The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-08-21
County Bonds Not Needed

1t is now estimated that the cost of repair.
ing the damages to the bridges and roads of
Hartford county caused by the storm and
freshet of August Sd will not exceed S25 900.
OF this amount the restoration of the bridges
lost or displaced will require about $4,000,
and to place the public roads in as good
condition as they were before the storm
about $4,000.
To raise this large amount Of money in one
year would require an addition of about rs
cents on the 800 TO the present taxes, MAX
ing a total of 105 cents on the 800. This
would unqucstionably be onerous to taxpay-
ers, and a proposition has therefore been
made to distribute the sum over number of
years, by means of county bonds, maturing
at specified intervals. This plan, at first
sight, appears to be the most feasible, but we
think a better and more economical way can
be found.
The experience of the past in issuing coun-
ty bonds is not calculated to make this plan
of debt-paying very popular on economical
grounds. In 1865 county bonds to the amount
of $4,000 were issued to provide substitutes
to fill Harfords quota for the Federal army.
1t took over $G0000 to pay the principal and
interest Of this debt, for the reason that many
OF the bondholders would not collect the
money levied for the payment of their bonds,
the investment being good and the security
ample. Accordingly, from time to time,
sums collected to pay maturing bonds, not
being called for, were appropriated to other
and doubtless legitimate objects of county ex-
penditure. 1t is well-known fact that when
county or city has an unappropriated or
unused fund some plan is soon suggested to
get rid of it.
Again in 1877 county school bonds were
issued. Pro1iting by experience in the case
of the bounty bonds, n provision was inserted
in the act by which interest was to cease
when the bonds became due Notwithstand.
ing this, some of the bonds were not paid
when they matured but ran along on interest
for more than year afterwards through an
arrangement between the holder and the
Commissioners OF course the books of the
County Commissioners show that these
ulicuHAo, iSflSt w pay JULIUS IeltTTGu u,
were properly applied. but they were divert.
ed from their intended object and it became
necessary to levy for them second time
The loss by the storm can be paid without
n resort to the Legislature to authorize coun-
ty bonds to be issued and without any in
crease of taxation. 1t will only require a
little flrmness and economy on the part of
the Commissioners. Let them determine
that until the cost of the flood damages are
paid they will not appropriate single cent
for new school houses, new roads or new
bridges, except for bridges carried away by
the flood. They can thereby save in one
year more than one-half the amount required
to restore the bridges and roads. In the
present levy these items are as follows:
For New Roads. .... 900. :.......... Sc, 746.5 So
". New Bridges and special leyies on
roads. Observation-Disclosures. q, 543. 90
" New school Houses, 2h cents on
VIC TluO. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. O,lSS.UU
Total. Observation-Disclosures. SIG, 47762
Upon the basis OF last years expenditures
these sums can be saved without serious en-
barrassment to the public. AT the same time
more economy might be exercised in the ex.
pendture of the road money. The Commits
sioners have levied $4,000 for repairs to the
public roads, from April 1st, 1886 Let each
general road supervisor retain say 25 per
cent OF the amount appropriated for his
district rs fund with which to meet emer-
gencies Then let sub-supervisors be held
to strict accountability and not be allowed,
in any case, to exceed the amounts of their
road warrants. The result would probably
be that the road money would be expended
with greater care and with equally good re-
suits as heretofore
The whole debt may be provided for, it is
thought, by county certificates of indebted.
ness.
1t may be urged that if county bonds were
issued the same economy, as above indicated,
could be practiced. 1t would seem, indeed.
that it might be done, but past experience is
against 1t. County authorities are ndivdu-
ais, after all, and are disposed, like Mr. Mi
cawber, to regard promissory note as the
final payment of debt at least as far as the
necessity for economy to provide for it is
concerned. An almost irresistible pressure
is brought to bear upon the County Commits
sioners, from time to time, to appropriate
money to build new school houses, new
bridges and open new roads. With a float
ing debt hanging upon the county their
vertebral columns might be sufficiently stiff
fened to enable them to refuse to make any
expenditures except those absolutely neces-
sary.
The Baltimore San says it is reported
that number of custom house employees will
be dronDed from the rnlIs On San,ep,ho, 1 q,