The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-18
An Address From the Finance
Committee.
NOT TO INCREASE TAXES
THE MONEY NOW SPENT ON THE
STREETS SAVED.
THE VALUE OF PROPERTY INCREASED.
The Money to Be Spent in Permanent I'M
"a provements and Only Citizens of Raj
eigh Are to be Employed in
Doing the Work.

eIgh Are to be Employed in
Doing the Work,
The following address, relative to the
proposed $4,000 bond issue by the city
of Raleigh, for permanent street inn
.provements, was yesterday made pubic.
1t is carefully prepared document,
dealing with the question in all its phases
and discussing it in a common-sense way.
1t is signed by three of Raleighs best
most successful and conservative 0usl-
ness men. 1t therefore deerves the careful
consideration of every voter in the city:
To the voters of the city of Raleigh:
Shall the city of Raleigh issue fifty
thousand dollars in bonds for permanent
street improvements or not! This is the
issue which will be presented to our citl-
zens on the first Tuesday in September.
1t is in our opinion the most important
question that has been before our peo-
pie for years.
There is nothing which adds more
to the prosperity and growth of town
than well paved and properly cleaned
streets, and that which promotes the well
fare of the city at once acts to benefit
the individual citizen.
Realizing the vital consequences in
volved in this question, we feel it our
duty to give some reasons why these
bonds should be issued.
In the first place no one will question
our need of better streets and side
walks, and all must admit that we can
never secure them without bond issue.
There never was time in the history
of our city when there were so many
well deserving men out of employment.
Every idle man in a community is
clog and hindrance to that community.
We can issue these bonds without in
Jury to ourselves and give these men
honest employment and at the same time
beautify our city and add to the COM
fort and convenience of its citizens, and
it is our duty to do so.
Every dollar of the entire fifty: thou
sand is to be used for permanent i'm
proyements on our streets and nothing
else.
Every dollar of the entire amount,
as far as possible, is to be spent right
here in the city of Raleigh, and the
bringing of fifty thousand dollars from
the North and turning it loose in this
community will surely benefit every one
in it.
Taxes will not be increased by rea-
son of the bond issue. The city govern
ment now appropriates $4,000 per an
mum to keep the streets in order. If these
bonds are issued and the streets are once
gotten in good condition an annual APP
preparation of $4,000 viii be amply suf-.
ficient to keep them in good order and
continue the improvements.
This will leave $4,000 to pay the in
terest on the bonds and $4,000 to go
into the sinking fund toward maturing
them. Besides property all over the city
will be greatly enhanced in value. Not
one cent of this money will be used to
pay back deficiencies. Nothing gives
better returns to a city than smooth,
well paved streets. Aside from the i'm
petus to business, and the spirit of thrift
and progress which it inspires, it attracts
visitors and it is always wise to make
good impression on them. They may be-
come good citizens of the town and they
always spend some money.
No one will be employed to work on
the streets unless they are citizens of
the town, and those employed are to be
divided equally between the white and
vcolored races.
The money accruing from the sale of
these bonds is to be divided as equally
as possible between the four wards.
If these bonds are issued. it is our
purpose to open the rock quarry near the
city limits, in order that as much of the
money as possible may be kept in our
midst.
The bonded Indebtedness of the city
has been decreased under the present ad-
setr IN tho aytaT14 nf Ga 0l0
and although there was a deficit of ST.
900, when we took charge of the city
government two years ago, we now only
owe the sinking fund S9,S59.41 after hav-
ing reduced the bonded Indebtedness in
the sum of $4,000 as stated above.
In addition to these facts the present
administration has done more work of a
permanent nature upon our streets than
was ever done before without the assist
ance of bond issue.
We now ask the good people of Raleigh
to be just to their city and themselves
by voting for these bonds, and giving
lis an opportunity to improve our streets,
and let us show to the world that we
have some public spirit and enterprise
left in us, and that we propose TO inn
prove the many beautiful and wholesome
advantages with which nature has en-
dowed us.
We respectfully ask every citizen who
has not already done so to register on
next Saturday between the hours of
9 a. M, and 4. p. m, in order that you
may vote for the bonds.
A new registration is required and
next Saturday is the last full day.
(Signed) John c.. Drewry. chairman; j.
D. Boushall, A. NJ. Powell, Street COM
mittee.
Aug II. 1897.
ctrrrIrn NODWO0n DEINSTA NED