (
b bars and other Obstructions in the ditch, and
4 think II the work OF repairs could commenc
Immediately SO rs to complete this fall, II woul
be money in the pockets OF the taxpayers to hay
Il the same done. But If this cannot be DONE m
q advice to the taxpayers Is to ask the commit
sioners to refund their money, which the cor
missioners inform me they are willing to dI
i Now Mr.. Dobson, as you requested me to max
A this statement as short as possible when spok
', " TO You about publishing 1t on Monday in Perry
burg; and II has now gone beyond anything thu
o had expected when started out, will close d
= saying that you or any other man will alway
find me ready to stand up and explain my OF
. cial acts on this or any other ditch and that
= is not necessary to ask the Auditor or any otht
man TO stand UP and explain for me- / renal
your friend personally, but your political enem
so long as you continue your present course {
e treatment of public officials, that / have n
- doubt are acting conscientiously and to the be-
oi their Judgment for the best interest of til
D county ]. II. PIERCE,
e Ex.Commissioner Wood Co., O.
Sept. l6, 1884.