The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-05-09

F0&EsFr ss - - q s q ~ -
THE Civil SERVICE CoMMIssroar-G -GnAFn
GRowERs, CoNvENTIoN. as.s..sS. g -;
Mr. j. s. Tomlinson writes Is from
Washington, making some timely suages-
tions ON the above topics which we pub
lish as follows ~ = Z g
s WAsHNGreN, D. G., May q, 1886. 4
EDITORS Citizen ~ an informed that
the Civil Service Commission Is think
ing of holding another competitine ex-
anination in North Caroline this Spring
or the coming summer and have mem
toned Statesville as the probable place
for the meeting. If you will writ6 the
Commissioners OF Mr.. Graham and suq-
gest and urge AsheEille il is more than
probable youscan secure the meeting for
that place. Examinations have. been
held at Goldsboro, Greensboro and Char
lotte and the West should now have i
chance. fs
It would be well for the fruit gaoWers
of Buncombe, &c, to send delegate TO
the aGrape Growers Convention1 to. be
held here 18th of this, month see
Capt. a. has called mee = q next
Saturday. II you do not succeed IN get
ting some one to come as direct repres-
entatiye and can be of any service,
send instructions and will be gl.id to do
what cam. ] expect to a. enc all the
meetings anyway. ]. s. ToMLINsoN.
THE QUESTION BEFORE Us.
In connection with our article of yes
terday, we come very naturally to the
cost of the work. The estimates of that
have been made, and the costs ascer
tanned as nearly as possible. For the
water supply and for the street improve
ment of the sum of 100000 is proposed
to be raised from the sale of bonds of
the city of Asheville, and the authority
to issue such bonds is the question TO be
decided.
There is very natural fear that in so
large an increase of the debt of the city
there will be an increase of taxes to meet
the annual or semi-annual accruing in
terest. The foundation of this fear rests
upon the erroneous assumption that the
burden falls upon present shoulders;
that population is to remain where it is,
and that there will be no enhancement
in the values of property, now SO situa-
ted as to be outside of the reach of the
imT rovements that have advanced
other parts of the city so rapidly. But
the very effect of additional improve
ment; the results of such sece rity to
property, such advantage to health,
such increased facilities to commu-
nication, are the very things. that will
give this addition to population, this in
fn ha vyol lIIn of NnTtry
of themselves relieve the fear of increas-
ed taxation, for the burden becomes
more generally diffused and falls more
lightly on the shoulders of the individu-
al.
A source of revenue, which: on itself
will tighten, if it does not remove, our
branch of taxation, has not been given
serious consideration. This is the reve.
nue. from the use of water. Even now
with comparatively limited use, the rev.
enue amounted last year to nearly one
thousand dollars. Now it is almost Ger.
tain that under an enlarged and general
use of the water, the revenues will be
enough from that source to pay the in
terest on the sum to be allotted to the
enlargement of the water supply.
But even if this should be an overes-
innate of revenue taxpayers are protect
ed by the provisions of the charter of
the city of Asheville, as amended By ;;Act
of Assembly, Session of 1888. Sub-sec-
tion 1.of Section 35 says.
son all real and personal property
will in the corporate limits of the city of
Asheville, including money on hand and
all subjects taxable by the General As
sembly of North Carolina as set forth ana
valued on the tax list of Buncompe
county, a tax ad UaLorenl not exceeding
one dollar on every hundred dollars in
valuation.
So that if the necessity came upon the
city for increase of taxes, the law stands /
squareiy in the face of a levy of more
than five or eight cents-we forget
which, or the present rate But as we
have said, we believe taxation will not
exceed the present rate. We believe
taxation will, not only not be increas-
ed, but that it will be diminished from
the causes of inevitable increase of popu-
lation and enhancement of values, the
direct results of the value of the proposed
works, the revenue derived from water
rents and the relatively permanent ma
ture of the street improvements which
reduce the existing continuous drain for
temporary repairs.
More again.
Measures taken for 4. Raymond & Co.,
Fashionable Mem York THiIOrs and n fit