Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-11

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the M, C.. d. l.. road had never been
reimbursed and that their claim
should. come in ahead Of that Of any
stakeholder. They therefore assert, d
their right to the whole OF the pro-
eeeds of the sale which Montgomery
county had made to the l.. q n. road:
1t was also asserted that even If
Mcclure and others were not enti-
tied to preference over the stock
holders in the NJ. G. d l.. road, still
that Montgomery county could have
no higher claim than any other
stakeholder and that the proceeds OF
her sale to the l.. & n. road must be
divided equally among all the stock
holders of the old M. c. d l.. road
and not retained altogether by the
county. This suit which was regard
ed as a dangerous one, lasted for SIX
years and was then compromised.
This then, in brief was the situation
of Montgomery county in 1873. Her
outstanding Indebtedness was more
than 1850 900. Her assets were such
sums as could be realized from back
taxes and the stock and bonds in lit
igation, as above mentioned ; these
of course to be supplemented by such
taxes as the County court might see
fit to levy from year to year upon
property and privileges.
It maybe added here that in addition
to the Indebtedness mentioned above
1.-THE poor house property was unpaid
for. the iail was in miserable cOndi-
ton. and had to be first repaired and
then remodeled, and the court house,
after having first been repaired at
considerable expense, burned IN 1875
and had to be replaced by the pres
ent structure. These improvements
cost, as shown by the present report,
| 1928, 1872 IA, which, added to the
debt outstanding in 1873, makes the
sum of $478, 679 26. This is the bur
den which the county has had to car
ry independent of paying her cur
rent expenses from year and keeping
down the interest on the public debt.
The first act of the County court
when it undertook a second time'to
restore county finances to sound con-
dition, was to reduce taxation.
The railroad levy for the preceding
seven years had been, as said, 50 cts.
on the 800 for each year except one,
and then it had been 40 cents the
average levy from 1873 to 1890, for
RAILROAD purposes, has been 333 cents.
Not only has the rate of taxation
decreased, but the aggregate levies
on property have been lowered, not
withstanding the increase in the val
ne of property in the county. For
the seven years preceding 1873 the
railroad tax on property in the coun-
tyy aggregated $147 ,208 50, or $2l ).
O29 70 per annum the entire railroad
property tax from 1873 to 1889 inclu'
sive, as shown by this report, has
amounted to $685. 1882 u, or 81, s78,-
36 per annum.
The privilege tax has likewise de-
creased. The amounts collected by
the county clerks for the seven years
preceding 1873 aggregated $52, 1897 sc,
or 81 $50 80 per annum; the amounts
collected since 1873 have aggregated
S73, O4S 90, or 81, 296 80 per annum.
The total railroad levies on property
and privileges from April, 1878, tC
January |, 1890, have amounted tC
S3OS, 9Si 08, or $l8, 175 IS per annum
the aggregate levies for the the seven
years preceding 1873 were $2OO,O96 %
or sos, 5S5 II per annum.
The levies for county purposes have
also decreased, the average rate fol
the years 1873 to 1889 inclusive being
Is cents on the 500, while for the
seven years preceding 1878 the aver
ape rate was as said, 30 cents on the
800. 1t should be added here tina
the county has been exceedingly for
tunate in her tax collectors since
1878, for while up to that time mos
of the collectors of property tax were
behind in their accounts since Uher
not a single collector, either Of county
revenue or railroad tax has failed II
settle promptly as required by law.
Much had 10 be done toward set
ting the house of the county in Ordel
before the work Of reducing he
bonded debt could be fairly begun
Lawsuits pending against her had t
be defended suits had to be institu
ted against former tax collectors ant
Others who it was thought were In
debtcd to the county. These Wer
maintained at a considerable eXpens
and most of them finally cOmprom
ised.
From back taxes as will be seen b.
this report the county derived $32
2O2 Is for railroad purposes. TIL
Mcclure suit mentioned above wa
compromised in 1873 while it wa
pending in the Supreme court. Th
county then sold her stock in tn
l.. & n. road, realizing therefor tn
sum of $44 ,I5l.75.
When the agreement was mad
between the county and the Loui'
Vile g. Nashville road there WEI
certain debts outstanding against tn
a NJ, G. d l.. road which it was COZ
coded would have to be paid. TIL
. Louisville x Nashville road agree
. to contribute 100000 of the l.. K \
. stock toward the liquidation of thes
y debts, which largely exceeded 800
IS 600. The county in consideration
@ this stock was to assume this entil
: class of debts and hold the road harm
t less against further demands frOl
n this source. The stock delivered
If the county by this agreement w,
c called the protocol fund and it WI
n so managed that all the debts of Il
G class mentioned were bought up wit
n il and the county had a portion
n the stock left which she sold afte
ward, realizing therefor the sum
z S2l 5000.
e When these matters were conclude
: the county brought suit against Il
: l.. Il n. road for damages becau
q the road had refused to transfer Il
e stock on her books on former occa
ion when the county had made sal