The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-02-12

That last year there was Fdlseu W 90
stiion 100000. based on a levy OF
ii cents ON the hundred dollars yalua-
Lon. The police court receipts for
iie same year. were estimated az
10000: liquor licenses yielding
yenue Of about S17.ooO.oo.
we md the city involved in a bond
5tSlfndebtedness OF ZOOS. 100000, besides
! loating debt Of about $e5,Oooo max
,lt,a total Indebtedness of $4oo,OOo.oo.
nkipg funls haze been provided
thus far for only s1so,ooO.Oo Of this
bonded indebtedness. The remaining
x .ste5 10000 no sinking funds have yet
bson provided; $1,000 90 of said honda
We're issued August LIST. 1904; $780,
$4,000 we're issued January 1st 1898,
ind the remaining sSs,ooO.O0 were is
atied July LIST. 1902 To create sinking
funds to pay this 81. 10000 on matur'
isty IL win be necessary to appropriate
se,200.00 each year. The item OF In
Ssrest on these bonds find is $5.SsO.Oo
Ter year. The SlSO.ooo.OO issue OF
Tairmont Water Works mortgage
bonds requires annually 100000 foe
sinking fund and 100000 for inter-
mt. To be more plainly understood !.
VIII require an appropriation each
gear. Of the following amounts to take
care of the sinking funds and interest
III the city Indebtedness:
Sinking fund. on bonded In
debtedness a.. ........ $12 10000
Int. on bonded Indebtedness 14,SSO.oo
1T. on floating indebtedness $4,000
Total Int. and sinking fund
each yeur -. ....... $32, 10000
II there are no lIaAnse granted there
viii be a shortage of revenue of about
s2o.Ooo.O0, which of necessity will
have to be RAISED by taxation. II u
levy of SO cents yi,.ded 100000, it
VIII require an additional levy of 161:
Sents to raise thu S2O,000.00 loss ia
revenue, occasionei by no license, or
IS raise the same amount of money as
received last year from licenses and
taxation will reQahc a levy OF 49,
tents. The maximum rate OF levy ID
only 40 cents but ander the law there
ssn be levy of 10 cents for outstand-
irp Indebtedness. In the event Of no
licenses being issued it will be neces'
.sary in order to provide operating ex-
lienses. interest and sinking funds to
nuke the levy so cents. which will in
cease city taxes so per cent. from
las. year.
II will be argued that the number Of
policeman can be reduced. but can't
see how the city, even with no license,
can get along with smaller force.
At the present tlc.c there are only
Two policemen anil the chief in day
i time and four at night. 1t will also
Se argued that expenses can be re-
tIuced in many other departments.
This is true in some instances. but
there cannot be sufficient reduction but
that the levy will necessarily be rails
Ell from 40 to so per cent, without the
lqvenue from licerses. Some will COM
rare the cost OF OF" fire department
Sith that OF other towns, our size, and
My EulS 10 SCokiA6 h"ASS
rs much as necessary. For instance
they will compare the cost OF our fire
department with that of Clarksburg,
when the First ward station alone Is
Il credit to the entire department of
Clarksburg. would suggest that You
inquire into the fire loss between
Clarksburg and Fairmont. then you
sill quickly decide as to the advisa.
Utility of maintaining a department
like our own or one of the character
found In the other towns. For Illus.
tration the rate on opera house insur.
auce in Clarksburg is 1854; in Nor
nantown the rate is $3.50. while the
same Insurance in Fairmont is $500.
Clafksburg and Morgantown are rated
by the fire insurance companies as
four and one-half towns, while Fair.
mont is rated the same as Wheeling,
at three and one.hnII This difference
In classification is certainly due to the
better fire department.
Ry the report OF the fire chief of
January 18th the fire loss during the
past year, was less than 100000. and
Almost $1,5OO,OOo.oO worth of property
endangered One fire alone recently
in one of the neishboring towns did
more than $SO,OOO.OO These fires you
win remember were in neighboring
towns where they have only volun,
seer department, except the chief and
!. a very few fireren. 1t would not be
tair to the people to reduce this de-
nartment, yet it costs the city about
100000 per yenr. However, there
aTeiother departments where expenses
san be reduced, aud such should be