The true northerner., 1898-04-27

GRANTED BY JUDGE BUCK-PUBLIc SEN
TIMENT HIGH AGAINST MR.. DODGE.
1t appears that no resident of the
township of Paw Paw could be found
with the hardihood to attempt to inter
fere with the project of the proposed
railroad improvement from Lawton to
Paw Paw, and so Thos. F. Dodge of
Lawton (although it is probable others
are interested with HIM has volunteered
to attempt a job that will secure to him
the well deserved execration of big ma
jority of all the people of this village and
township, and has filed bill in the circuit
court against the township board and
the S. III. & +. r. r. CO., and obtained
an order for temporary injunction re-
straining them from negotiating, dispos-
ing of or in any manner raising any
money or moneys upon said bonds, or
any of them, and from allowing said
bonds or any of them to be used for the
purpose of raising money, until the fur
ther order of the court.
The bill is founded upon the alleged
unconstitutionality of the law under
which the bonds were voted, and prays
for permanent injunction restraining
the defendants from disposing of the
bonds; that the bonds may be adjudged
absolutely void, and that the board may
be required to surrender and cancel
them.
The bill alleges that the bonds have
been issued by the board and that they
have been placed in the hands of certain
persons unknown to complainant, to be
held in trust for the railroad company
and quotes in full an article relating to
the issuance of such bonds, published at
the time in the True Northerner, as one
source of his information.
Mr.. Dodge alleges in his bill of com
plant that he is the owner of real es-
tate in the village of Paw Paw assessed
by the village at the sum of $1,000 and
by the township at the sum of $500,
upon which he pays state, county, town
ship and municipal taxes.
Just what connection there may be be-
tween the railroad bonds and the state,
county and municipal taxes is not very
clear, as neither the state, the county
nor the village can, in any event. be call
ed upon to raise farthing of the tax re-
quired to pay such bonds.
Mr. Dodge alleges in his bill of com
plant, under his solemn oath, that "by
reason of said lands" (meaning the lands
alleged to be assessed by the township at
the sum of 81 500 "being subject to such
taxation, he will be injured to more than
the extent of one hundred dollars"
Mr.. Dodge does not appear to be much
of a mathematician, or else he jumps at
conclusions and has little regard for the
sanctity of his OATH
The equalized valuation of the town
ship of Paw Paw is S1,270,OO0, and the
entire tax required to pay the ten bonds
and the entire interest thereon will be
! S12, $50, which is exactly one mill and
| 1254 part of mill on the dollar, and
Mr.. Dodge's entire tax on his S1,SOO
valuation for the whole ten years, as any
schoolboy could have told him, would be
exactly SlS07, an average of sl.SO per
year, and yet for this paltry sum he
would stop great public improvement,
desired. almost unanimously, by such of
his fellow citizens as will have to foot
the bill if such improvement is secured.
If Tom is hard up and will be distress
ed by the payment of this tax, the peo-
pie of Paw Paw would be willing to raise
the amount by public subscription and
the Northerner now here offers to head
the list.
Messrs. Howard, Roos d Howard of
Kalamazoo are Mr.. Dodge's solicitors.
Service was secured yesterday on all the
members of the town board and Agent
Squier of the railroad company. The re-
turn day is May II.