New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-30
REVENUES OF HAVANA.
GENERAL LUDLow'S SCHEMES FOR Paw
ING AND sEwERING THE CITY.

GENERAL LCDLOW'S SCHEMES FUN IA v
ING AND sEwERING THE CITY.
LOW DEBT OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
coNANTs FINANCIAL STATISTICS AND
CONCLUSIONS.
Havana. Jan. 26-Major- General Ludlow has
on his ia BILE several projects for underground
sewerage, street paving, an up-to-date school
syetem and for improvements Of lesser irnpor-
lance He has had pressed on his attention
series OF brilliant suggestions on how to create
ideal city The only obstacle is money.
million dollars is nothing; something between
ten and twenty millions is wanted and General
Ludlow Is turning over in his mind the best way
of asking Washington. through Ma1or-General
Brooke. for leave TO bond the city. so that the
next generation. as we'll as this one. may have
opportunity to pay for the renaissance
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE CITY.
Ernest Lee Conant chairman OF the Financial
Inquiry Commission. deputed by General Lud-
low to 20 into the finances Of the city. has pre-
pared memoranda on the subject. From among
an orderly arrangement Of many dry facts the
following paragraphs are extracted:
The debt OF the city OF Havana October 81 1895
according TO a statement signed by the Alcalde and
Controller. was as follows:
Loan Of Aprh % 1889 nfty-year 8 per cent
bonds tnortgasee Spanish Bank OF the . 80. uoo m
Loan Of oct oSr' 10. 1891, nfty-year PEI
cent bonds mortgages Bank OF Commerce oo ooo ~
United Railways and Reeia warehouses' $50 600 90
Floating debt for salaries materials. interest
and sinking fund <soo'oos 20
Total ......... .sl2 orc 1915 II
At the close Of the year the floating debt was sun
greater and the total debt was about sl2 800 600
Ba for hs Ssp pr IN S pages S nf
the index II recites that in 1877 the city borrowed
set h r." With its Interest amounted in 1850 TO
ssl77 e5s % that The city was In arrears for in;
0SmIe the Sy 70 b hS s
and for other purposes, and II agreed that the
city. should issue s65oOOoo per cent hfty-year
works the expense Of which was estimated at
81 $4,000 and that the balance OF the loan. which
general purposes There was further provision
that the loan might be increased 10 100000 and
The city mortgaged the Canal de Vento. the
Aqueduct Ferdinand VII, the Christina slaugh-
ter-house the Tacon and Colon markets with
all their revenues and fifty houses which 1t
owns in various parts Of the city. The Canal de
vento alone is estimated at S5.0O0,000. NJ. Co
nant says
e-ations q sinking fund to s72ce The I mo Hcd
has the same property security. The arrears Of
interest end sinking fund on the two loans Is %aS
floating deb; arises from the failure TO pay any
salaries contractors or for ma teras during practi
valid obligation Of the municipality and should be
See debts court Of Claims should be
before which all the municipalities creditors should
For city. Of the size and wealth Of Havana ana,
government and an honest administration Of the
otys affairs II is probable that us general cTeolt
is sti sufficient to float additional loan How
large such loan could be made am not prepared
10 say without much further study The represen-
~ take pay for their sewerage and paving scheme.
say ~ in general S city ,d SOnds whEn wond
and they say that they have already made ar
iengemenis WIN I'm, S recetved This i pr5tect
alone would double the present city debt and add
more than onethird to its present annual expenses
SOURCES OF TAXATION.
The revenue of the city Is derived entirely
from licenses and indirect taxation. Real estate
is not directly taxed, and the municipality does
not directly receive anything from real estate
The island among other taxes, imposes tax OF
II per cent on the estimated rental value OF IL
houses in the city and country. and it pays to
the city of Havana * per cent OF the amount
thus collected on rents within the city limits
The island Of Cuba also levies tax on industry.
commerce and professions and it pays to the
city Of Havana - per cent Of all such taxes col
lected within the city limits.
The other sources of city revenues. which are
directly collected by the municipality. are the
rent Of houses owned by the municipality. reve-
nue. of the waterworks. slaughter-house and
markets. taxes on meat coal and wood licenses
on factories and businesses OF all kinds and
various minor licenses. The total estimated rev.
enue for 1Sa7-'gS is slightly in excess OF
S20O0UUO The tax on meat amounted TO
S663.000.
These receipts" says Mr.. Conant. amount 10
between IS and so head on population esti-
mated between 100000 and 100000. In Ameri-
cities 80 per cent or more of the revenues is
derived from direc. tax the assessed value
Of real estate including vacant property. In
NewYork the revenue is about SIS head. in
Boston about $40 in Philadelphia about SO and
in Chicago about Sl2 a head" (These figures
are approximate only, Mr.. Conant says and
We're based census statistics of $500
"New-York is. Of course city Of exceptional
wealth. and while the revenue per head is large
the taxation in proportion to the true value or
property is probably less than in any city in the
country l am inclined TO think. although fur
Their study might modify this opinion, that the
wealth OF Havana is such that a judicious sys
TEN Of taxation would yield revenue Of Sl5 a
head. or upward Of SO. 100000. and this if hon
estly and judiciousy collected and expended.
would probably be twice the actual net revenue
enjoyed by the city. The collection of
taxes OF all kinds was farmed out on a basis Of
per cent commission for collection
General Ludlow has been informed by others
that about one-half the city's S2.000000 has
been going 10 the Spanish Bank and the Bank
Of Commerce in interests bonds. interest on
floating debt percentages in discounting notes
and revenues. end In paving for collection Of
taxes OF the remainder only $13.914 was spent
on the Fire Department and S96.546 schools
THEIR OWN LAWS SUFFICIENT.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS IT is NOT NECESSARY
TO HAVE ARMY OFFICERS TAKE ACKNowI.-
EDGMENTs IN CUBA