Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-11-25

10000; Magistrates courts, $1,OOv.
OO; Post uaortems, $250.00; Court
house, and jail. $4,000; Board OF
assessors, $4,000; Books aud
stationt ry, $4,000; Reports, $50
90; Contengent, $4,000; Total
.s15,Os5.W.
The estimated value of the tax
able property of the Lew county if
$2,555, 10000 and the rate of tax
alton would be practically:
State tax .................5 mills.
County tax. =,
School tax. .................o
Total. ........l4.
But that is not all. Hammond
county will have other heavy ex.
penses to meet that will run her
tax rate away up and make her
paw dearly for the luxury of seced-
i ing FROM Edgefeld and Aiken.
There will he a jail, court house
and county offices to build. From
what I have been told, it seems
that the North Augusta Land Com
pany IS trying to convince every
one that it's three thousand dollar
school house and vacant lots to the
value of five thousand five hundred
dollars will supply every possible
need for the purposes named. l
give the people credit for better
sense than to believe ally such
nonsense. If they are credulous
enough to believe any such thing
they ought to be taxed twice as
high as they will be if they vote
for the new county.
NV information is to the etfe;t
that all of the county seats estab-
lished within the past ten years,
have furnished u court house, jail
and the like and SO far as | can re-
call the expense of so doing has
reached the sum of about twel ty-
five thousand dollars.
AS stated, the North Augusta
Land Company composed of G''or-
ga and northern people princi-
pallv, who have no interest IN
Hammond county except to IN
| crease the value of the stock. off"r
d school house and five thousand
FIVE hundred dollars worth ct use
less and vacant lots for he purpose
o. erecting buildings worth $25,-
10000. That would leave about
seventeen thousand dollars for the
tax payers who will derive ahso-
lutely no benefit from the estab-
lishment OF the new county, to pay
To raise that amount wou q re-
ouire a levy of about seven mill s.
Then there would be the county
cham gang on fit to purchase, cost
! ing several thousand dollars, or a
lax of about three mills more.
Then, as the floating tebt Of
Edgefeld is about $8,000.OO Ham
mond would hav, to assume der
share, which would he about one
thousand dollars, all burden on
the tax payer.
At every turn we meet with tx
pense to the tax payer ard in nc
Instance d. we run across any
benefit that he is to receive.
1t stands out as bright as day
however, that the North Augusta
Land Company is in for the whole
hog aid will be the greatest bene'
fciary if the new county is estab'
lished. The only possible benefit
tc the tax payer will be that a few
neanla ligjnaaseqRRpa North AZ A41 qitRt
to reach the court house as tEey
have now to ride.
From my stand point the fore
going is the only tenefit to any
lcitizens OF the proposed new coun.
ty.
Now to go back again to the tax
rate and expenses. Say that the
county issues bond to the extent Of
seventeen thousand dollars to help
build the court house, Jail &C., the
interest on that would be at six
per cent. 5000 annually.
Then say it will require $4,000,
90 for chain gang equipment. That
amount would have to be borrowed
at six per cent. making $4,000.
Add that TO the 100000 and we
have $4,000 to be usued annual.
ly running the levy still higher
It is safe to say that if my figures
are correct Hammond county will
have to start life with a tax levy
of about seventeen mills. Think
over that before you cast your vote
for the new couaty.
VIM. P. CALHOUN.
A VINDICATICN