The Washington times., 1908-09-24
Bureau of Census Says Capt.
tai Bonds Are of High
est Class.
RUNNING EXPENSE
EXTREMELY HIGH
Ranks Second to Boston in Cost of
Operating City Machinery.
School Investment.

washington pays a lower rate of in
terest on its Indebtedness than any
other city in the United States, accord
ing &c a bulletin Just issued by the Blu
reau Of he Census Of the Department
% Commerce and Labor, for the year
1896
The rate on the funded Indebtedness
OF this city is but 50 per cent, while
at the other end Of the country, Seattle.
Wash, paid SO per cent Philadelphia
was second TO Washington, with 81 per
cent.
This means that the bonds OF the cJty
OF Washington are considered the very
best gilt-edEe investments, second only
10 Government bonds, which are con-
sideTed so safe that they net but the
smallest investment returns of any
thing in the line OF securities TO be Oh
tanned on the market.
Washington does not hold SO high a
place with regard to corporate ex-
penses. In this respect it Is within one
Of the most expensive cities in the list
Of above 100000 population. Boston
alone is more costly in this respect The
per capita tax of Washington, Boston.
and New York for governmental pur-
poses were $37.S4, $4S52. and S57s4. re-
spectively. 1t mUst be remembered that
Uncle sam pays part Of the Washing
ton tax.
Baltimore Was Economical.
Our neighbQr, Baltimore, was much
more economically operated, the tax for
Government there being but $2I.75. Mil
waukee managed 20 conduct its NUM-
cipaI affairs DIT a rate per capita Il
$l745; Buffalo at S19.S3. and New Or
leans at $2o93. In the matter of civic
beauty none of the cities named is 10
be compared with Washington.
New York has a public debt that
would require 500 from every person
within its civic boundaries to Hqudate.
Joplin. Mo, the lowest of all cities in
The per capita debt, has but $50
All the cities owe Sl,t52, 16y, JNl, just
about half the amount that Wall street
lost I'm the panic OF 1877. through the
depreciation of values in the security
market
Out of III cities owning their own
water works. all but three managed 10
make profit on the investment, and
Washington was not one % the three.
Cost Of Schools.
The report presents an interesting ia
BILE showing the cGats of maintaining
free public schools for the several cities
including in such costs the interest on
the investment in school buildings and
grounds. The relative Investments of
cities in school property may be noted
by the varying amounts per capita al
lowed for interest on such investments.
These ranged from p cents for At
lanta. Ga; q cents for Charleston. 5.
c.; p cents for Memphis, Tenn; 70 cents
for Elizabeth. y. J.; 20 cents for Knox
vile, Tenn: . cents for New Orleans,
La: % cents for Baltimore. and 20 cents
Tor COvington. Ky, TO Sl.01 for Spring
field, ohio: S1-02 for East ST. Louis, H.;
Sl-l2 for NOnkerS. y. y. Sl.U6 Tor salt
Lake City, Utah, Sl.eS for Boston.
Mass: $l.22 for Joliet, III; Sl2S for
Springfield, Mass; Sl.2S for Youngstown.
Ohio: $lSl for Hartford, Conn. I53 Tor
Oakland. Cal, Sl-36 for Duluth, Mimi
$l.4 for Newton, Mass; Sl.il for Ia
coma, Wash. N.45 for Denver. Col:
S1-45 for Pueblo, Col; and SI-56 for Spo-
kane. Wash
In like manner the aggregate. per cap
tia cost for maintaining schools, inClud-
ing the foregoing amounts for interest,
varied from Sill for Charleston, :. g.;
g. - for Knoxville. Tenn. 82.ll for Mont
gomery, Ala; $2.l5 for Memphis, Tenn. A.;
and S2l7 for Norfolk, Va: 10 500 for
Oakland, cal: $40 for Butte Mont,
SI.25 for Springfield, Mass, S7.32 for
Boston, Mass; $7.52 for Denver. Col;
$.59 Tor Salt Lake City. Utah, Ssh for
Newton, Mass. $3.50 for Spokane,
Wash; and $S7G for Pueblo, Col