The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-01-08
SHALERSVILLE,

correspondence
Sleighing gone, and 80 has Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year.
Mr.. English has moved his saw-mili
on to Mr.. Moats' farm.
Mr.. S. II. Beecher has returned from
Texas,
Visitors in town, John Osmon and
his mother, of Michigan, and Patsey
Burns, of Allegheny. ... .-
Those visiting out of town the past
week, Mr.. and Mrs. B. f. Crane, New
Philadelphia Mr.. and Mrs. Howe,
Akron Mr., aud Mrs. +. II, Hoskins,
Edinburgh Mr.. and Mrs. Farrance.
Middlefirld.
MIR. Fisher has finished an extra
nice ditch across his farm.
Rev. Mr.. Powell, of Freedom, will
preach in This place on Sunday mex
at > p IN. The ). S. will commence
at |, instead of l:30 +. M.
Mr.. Ronney read 4 sermon last Sun
day.
EMIiss Eta Eldridge and Miss Nellie
Crane were at home for the holidays.
NJ ISIS +. returned to the Station TO take
charge of her school this week, and
Miss e. to her place i'll school at Ak
run.
Ill. J. Minard is at home, quite sick
We hope to learn that he is able to AT
tend to duties again at Crane Bro's
store soon.
Why is the village OF Kent taken
Gale of with less tax than Ravennu
village? Kent village with a les
q mount on the tax duplicate than Ra
VIENNA, is taxed 81 40 on each 500 val
uation, while Ravenna. with a larger
amount on the tax duplicate, is taxed
81 90 on each 500 valuation. Why i.
this difference Is il because Raven
ma has greater or more privileges than
| Kent? Or is it because, as "Thr MAJ.
About Town" says, 1.-The Council IL
composed of six good men, with b
well informed, judicious Mayor as pre-
siding officer"
Some say we are now paying for the
new school house. How is that? The
School Board ask if they may (no'
must build school house at Il cost ot
$4,000. Ravenna says by vote, yes.
The Board then con trary to the known
wishes of the people, let the contrac
| for a school house to cost some Sl7 ,0Oi
and we are taxed to pay not only THAI
amount, but thousands more 10 com
plete building and grounds. Why wa>
this? ! think there was more THAI
one reason for it, ( think some of the
Board wanted Carpenter to build the
house las who would not?l. They
wanted "hale fellow well met ~
and who of us do not Wish to be equal
with his neighbOr, whether we art
able or not? If a farmer puts up 81
good, nice house on his farm, his
neighbor wants one just as good, and
how often have We seen the neighbOI
put up big house and lose, not onlS
the house, but the land it stands on
The County has built good, Hine court
house. which / am glad of, am glad to
see it, and the Board of Education
wanted as good school house as the
County had court house, whether the
tax payers were able to have so costly
a building or not.
Now if the citizens of Ravenna by
vote say to the Council you may mot
muSh go on and put up water works at
a cost of $50, 900. what guarantee have
we that the cost will not be as much
! school house has been-say some SIPS,
600 instead of the SIS 900? The tax l.
now $2G on each ST 900. valuation 81
more would make the tax three per
cent, that is $50 on each 81, 900 valua
ton. Now, how many of Ravenna's
citizens who own a house worth 81 200
are able or willing to pay $50 tax on
that home each year-and how far
would that 81 on each 81 900 so toward
building and keeping up water works?
Make the tax ) per cent or over, and
| believe Ravenna AS n village will be
dead town.
In the last sixteen years have sold
few pieces of property, aud during
that time number of men who hat
some money, had the means To live
have come to me, wanting to buy u
home. They say, we like Ravenna
it is nice, pleasant village. Finally,
they have asked about the taxes-what
per cent. do you have to pay? On
learning that, they have said, no, We
will not bring our money into Raven
ma to be taxed that way.
The most of them would be willing
to pay tax of = per cent, but when
it goes above that. they will keep away.
know many will say, such men
would not go into business. would not
build up the town; but they are like
the rest of us-musL live, must pay ont
some money. There are many citizens
of Ravenna Village, now, who own