The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-03-30
,CH 80, 1905. $500 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE

Il
their issue, and in any event all bonds
must be made payable July Ist, of the
year they mature. If they were made
payable July 1904 and issued April
1898 they would be payable about two
ana one-half months oyer six years,
therefore 20 bring them within the
limit they must mature in 1903. How
ever, should any part of this seven
thousand dollar bonds not be fully
paid at the time they mature on July
l, 1903, they may be refunded, and if
1t should then be considered desirable
they may be refunded for IS years az
they would at that time be an old
debt, and come under the same pro-
visions as the loan of the three thous-
and dollar bonds. now proposed.
AS to the advisability of bonding
there are some matters to be consid-
cred by every taxpayer. The present
bonded Indebtedness will have to be
paid when due or soon after and if not
paid If payment is insisted on, Judge
ment may beentered if suit is brought
and tax levy made to pay the amount
that the city is deficient in the proper
funds and no doubt the whole amount
would be raised in one levy thereby
increasing the taxes.
with reference to the proposed
bonds for erection of city building,
it seems advisable TO all who have
considered the matter that the pres
ent facilities the city has for taking
care OF the records, which include
those of the city clerk and municipal
court as we'll as other officers, that
more adequate security should be pro-
vided. At the present time more
than one half of the records belong
ing to the clerks office as well az
those OF the municipal court, the lat
ter comprising record books in which
judgments are entered some of which
have not been paid, besides the library
Of the court, comprising all the Min
nesota Reports and numerous other
law books, all of which were damaged
in the fire that partially destroyed the
present building, have no protection
or place fur deposit except an ordin-
airy closet.
Further. the city should have bet
ter city prison if for no other reason
than sanitary condition of the present
/ hl1i nd ta
ide from the considera lions named,
the fire department should have bet
ter quarters and better location, so
that every time they may be called
to fire it will not be necessary for
them to climb hill with the hose
cart, before they can begin action.
| Again. the better the facilities we
have for protecting the city from fires
the better it will be for US on account
Of insurance rates. 1t may not be
generally known but it is fact, that
rates on some risks, especially resi-
dences, have been diminished the
past year and since the rating board
has ascertained that fire can be sub
dued without destroying the entire
building unless more than ordinary
circumstances prevail and hinder the
department. There is to be a new
rating of the city property in the very
near future for insurance purposes
and 1 think we are justified in assum-
ing that with more adequate facilities
at the command of the department or
assurance that we will soon have
them, will be considered and have the
effect to materially reduce the present
rate on all risks.
Another matter, there are some
who say that five thousand dollars
will not be enough to build proper
building for city purposes. Admitting
this and that it will require at least
thirty-five hundred dollars more, we
will evidently have it on the first OF
July, 1898. in the general fund, that
can be used as there will not be any
need of appropriating it for any other
purpose that is contemplated at the
present time, it will not be needed for
the.purpose of carrying on the city
government or paying its officers az
that was provided for last September
and IA tax levy made sufficient to meet
all that expense; there are no out
standing floating debts but what can
be paid from funds provided for that
purpose without requiring any appro-
priation from the reoenues that usu-
ally come to the treasury about July
each year. Yours Truly,
A. j. THOMAS.
| Richard Whiteside has completed