The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-11
FRIDAY, APRIL II, 1919.
BUILDING STREETS.

ken looking to the building OF per-
manent streets in the city of Able
vile. The proper petitions are now
being prepared, and in few days
the free-holders of the city will have
an opportunity to express their ap-
proval or disapproval of the move
ment.
There has been complaint that
Abbeville has been standing still and
that the city doessRothing. The op-
bortunity now presents itself to give
the old town shove and to start it
rolling. There is nothing that pro-
NOTES industry and thrift as much
as other industry and thrift, and
there is nothing which will make the
people move as well as to get them
moving.
And there has been complaint that
property in n1Abbeville is too high and
that people will not improve it. And
it is said that to pave the streets
will only make it higher. We do not
think so. When we issue hundred
thousand dollars in bonds, we may
expect to pay more taxes. That
means that the property of the city,
improved and iinimproved, win share
the burdens of the street building.
Now a man who has property which
is improved will share the increase
in rentals and in values, but the man
with unimproved property is about
to be smoked out Of his hole. The
taxes which will be levied against
his property. will be such that ne
must either build it up or sell it, ne
cannot keep it unless he has money
which he loves to pay over to the
government, and not many of US
weep because we may not pay taxes.
The result will be that good many
of the unimproved lots will be put
on the market at prices which the
people may pay; other property will
be improved in order that it may
bear the burdens which come along
with progress, and this property will
be offered to the pepole either for
rent or for sale. Altogether the
street building will be good thing
for all people WHO are interested in
either buying or renting property,
except the man who buys unimprov.
ed property and lets it lie idle. He
adds nothing to the city and should
have fire placed on his back.
+
About the taxes? Yes, that is an
ether question on which, the people
should be informed. Nobody should
Msh blindly into anything, and the
Z: @ sais WIS s I'm 50 asked Il sigh ths
,e.;.;anasaos q. the-.sleetsa6 ea the
Question of issuing bonds should bel
advised as. to the increase in taxes
which is beSS1aaa t6 follow. >
r That Is a matter somewhat of cal
culation, but simple calculation
will serve to give the people the in
formation. If we issue bonds to the
amount of one hundred thousand
dollars, the interest at five per cent.
will be five thousand dollars per
year. We should provide for the
ultimate payment of these bonds
by the creation of a sinking fund
sufficient at the end of twenty years,
with accumulated interest, to pay
off the bonds. We imagine fifteen
hundred dollars will do this.
The taxable property in the city
of Abbeville now is about one and
a quarter millions of dollars. At
five mills this property will pay the
amount necessary to be paid annu-
ally. SO that the city taxes in Able
vile will be about five mills higher
than at present.
The tax rate in the city Of Abbe-
vile is. now small when we consider
what we are getting for it. The
people here pay more taxes to the
state and county; than they -do 8 to