The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-23
TO THE TAXPAYERS
Of the Proposed New County Of Hon.
ca Path.

ca Pain.
AS the day for the election TO determine the
question OF the formation of the new county
OF Honea Path will soon be here, 1t has been
thought not amiss to lay before the taxpayers
of the proposed new county q few salient
facts, by way of refuting the repeated asser-
lions, on the part Of the advocates OF the
measure, TO the effect that the formation OF
the new county will not necessitate a higher
rate of taxation than is now paid by those
embraced within the limits Of said proposed
county.
The first matters TO which we would call at
tention is:
/. The small amount of taxable property
embraced within the limits Of the proposed
county, the former being only a little more
than the minimum fixed by the constitution.
viz 81. 500, 900, while the taxable property Of
the city Of Anderson alone exceeds that
2. That there is not q manufacturing estab-
lishment OF any kind within It's borders,
while Anderson has the immense factories at
PeIzer, q portion OF the Piedmont factory,
those In the city OF Anderson and the Pendle-
8. That IHonea Path Is the largest and most
prosperous tow in the proposed new county,
and returns for taxation only $4,000 OF both
property OF the city of Anderson alone Ia,
us above stated upwards of 81 500. 900.
4. That there will not be exceeding twenty
mllHs Of s gallT re- ID P prop. Sys IN ,tme new i%a so mnch
Whlto thSk Az ~ ASooe oAtSS - s"es
railroad mileage In the county OF Anderson d.
5. That there are five expensive bridges on
Saluda river, besides numerous bridges on
costing fully as much to build and keep up as
all the bridges In the county OF Anderson as
now constituted.
6. That there will have TO be the same
number OF officers whose salaries will have to
be provided for, In the new county, as there
are now In Anderson, &c.
Now, II with all these advantages In favor
Of Anderson county her tax levy is 81 mills
for county purposes, what will the tax levy
necessarily have TO be In a small, poor coun-
ty, such as the proposed new county OF Hon.
ca Path Is shown to be?
tlon of new counties require that a new coun-
ty shall assume, and be liable for, its proper
tlonate share of the indehtedn ess, bonded and
otherwise, OF the several counties from which
1t Ia formed.-Article VII, Section 6, State
Constitution.
The bonded Indebtedness Of G~reenville
county Is $1,000, besides q past Indebtedness
Of about $4,000. Anderson county, SOL .UO.
gether with current expenses, there Is a levy
OF TX mills in Green Vile county, In Ander.
son county 81 mills, In Laurens county 5A
mills.
Now assuming that the citizens OF Honea
Path will build the court house and jail
when we remember that these are TO be fur.
nished, the county offices With the necessary
books, furniture. &C., the poor farm and
amount OF taxable property from which to
raise these sums there is no way under the
sun to prevent the tax levy Of the new coun-
ty being at least 81 mills for county pur poses.
While there might be some reason or COM
mon sense displayed by those taken from the
other three counties. where taxes are already
pretty high. being willing TO 20 into the mat
ter, we utterly fall to see how any one living
in Abbeville county, where the rate Of taxa.
ton for county purposes is only ~ mills, and
no bonded debt, unless 1t be some one living
ty, can get his consent 10 a measure which is
bound 70 entail upon him, for a number Of
years, a large Increase in the matter Of axes.