The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-08
THE RECKLESS ISSUE OF BONDS.
Mr.. Johnson Puts Some Pertinent Questions to
the City Fathers.

| very pertinent question and one that
every citizen and tax IRyer in Raleigh
| should stop and ask himself. Will the
| finance committee of the Board of AL
| dermen publish a statement, showing
| the present amount of the sinking fund,
and also state whether or not any spe-
| cial tax has been levied during the past
! few years to meet the interest and pro-
vide sinking fund for the last two
issues of bonds as provided by law?
| Will they also state whether the
| amount collected by special tux to pay
the interest and create a sinking fund
for the bonds of the city previous to
1896 has been used, or any part of it has
! been used to pay the interest on the
| two issues of bonds made since 1895?
The writer is informed that such is the
case, ard that no provision by levying
| any special tax whatever has been
made for the interest or sinking fund
| for the bonds issued since 1896, aggre
eating one hundred and fifty thousand
collars. II such is the case, and an
other $4,000, with the probability of
still $4,000 more, shall be issued, then
| how are we to escape a very serious in
crease in the present tax rate of our
| city, and why cannot these bondhold-
ers come into court and force the Board
| of Aldermen to levy these taxes as pro-
vided by law?
| AT the request of number of citi-
| zens the Mayor recently called meet
| ing of the Board of Aldermen to an
swer certain questions. There was no
quorum and the meeting adjourned in
| fifteen minutes for want of a quorum.
| Are the members of the Board of AL
dermen who favor the bond issue
lodging the question, and afraid to
| meet the citizens committee The
| street committee, through their chair
man, say they invite investigation.
| Docs this look like it?
| Now as to the economical eXpendi-
| ture of the money previously raised for
| street improvement; / cannot go into
| details, because l have not the books
| and vouchers before me. 1 can only
| look at general results. 1t is claimed
| that eight miles of streets have been
| macadamiZed. but it must be remem-
bered in arriving at any proper con-
| clusion that the property owners on
! each side of the street are required to
pay one fourth the cost of improve
| ment. This would make it appear that
the property owners have paid one-half
the cost of matchmaking, one-half of
these eight miles. but such is not the
fact, since the city has borne the entire
expense of that part where the streets
intersect; so 1 would judge that the
property owners have been required to
pay about one fourth leaving say, six
miles which have been macadamized by
the city, according to the claim of the
street committee. 1t is also claimed
by. the street committee that they have
graded many streets which have not
yet been macadamzed. This is true.
Most of the grading, however, / am free
to say, has been done where not neces-
sary, and lin many instances in the ex-
treme suburbs of the city. Just what
this should cost would be difficult to
determine with accuracy, but that
much of it was unnecessary must be
apparent to any one looking into the
matter. Mr.. McMackin. roa! super
visor for Wake county, tells me that as
! near as he can estimate it, it costs the
county about 81 900 to macadamize one
mile of road that is, grading and ma
| cadamiZing. Taking this as a basis,
macadam of 4 cheap character the kind
we are putting down in Raleigh, should
| not cost exceeding $4,000 per mile. but
| even allowing that it should cost S. 900
per mile, this would make only $50 900
| for the six miles macadamized by the
| street committee. Allowing $50, 900 for
the six miles macadamized, we have
spent $4,000 of bond money for curb
ing and grading. A very good railroad
| can be built in this country for IS 900
| per mile. This grades cross ties it and
lays the rails, paying for all work and
| material. When ono considers the
work done and the cost of it, the enor-
| nous expense to which residents along
| the improved streets have been put,
and further considers the present and
prospective condition of our city finan-
ces, he. cannot possibly avoid the con.
| clusion that the town is paying dearly
for what il is getting.
The street committee say through
their chairman that they are willing to
abide by the will of the people, but at
the same time, we are told that the
committee are going so far as to write
letters to the policemen, urging them to
work in favor of the bond issue. This
profession of being willing to abide by
the wishes of the dear people comes
| with bad grace from those who are
unwilling to meet committee of the
|
city, and from those who are seeking
| to enlist the services of the police to
work up a sentiment for the bonds II
the police are to be used for such pur-
poses. l respectfully suggest that their
| pay be increased in the same way that
| the pay of The sire ct hands has been.
Finally those citizens who oppose the
issue of bonds cannot reach the Alder
men; they have failed to get single
categorical answersto any of the half
dozen questions propounded to them;
| the proposition to submit to the presi-
dents of the five Raleigh banks the ne
cessity of increased taxes to provide
| for these bonds has met with no re-
Spouse; yet, nevertheless, voters must
endorse the administration, must shut
their eyes to the rapidly accommodating
responsibilities of the city, and must
bindly entrust to the street committee
more money for street improvements.
The street committee have resorted to
all manner of means to push the bond
matter on the people. They have left
undone work which was necessary to
do work which was unnecessary; they
have left in a very bad condition
streets in the very heart of the city,