Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-01-23

1t has como about in this way.
In answer to your request for fig
ures for public use, hereby tab
ulate the following. | find in the
minute.book in the County Clerks
Office, that for he year 1882 up to
and including the year 1886 our
taxes for county purposes were
zoe each year. ! find also that
according to the settlement of the
financial committee that for the
year 1882 there was only $3.50
outstanding unpaid claims; 1883,
$143.SO; 1854, 69.O6; 1885, $252.S9;
1886, $42.22. SO it can be seen
that the zoe for these years just
about paid the current expenses
of the county. The reason why
these small amounts were not
taken up was, perhaps, owing to
the fact of there not having been
presented to the trustee for pay
ment. Now, let me reason for
one moment with the public why
this raNp of taxation was sufficient
at that time. / was elected to
The Office Of sheriff in the year
1882, and retired in the year 1886.
Within that period there was not
a single man or woman sent to
the penitentiary, and there was
only one felony case on he dock
ct; there was only one court that
| remember that held for two
weeks. So you see the circuit
court expenses were very light.
After this time John L. Jones
WAS elected Atty General and
the expenses began to increase
in the years 1SS7-SS&S9, the taxes
for county purposes were 25c Oh
the hundred dollars. The flnan.
cial committee reports the unpaid
claims for the years 1887 $28.S4;
1883, $83.84; 1899, SlG0.13. These
were perhaps attributable to not
having been presented for pay;
ment. Now in 1890 our taxes for
couny were 40c on the hundred,
and yet the outstanding claims
for that year were S1513.56 on
this 40c basia So you see, as !
said in the County Court, that our
debt began in the year 1890.
Now, in 1891-92-03&94. our tax
es for county expenses were Soc
and yet we ran behind in '91
$54G.22; 1872, G343 05; 1913, 94047. 90;
l'94, 5G15S.37. I will not treat of
the financial committee's report
| of 1916 as it was made in February
and the expenses Of that year had
not accrued; but | will give the
chairman's report. He gives as
our revenue resources for that
year to be $l105717; our expenses
$9033.45. Now, add to this ex-
pense the amount appropriated at
the January term last for expenses
that actually accrued for 1895
564756, to the county court clerk
which was overlooked $4,000
pOor.house com, $500, Jail fees
for sheriff $12J 00; this does not
include the J P's per diem. We
have then $1092.5G added te
$9033.46 gives us our total expense
for '95 $11126.02, leaving $685.
against the county and the release
: ments still the same. Now,
; wish TO say this to the public
. that for the year 1895 we econom
lied all we possibly could. w
cav do no better; the Jail aD,
circuit court expense we canno
control. Taxes for county in 1879
I were 4jc and yet we ran benin
b after doing the best we coul(
u SO you see, taking 1895 as a basi
J We cannot run this county wit
less than 45c; then add to this 50
state, 25c school, and I0c roa
l. tax, we then have S1,15 to pay o
= the hundred dollars to pay III
" current expenses. If any perso
= can run the county for less, pleas
give me your plan. And we sti
have our debt Of @15000.00, c
ls whatever it may be, unpaid. M
1t Editor, ! am glad you raised tn
II: question for every taxpayer
d the county has a right to kno
what it cost to run our count
and for what purpose the cost i
~ These figures are made {