Petition for seeking relief from a proposed bridge tax

Mem No 53a

Memorial of 14 free holders of the town of Boscobel, Grant Co relating to a certain proposed Bridge tax

12/2 Int by Mr. McNair To Del from Grant & Crawford Co's

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U.A.W. McNair

2/2 Special Com Grant & Barstow Boscobel Grant Co. Wis Feb 10th 1867

I certify that the within memorial contains the names of all the free holders living upon their free hold estate, in the town of Boscobel, outside of the corporate limits of the Village of Boscobel, except two to the best of my knowledge and belief and that it was signed with a full knowledge of its contents.

C.K. Dean

To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin

Your memorialists being freeholders of the town of Boscobel in the county of Grant, and residing outside of the corporate limits of the village of Boscobel in said town, respectfully represent: -

1st That upon the advisory action of about one fifth of the electors of said village, application is now being made to your Honorable body, for the passage of a law, which shall authorise the said town of Boscobel, to impose a tax of $20,000 upon the taxable property of the town, for the construction of a bridge over the Wisconsin river, to connect a portion of Crawford County, with the said village.

2d That all the rights and franchises connected with the said proposed bridge, are vested by a law of the last Legislature in a close corporation, which is now fully organised under its charter, with power to collect tolls &c upon the completion of the bridge.

3d That the officers and corporate members of the said Bridge Company, while publicly declining to invest a dollar in its stock on their own account, are now endeavoring by appeals to the self-interest of the people of Boscobel, and of a certain portion of Crawford County, to induce a majority of these localities to raise by public tax all the amount claimed to be required to build said bridge, to wit: $30,000. Under this state of case, and to this end, the proposed legislation is sought at your hands.

4th That in the judgement of the undersigned, such taxation, not being for any governmental purpose whatever and being wholly of a speculative character, as well as in

clear violation of those rules of comity and good fellowship which should always govern the conduct of the majority in all municipal affairs - should not receive the sanction of your Honorable body.

5th That the benefits which would result to Boscobel from the construction of the proposed bridge, would be shared by but a small portion of its citisens, and those living wholly within the village. Professing sufficient ability to understand our own interests, and the whole merits of the case; we fail to see any material benefits which would result to us from such forced expenditure of our money; but, we do not fail to discover that our feeble vote in opposition to the tax, might be overwhelmed by the strong vote of the village; and we respectfully ask therefore, to be relieved from the operation of said proposed tax. We ask that all of the town of Boscobel lying outside of the village of Boscobel be exempted from any special bridge tax, which your Honorable body may think proper to authorise.

All of which is ver Respectfully submitted. Dated Boscobel, Grant Co. Wis. February 7, 1867

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