Our Village.

That Markdale is a healthy substantial and vigorous business centre gies without saying. It progresses slowly byt constantly, and is filling up year by year with a substantial class of buildings, chiefly brick, and each succeeding year surpasses former ones in quality and architectural beauty. Its location is a most desirable one, being neither flat nor hilly, but sufficiently rolling for good drainage. The water is excellent and abundant. The railway station just near enough, five minutes walk from the centre. Our business men are enterprising and progressive; market always steady and reliable, thereby drawing a large and constantly increasing trade from the surrounding country. Our citizens are, with very few exceptions, industrious, prosperous and hospitable, but, under the circumstances quite too content, being bled to the tune of at least $600 a year during the past 10 or a dozen years, by the townships of which we form a part, in the shape of taxes (township rate, Licenses, Fines, &c.,) over and above the regular rates, and that without any return. Our village has expended some $1.500 in sidewalks, &c., during that time, but never a dollar did we receive from the municipalities into whose treasury our tithes have been paid, but raised the amount from the village by special tax independent of the regular township and other rates. Now this kind of thing is growing monotonous, and as there is no prospect of bettering our condition without a change of municipal relationship, the sooner our village seeks and obtains incorporation the better; this would secure for our town an influence and position of advantage in many respects, besides creating an increased interest in its prosperity and welfare generally. As to the cost of a village council it is customary for such councils to give their time gratuitous with the exceptions of the Clerk and Treasurer, and we are satisfied that less than one half of what we now pay out without getting any return for it, would pay all costs of maintaining such municipal expence while the other half could be used for local improvements, or for improving roads leading to our village.