Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-01-04
TOMBSTONE.
A HEAVY BURDEN OF TAXATION FOR
 THE PEOPLE TO BEAR.
Property Assessed Above it's Value and Taxed at Exorbitant Rates-Efforts to
 Suppress the Facts.

ToMBsToNE, Ariz., Dec. 31st, 1889.
 ED. ENTERPRISE There is very lit tie that is new here. The District Court and q grand jury are in session. The criminal calendar is unusually | large. Both court and grand jury are getting alongsin business pretty finely. Judge Sloan is undoubtedly apleasant gentlemen, apparently fair and i'm partial on the bench, and is said by the lawyers to be good lawyer, but 1 whether he is a good judge or not will need time to determine. l have given some attention to the letters of MT. Bruce, in the Tucson Star, as well as to of those Mir. Hughes, and Frying Pan in THE ENTERPRISE.
 Of the truth or falsity of Frying Pans criticisms of December 18th, we, of course, know little, and therefore have little to say. But the letters of Messls. Bruce and Hughes find a treble echo from every taxpayer in Tombstone. The formation of Co chise County, to quote the Star in speaking of Graham County, twas the result of job, scheme ofpolitical corruption. The new county was con ceived in sin and brought forth In iniquity and has been true to its parentage" I sympathize sincerely with MT. Bruce in his desire to wake up the taxpayers of Cochise county to the performance of their duty, and truly believe, that he has not over stated the case. But let me ask, has MT. Bruce told all the truth or have his stiictures been half as severe as they would have been if he lived and owned property ill Tombstone? Let us see, MT. Bruce, if his cattle and other property be ill this county, and not in Tombstone, pays $4.O0 per hun dred, and collectors fee-S cts. on his property at valuation of $500 per head for cattle that, in general, will sell at from $5.50 to $7. 50 per head as they run. No doubt this Is a cause of com plaint and would be called confisca- ton in most countries. Now for Tomb stone, every man who owns real estate here knows that property Is valued for taxation at from $50 to $3.50 for every dollar he can sell it for, and the tax is $40 per hundred, besides o-lO cents for collectors fee. Then comes a city tax on an equally unjust valua- ton of $1.50 per hundred. So that he pays $690S per hundred on this out rageous valuation, and 1t is reasonably certain that there are not one hundred houses and lots in Tombstone that can be sold for five times its yearly taxes. True, it is said, that we must not publish these things for we thereby deter immigration and settlement in our county and delay the expected boom. This, I presume, is on the theory that all immigrants who have means must of necessity be fools and will not before investing their means in new country, inquire whether the tax collector is apt to take all such means in five years, or only take less that its natural increase.
 The Tombstone Prospector, though unquestionably the ablest, the best and the clearest newspaper ever pub lished in the county, is opposed tc every criticism on our present city and county government, I presume be CduSe tIldI paper WAS Aal SOly AhSti u mental in electing most ot our present rulers.
 But the criticisms of your core spondent are not against any particu lar, officer, or set of officers, no, against or for any party in or out Q kpower, beeausa it is apparentato al IreAsoping men that both the soealle( H sfeatj parties in this Territory haz' ls 6za9s tilulnselFes gu; veirblssksH At tctsst ins stbdi1|pa paanake nlants Tor necQ '3llsti6n} pl,1nder ,iDaEouop opasenee and att te| 'iidi®ard of the penrle' iateffsts. {
 I write this 6rsL letter 70 redeen my promise, long deinquent, asd the subject suits you and yo1rreaders my next and subsequent one will b' devoted 10 an endeavor to explain tn, causes of the state affairs pointed ou and to suggest as well as l can rem edy.
 Yours, QUARTzBURG