FIRST BOSTON OBJECT LESSON 
65 
buildings, and the city lose nothing in taxes from 
that locality? 
A Tax That Defeats Itself 
Query. Do not the above questions indicate not 
only that the taxation of buildings has defeated itself 
by discouraging the increase of buildings to be taxed, 
but also that the city is deprived of a much larger 
revenue by thus preventing the large increase of land 
Value in the whole neighbourhood adjoining, which 
Would follow the erection of eight million dollars 
Worth of buildings on Winter Street? 
Winter Street is the centre of the highest land values 
of Boston. It is 485 J feet, or less than one-tenth of a 
mile, in length. It has two subway stations of dif 
ferent lines, one at the Washington Street and one 
at the Tremont Street end. The city is spending eight 
or ten millions for these subways, besides other mil 
lions annually to provide shopping facilities for a 
million people. The result here is $8,000,000 worth of 
land value for the benefit mainly of the land owners of 
Winter Street, and $600,000 worth of shopping accom 
modations for the people. Is the result pleasing or 
Profitable?