New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-03-06
"a Plain Talk TO Taxpayers.

At a special election to be held Tues
day, March 26, 1889, the electors Of
Brown Co. will be called upon to de-
eide whether or not the county COM
missioners shall be authorized to issue
the bonds Of this county in sum not
exceeding $4,000, for the purpose of
completing and furnishing the new
courthouse now building at the county
seat. The following remarks will
show the precise nature and bearing Of
the proposition to be voted upon.
According to Judge severance's de-
cision, the county commissioners are
fully empowered to erect a new court
house at the expense of the county. |
The basement and the first story of the |
new courthouse have already been
built, and the entire structure will be j
completed at the expense of the county
within five years. The only question to
be decided at the coming election is
this: Do the people of Brown Co. pre-
fer to pay for the completion of the
courthouse within foe years, orin tsir-
ty years?
The best interests Of the county de-
mand that the new courthouse be COM
pleted without Unnecessary delay. The
vault of the old building is neither fire
nor burglar proof. An hours work
with penknife will give admission to
records whose disappearance or de.
struction might involve the land.own-
ers Of the county in endless litigation.
This state of affairs will continue for
five years if majority vote against is
suing bonds; if a majority vote in favor
of issuing bonds, the county records
will be safely lodged in a fire and burg
| lar proof vault in very short time.
If you were building house for your
own use, and had reached lthe second
floor, would you consider itwise to com
plete the structure piecemeal, so as to
reach the roof in five years? You would
scott at the idea. If you did not have
money enough in your pocket to COM
| plete the building at once, you would
call at a bank to obtain the required
amount at ten per cent. per annum.
The County of Brown is in the same
predicament, with this difference that it
is offered money from the State school
fund at the low rate of foe per cent.
| per annum.
Should the completion of the new
court. house, if prosecuted without de.
lay, require the full amount of 1856, 900,
it is safe to assume that the same work,
if continued through five years, would
cost not less than $4,000. Now, lei
us see what would be the cost to the
individual taxpayer in either case.
! If the proposition to issue bonds is
defeated, the sum of $4,000 may be
raised annually for five years by direct
taxation to defray the expense OF com.
lpleting the courthouse. In 1883 the
aggregate valuation of the county was
/ So, 1876, 204. On this basis. the court
house tax by the fve-year plan would
amount to "a cents per annum on every
huntred dollars of valuation, or t.
i $40 on every thousand dollars Of val
uation.
] If bonds are issued for $50, 900 at
per cent, the interest will be 81, 75(
t per annum. As there is no need of
levying a tax for a sinking fund during
the first ten years, this plan would
make the annual courthouse tax fve
cents for every hundred dollars of val.
uation, OF. fifty cents for every thous-
and dollars of valuation; that is to say,
the increase of taxation by the bond
plan would be only one-1fth of the in
crease rendered necessary by the foe.
gear plan.
! Thirty years ago, our county was
| little more than wilderness. II
westward the star of empire takes its
course, we are justified in turning to
the older sections Of the country for a
! picture of the growth of our county
during the next thirty years. Compel
! ing railways, studded with prosperous
towns and cities, will carry our produc-
tons to the great markets of the world.
The products of our fertile soil will
command prices that will make agri-
culture a paying occupation. Our
commerce will assume dimensions be-
You'd our power to foretell. Every
pursuit to which our county is adapted,
will yield satisfactory returns. The his
tory of the older states, as well as the
unparalleled growth of Minnesota dur
ing the past. inspires implicit confidence
i ~ r. r ~ ~ . -