The record-union., 1891-03-23
Needs of the City.

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN The people of
this city may well feel proud of her I'm
provement Association and the progress
i've men who compose it. They are
abreast of the times. Not content with
the grand achievements of the past two
years, they now propose to proceed at
once with the improvement of our levee
system, and-as l stated in an article in
your paper few weeks ago-nothing can
come before our people that will be of
more importance than this one subject-a
good and secure levee for this city.
Why. this city shows an assessment
roll of some Sl4,0O0,O00 of taxable
property. This is about one-half
But say the property values inside
the city limits amount to $2S,000, 600
or S30, ,O0O,0 900, can any one believe for one
minute that our taxpayers will begrudge
100000, or even 100000, in order to make
their property absolutely secure from
future high waters? No, l give them
credit for better Judgment; and while 1
am not seeking any office under the city
government, nor would i accept one, still
sometimes l wish I had control of its
affairs for while, at least, and 1 tell you
what 1 would do-and I would do it, too,
and let Judgment come afterwards.
First, l would begin on the levees
around this city, and I would build them
SO secure that the croakers who have
made their fortunes here and left us for
pastures new, and who are ever ready to
injure the fair fame of our city, would be
forced to forever hold their peace.
The next move would be to refund our
bonded Indebtedness. Nor would wait
six eight or ten years either, but do it now.
would refund these bonds dollar tor dol
lar II needs be, and issue new ones run
ming for thirty years at 4 per cent. This
would wipe out our city debt, and save
this city many thousands of dollars
which we now pay to lawyers to defend
US against the owners of these bonds.
Then should raise property values up
to their full values. This would reduce
our tax rate to about 81 10 on the 500, or.
in other words, make our tax rate the
lowest of any city in the State.
L would then proceed to remove China
town across the R-street levee and fill
China Slough, and this spot, which is
now disgrace to our city, l would make
desirable for business.
And last, but not least, 1 would offer
inducements to manufacturers to locate
here, and / should begin by fitting up
car of the products ofthis city and county,
exclusively, and man it with two or three
of such men as L. W. Maslin and send
this car East, with the same privileges as
the California on Wheels" Let these
men talk Sacramento and her wonderful
inducements, and Sacramento ONLY.
This is the way Los Angeles does. What
would be the result? The Eastern people
who would see this car and who cared
about coming here would buy their
tickets for this city, and when we got
them here we could offer them ground
and taxes free for, say, ten years, and at
the end of this time the privilege to buy
it at it's market value. 1 would willingly
trixr Of nj tNun
Where is there city in this State that
can offer such inducements to manufact-
uring enterprises as this city? Why,
look at the boot and shoe trade alone.
Over $250,000 worth of these goods was
brought to this city last year. This
amount would pay handsome dividend
to a boot and shoe manufactory located
here, besides giving employment to two
or three hundred men, which represents
that many families. Why haven't we an
establishment of this kind here?
Again, the Central Street Railroad is
about to send a $4,000 order for new
street-cars to Stockton. Haven't we
room and capital enough, as well as
talent, to have agricultural works here to
do this, as well as other work which
would surely come to it?
Look at the carload after carload of
cheap Eastern buggies and carts that
come to this city on every train. Why
haven't we q carriage mandatory em-
ploying several hundred men here to
supply this and surrounding country de-
mands? Where is there a better loca-
ton in the State for a wooden mill than
right here in this city? Look at the
thousands upon thousands of pounds of
wool that leave here every year for
Marysville and other small places to be
made up and shipped back to us. A
woolen mill established here would not
h,ir, Il
ployment to many hundreds of men and
women.
l could mention many other industries
which could start here with profit. but
enough has been named to show our citi-
zens and taxpayers what grand induce
ments stand waiting outside our doors
and only asking to be invited in.
r q, NJ