The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-07-08
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT


u THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
, | is in excellent condition. No city can boast o
more effective organization at so small cost
The members volunteers but they RESPOND
though they were paid for their services. lh
fire record of the city is the best testimonial Il
efficiency Of the departmeefn 70 as
| the petition sent to your predecessors, request
ing the establishment of reel house, psop
eriy equipped, on North Augusta street, receive
consideration. The only serious fires we have
had for years were in that portion OF the city
"a fact due to IT'S from fne presenl
reaching it.
I WEEKLY SETTLEMENTS.
Idoubt not that at the earliest meetings OF
the Council, the custom of supplying city en-
ployees with store-orders. instead of paying
them in money at the end OF each week, will be
discontinued The wages they receive are moi
| LARGE and certainly they should have the OPP
| portunity of purchasing to the best advantage
i. e-for cash. A system OF weekly settle
thereby, can be readily arranged and justice
| and right require that 1t should be done with
| out delay.
THE COST OF IMPROVEMENTS
! 1t may be urged that the improvements indi-
| Gated will require too great an expenditure.
You gentlemen must judge OF the ability of the
| city to meet that expenditure. Ii it were de-
| sired to undertake the entire work ct this
| time, the cost would be less than 500, 900. To
| rate of interest, could be issued and their par
value realized. The annual interest charge
would be $500 and possibly less. Provision
| amount to So, 900 per year. A restoration of the
tax rate to the figures of last year-Sl.25 on the
| Sl00-would more than meet the additional
| charge upon the treasury, and would Cypress
no one.
Can Staunton negotiate such a loan? Under
| the act approved March Goth, 1875, the city's
| bonded Indebtedness cannot exceed IL per cent
of the assessed values of real estate and Is per
cent. of the assessed values of personal prop
| erty. The aggregate of taxable real estate
within the city is Sl,757, 1876 of personal prop
erty s4il.559. This FIXES the limit of bonded in
debtedness at $780,, 957 IL. The present bonded
| numbers. of s65 O)0
Doubt has been expressed as to whether or
| not the city would be ultimately held bound
| for it's second subscription to the capital stock
of the Valley Roalroad Co. In cas-. case 1t is, the
| bonded debt would be increased $4,000, leaving
ance under the law. The conditions upon
| which that subscription made have never
been complied with. and in the opinion of
learned counsel the city cannot be held to 1t. On
the 2lst of April, 1871, Maj. I: G. Elder, the then
city attorney, i'll response to resolution OF the
council filed a carefully prepared and elabor-
ate opinion covering this subject; He held
that the failure of the Valley R. r. to meet the
conditions upon which the subscription was
based, released the city from its payment. AS
and her proxies in the stockholders meetings
OF the Valley II. r. Co., have uniformly de-
clined to vote q greater number of shares of
stock than the first subscription of 100000 (fOr
which bonds were issued) represents. Not on
".
1879 formally notified the authorities of the
Valley X. R. Co. of the failure to comply with
the conditions Of the subscription, and that In
voked The notice was served upon Mr.. Key
ser, the President of the Co. Other proceed
ings confirmatory OF that action have since
been had
The lapse of time and continued failure of the
Co. to make good its part of the contract. have
but strengthened the position taken on behalf
OF the city, SO that 1t seems altogether improb-
able that we will ever be called upon to pro-
"
Ifhowever, in the opinion of the Council, it
would be unwise not to regard this $4,000 as a
possible legal demand. to be provided for in the
future then the city is estopped from any in
crease of her bonded debt, beyond $4,000. In
that event, the expenditures must be limited
to the more pressing demands, such as the
schools, the poor house, the station house, the
engine, &C., leaving systematic Improvement
OF the streets and sewerage, to the future.
It may be added, that of the 100000 of bonded
debt bearing interest at and 5 per cent, all
except $50 200, is redeemable, at the pleasure of
the Council, from time to time, during the next
ten years. This will afford the opportunity of
substituting bonds at less rate Of interest for
existing obligations, thereby materially reduc-
ing the annual charge upon the treasury.
The available fund might be supplemented
by a sale of such of the city lots as now bring
in no revenue. The market house property,
if the school is removed, ought to command a
profit by being restored to its former uses.
There is much to be done that will tax the
tion as to the pressing needs of the city, and in
the existing state of AFFAIRS with labor cheap and
abundant and SO many worthy workmen seek
ing employment, it would seem that no time |
more suitable could be chosen to commence
and prosecute the work, provided the necessary
means can be commanded. The measure of a
citys prosperity is not always the rate of tax
alton that prevails or the annual accretions to
the Sinking Fund. If Staunton expected
nothing from the future, and proposed to invite
neither additions to her population nor increase
d 10 ee mona %ei With a 10
lual decrease of taxation, as well as of taxable
values, and having no higher ambition than
= iNn mi a Lob Do &C 1Yl0r
is not prosperity. take it that you gentle
men, who have been selected to manage the
will be satisfied with no lesser measure OF
duty performed. Whilst neighboring cities and
mote from the raw materials; possessing infe-
rior facilities for transportation and fewer at
fractions for enterprise and capital, are earn
estly reaching out for fair share of trade, and
laying the foundation for future commercial
Importance, our own city. to which so much
has been given. has remained practically mac
tive and Indifferent. There is every reason to
believe that revival of business cannot be
much longer delayed. With renewed acti vity
in the channels of trade the attractions of the
South-her mineral and timber resources.
will be availed of for the location of industrial
plants That Staunton may press her CLAIMS
for full preparation of these prospective in
ment. from your body, ola special committee to
be known as the
COMMITTEE ON MANUFACTURES,
who se duty it shall be to consider what special
turers. and what other Inducements are here
afforded, and to present the same to parties
they have reason to believe are looking for lOca-
tens. The invitation emanating from an official
source would command more careful eonsld.
GRAFTON, than If it came from individuals. To
the same end l further beg leave to suggest
that said committee be authorized to insert
suitable advertise ments in some of the leading
trade Journals hri etly setting forth the advanta
ges of Staunton as manufacturing site. In this
work, l am satisfied, the committee would
have the cord ial cooperation of the Chamber of
Commerce. the press and our citizens gener-
ally. Respectfully,
JAC0h YoSY, Mayor.
The report CT Arista Hoge. Treasurer,
was submitted and accepted, and shows
the financial condition of the city to be
good.
internal Revenue Office
PROPOSED REMOVAL TO EAST VIRGINIA.