Democratic messenger., 1892-06-18
To the Citizens and Taxpayers of
Snow Hill.

iittteSt we WtIc titctcu ny HlaHlHlbU>
vote to guard and protect that we should
render an account of our stewardship.
FINAScIAL CONDITION.
Our Trcnsurcr's report recently pub
lished gave "A detailed statement of our
Receipt and Disbursement during the
two years that We held office ending May
lsi. is93.
The statement of the Treasurer OF the
Board that proceeded us showed a bal
ancc in his hands Of $200sl which
amount was paid over Ia rs, but We were
surprised al lis outscl-thc more So he
cause Of the published official statement
that The corporation was lret from debt
10 find unpaid bills contracted by that
and previous Boards amounting 10 SljG.-
81 Aiier paving these we addressed
dating them the actual amount in the
Treasury 10 begin the operations of onr
term WAS $li ~. To add 10 our cmbar-
rcSsmenl we were confronted by II con
tract, not OF our own making. made with
the Electric Light Il Power Go. for The
year ending January lsi, 1890 by the
terms of which the sum of S600 WAS 10 hc
paid in quarterly inSlallmcmis This, al
though our predecessors had paid what
ever was due 10 May Isl, lS90. left H.
with no resnrces to meet the next two
inStalimenis, as lis taxes had ali been col
lectci. Proiitiug by this experience,
when our time arrived to make Il new
contract for lighting the town, We 30
changed lis terms that the whole amount
should he paid at the beginning of the
next year, when the taxes for The year
would Income due and available.
THE STREETS.
The unprecedented rains of the past
few years have put our streets in mis-
erahle condition so that liberal outlay
for shells and other Bnterial 10 repair
them became AN imperative necessity.
The outlay was the more necessary as
but little bad been placed on the streets
for several wears. the report of the Treas
urer OF the Board preceding us showing
hut Sil.9l had been expended for shells
during their Two wears of service. We
were therefore compelled Ia push forward
as fast as possible the work of putting
the streets in pussible order So as TO avoid
the risk Of accident and consequent suits
for damages. During our incumbency of
shells To be placed on the worst and most
travelled portion Of our streets. 5,O3l
bushels were used in 1891 aud $50 bush
e.s in 1892 This item alone caused an
of Silj =; tor the shells and
$ll0 30 for hauling, making total OF
SJ25.13 for street repairs TO he added
10 this, bills for lumb.r for bridging, ctc,
of $40 10, swelling The aggregate 10
S51ls3.
DoG TAN
We thought il best to repeal the Or,li.
nauce taxing dogs. rs il afforded bnt lit
tie revenue To The town and was "A source
Of irritation 10 the citizens. Ii was found
from the experience Of former Boards
that it was impossible 10 collect all the
taxes due from this source. and after
what WAS easy collected was paid that it
was hard, in iaci, impossible 10 find any
one To undertake the unpleasant task OF
the tax hy killing the dog on
which no tax was paid or resorling To
ly unfair that part should pay tins tax
and a goodly number escape by simply
refusing, we determined To remove nj
once The inequality and cause of irriia
tion by repeal.
FINANCIAL CONDITION NJ THE CLOSE
uF ORR TERM
We have The satisfaction on retiring
from office oi reporting that every bill
that has come To our knowledge due from
The corporation on or before Nav Isl
1899. has been paid, except the following
cur salaries for one year with the added
OF each Clerk, Treasurer
and Council, $500; Printing. $40
Lumber. 81 10, making total of 500 00
From this We deduct the amoun, paid
over by our Treasurer 10 the present
Board of S2l.Gi. thus leaving "a deficit of
So: 30 on all bills due aud payable May
lsr, 1892
All the taxes in ful! for our term have
been paid into the treasury by the col
Icclors Mr. Geo. G.. Townsend for 1870,
and DR. J b. r. Purnell Tor 1891 Too
much credit cannot BE- awarded these gen
tlemen for their prompiness and eilicien
cy.
STREET LIGHTING.
In making Il contract with the Flee
lric Light Co. for the year 1891, they
that they were serving the
public al "A pccuniary loss aud at much
less rate than was paid by our sister
towns Pocomoke City and Salisbury, and
a demand was made by them for con
advance over the price paid
them the proceeding year. \ suggestion
was made 10y us that they should enter
into contract 10 run the lights only up
10 midnight, enabling US thus 10 avoid So
great an expense for this single item ot
lights; but we we're not aDle 10 get them
10 entertain this proposition. la view of
on limited resources, we did not feel jus
titled in offering more than $G5000 per
year for lis Lighting and maintaining the
lamps. Upon this we stood. and a con
tract was only made possible by one Of
ihe Board making the receipts oi his Of
lice gift 10 the town, thus making their
in fact $4,000, but nj lis
lctual cost To the town OF $4,000 When
his contract expired, il was made for
one year ending January isi, 1892. We
lid not feel that il would he fair to our
successors for us 10 enter into another
contract beyond our term of office, We