Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-01

enforce its ordinance than any or all of
the boroughs.
" The taxa ion problem seems to give
some people trouble. The laws providing
for the Incorporation of cities of the
third class are very specific on that point.
There is limit TO the amount OF tax the
city would he allowed to law" Bv re-
quest the Colonel read the law on that
subject. 1t is found in Laws of Pennsv-
vania, 1889, page 2SG, Section 81, and
reads as follows:
Every C ty Of the third class In It's c0rrorate
capacity, is authorized and empowered TO enact
ord'1a1ces for the following purposes, in addi-
tion to the Other powers granted by this act
]. To levy and collect, for general revenue pur-
poses, IoL TO exceed ten mil on the dollar in
Fey one year, on all persons, real, personal and
mixed property Wih'D the limits of said city
taxable according to the laws OF the State OF
Pennsylvania for county purposes the valua.
ton OF such property to be assessed as herinafter
provided
H. 10 provide for the assessment and colec
too OF taxes, in addition to the above, MOI ey-
oecJ'ng one percentun on he dollur upon tle
assessed y1lua'Iop in any one year. ON al per-
sons, lell and personal property AID nj other
matters and thugs wlthil said city, taxable lor
county purposes, fjr The payment Of IN crest on
booded indeb' sJnejs and for TIE payment OF
loans to suppol, ne government and to make
TIE necessary lmpr venents In SAID CITY,
:" The fact that some of our boroughs'
are much more heavily in drbt than the
others, and that, if wc were d become
CITY, those having iltle or no debts
would have to help pay the debts
OF the others, has always been
favorile argument again>, consolidation
with some. Such thing, would OF
course, be an injustice, and am happy
that such is not The fact The principle
of right and justice, which pervades ali
our laws, would permit no such outrage"
Here the Colonel wna again called upon
to read the law and read iron The same
source mentioned above, page 2i9, part
Of section 81, which provides
That where two OF more towns or boroughs
shall, under The provisions OF this act, be con.
solldated into u Guy, the debt or debts OF each
OF said towns or borouShs contracted prior TO
such consolidation snail lie paid by such toSn
or borou%hS, respectively, and for tue lluuda-
tion ur sucl debts the authorities OF such city
snail have power to adjust and provide for the
same aud 10 leyS separate rates Il taxation on
ali property subject to taxation within The
boundlries OF the said towns OF boroughs re-
specvgey.
The ques on OF self" continued
Col. Linton, lis not the question upon
which this matter OF cunsolda ion should
pinge. II is II question OF common
good. | do not see now my own pecu.
mary interests are 10 he advanced by con-
sOlidalIon. am now and have often
been The counsel for some OF the bor-
oughs. Were we 20 become ii city |
should lose that much at least. But
when 1t comes to question of common
public good, can see how we all have
much to gain. In fact there has never
occurred 10 me one good, sound
legitimate reason why we should not con-
solidute. Some Of the local political
leaders may be afraid of losing their no.
loriely, but they would sill nave their
wards to look after, and perhaps would
be able 10 gain as much notority as by the
present system.
" 1t is argued that, were we to consol-
date The centre of the city, Johnstown,
would Hy the connivance of its council
men evl most of the improvements, AMI
the outlS lug portions would have TO
wait let Ms examine this objection in
the light Of our past experience.
The same objection was raised when
Keruville Was about to become part of
Johnstown borough. What has been the
history of Kernville since Her streets
have all been paved, even up the hill
in places, aud the lights have been e
nded OnIt almost into the woods She
h - Sc" Clagc also, in ts 1t, is much better
improved than she could have been had
she become borough by herself. Then
such thing would be unfair and contrary
to the spirit of right. And, if it were
attempted to do such injustice, the out
lying wards would be able to out-vote
the central portion of the city. johns
town borough would furnish much less
than half the population should the whole
valley be chartered city.
g The matter of police regulations
must appeal to every citizen who has re-
gard for the preservation of order and the
public peace. We know how, under the
present system, the policemen are ham
pered. In the pursuit of an offender or
in the discharge of any official duty, they
are limited by the borough lines. They
have no authority beyond the lines of their
respective boioughs. Suppose we had
city government, and any serious dis
turbance or riot should break out. Then
the whole police force could be eoneen-
trated at once where needed. How would
it be now ? The question need not be
answered.
" Taking all things into consideration
can not help thinking that, as whole,
ibis community would very largely add
IN its imnortance and Influence bV he