Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-01-29
CITY OR vILLAaE-wHIcH9

The Question Discussed at the Citizens
Meeting Friday Evening.--A Large Ma
Jority Favor City.
In response to the call of President
Frost, large numbsr of our citizens as
sembled at the council room last Friday
evening to consider the question of Che
boygan securing a city charter. The
meeting was called to order by Presi-
dent Frost, and upon motion Of George
W. Bell Mr.. Frost was elected chairman
Of the meeting. C. s. Ramsay was elect
ed secretary.
The chairman briefly stated the object
OF the meeting and called for an express
sisR from those present in regard to the
matter.
Robert Patterson favored a city char.
ter, but'had not given the matter enough
thought to speak at length upon the sub
ject, and would rather hear from others.
Hon. Geo. W. Bell, being called for, Ak
pressed himself in favor of city char
tor. 1t would do away with the double
system of taxing-town and village
and save one assessment. The school
system could be better arranged, as the
several schools would be under one man
agement and have one system, and all
would have the benefit of the high
school.
Hon. Oscar Adams was next called for.
and stated he had NO deep or profound
interest In the matter, his financial in
tsrest not being SO great as some others.
but he was decidedly in favor of a city
government, and spoke at length show
ing the advantages to be derived FROM
the change. It would give us better DO
lice government, better order. laws bet
ter enforced against disOrderly conduct,
school system very much improved with
out increasing the cost, giving better
schools than possible under the present
system, would increase our representa-
tion on the board of supervisors. That
now with only one supervisor the town
ship Of Benton was at the mercy of the
the board, and for this reason was being
compelled to pay an undue proportion of
the state and county taxes. Cheboygan
county was no worse in this respect than
other counties. For thirty years he had
fought the same spirit in the county
from which he came. Threats had been
made by more than one supervisor that
1t was only question of time until the
county seat would be removed to more
central point, and every effsrt was being
made to organize new towns in the
southern portion of the comfy for the
purpose of influencing this very qucs-
ton. The best way to check the move
was to organize as city and secure IN
creased representation on the board of
Supervisors. Thought that the expense
of running a city would be no more than
for running village, that increased
prosperity would be secured by taking
an advanced step and becoming city.
Hon. VIM. Macarthur asked Mr.. Adams
several questions in regard to equaliza-
tion, taxing of agricultural lands within
corporate limits, etc. In answer he sta
cd that all these matters would be arrang-
I'D in the charter, that in the city of Flint
lands that were not in use for distinctly
city purposes were taxed as agricultural
lands.
j. P. Sutton. said as clerk Of the board
of supervisors for seven years he had had
an opportunity to know, that there
was such a spirit among the members as
Mr.. Adams had referred to, and that there
were members who did not hesitate to |
openly declare that Benton would have
to pay one half Of the taxes of the state
and county. That it required the closest
figuring and wire working by the super
visor Of Benton to secure anything like
Justice in the matter Of equalization,
that new towns were being organized in
the south part Of the county with the
avowsd purpose Of compelling Benton to
pay half the taxes.
Supervisor Gallagher stated he kns W
there was an organized effort to make
Benton pay half the taxes. Members Of
the beard had admitted that such bar
gain had been made. That men who
had made pledges to him to see justice
done to Benton to secure his influence
to get them appointed upon the commit
tee of equalization, but when appointed
upon that committee had worked the
hardest to raise the assessed valuation
of the town.. One day should bs suffici-
emit to equalizs the valuation of the