The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-03-06
Ct,f Gatettc.
ALFRED SANDERS, Error.
DAVENPORT:
THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH s, 1851.
cry CHARTER.


CITY CHARTER.
Prssuminp that our citizens have oil pc
rused the City Charter. published IN our
La, naner. We shall make a few remarks
in relation to u.
ID voting upon This charter the question
naturally arises, in wha, respect ore We 70
benefit ourselves by the changer ~ one
but viii admit that the simple Tact o. 2
,r.nsition from town to city, amid the
like changes that arc occurring around u.s.
i sufficient Of itself. provided no particular
ahice,;on exists 10 the new charter. 70 IN
duce every one TO yo!e 10 us iavnr.
The objections tia, have been ursec
nc,;n.t hi, ins,rumen, are generally Ut n
ir;flinc nature. We propose 10 answer all
thai VIC have haen able 10 ascertain and
afterwards 10 shaw soms Of tie advantages
tha, will accrue u our citizens from Inc
adoption of this charter.
The frs, objection iha, occurs 70 Us IS
Tia, ia relation 10 taking private property
for the improvement Of streets, etc. some
have maintained tina, in virtue OF three
four,bs Of the residents Of a block, petitions
inp the Council for an alteration OF that
block. no assessment Of damages shall ac-
crue 10 any residing thereon. This IS q
hold construction aud arises from the in
perfect phrasco'ogy Of the sectional want
Of ciearness that marks much o. the nstru-
men,. But the very fact that these who do
petition for such Improvement are exempt
ed from any assessment OF damages that
may accrue thereby, is proof that the fra
mcr Of the insiramen, intended that those
who cid no. so petition were TO receire such
scnuuer alton, especially as The FIRST part
OF the section afiirms .'lhat The corporation
shall make just compensation 10 The per
eon whose property is sotaken.' y we ad-
mi, the construction forced upon the latter
part Of the section we annul the former por-
ton. If we receive i, IS M entirety, we
allow compensation TO all those whose prop
er.y shall be taken for such public purpose,
who are not petitioners Cor such improve
mcnls. We anticipate no difficulty what
ever from quibbie upon tie faulty con
siruction Of this section.
Another objection urged 10 the new char
ter is, that merchants are required under
lis provisions TO pay both tax aud license.
il was never designed by those who framed
that instrument 10 double-tax our mer-
chants. When the Charter was read for
approval to the Council before being sent
to the Legislature, the word "transIens"
was introduced before the word "merchan,
for the very purpose Of obyiating that evil
The words s:retaiicrs and grocers" were
supposed to apply to greg shops. Il can
possibly be construed to apply to our mer-
chants, who are in the general Specification
Of The word, retailers, but there is little ex-
pecta.ion Of it ever being enforced.
Another objection is. that Of bringing
within the corporate limits those now resi-
ding upon the town lots adjoining the town.
Citizens need have no objections 10 this ar
rungement il those beyond its precincts are
not opposed toit Some trouble was taken
a short time since to ascertain the minds OF
those thus directly interested upon this
subject, when j, was found that about one
half of them were willing to pay the small
increase Of tax 10 order TO avail themselves
Of the benefits that would accrue to them by
being placed under the jurisdiction Of the
corporation. Alleys in the rear Of their
lots were INSTRUCTED, manure and dead ami
mails were deposited in The neighborhood,
and guns fired around their premises en-
dsngering their lives, ye. being without the
bounds Of the corporation those things were
permitted and they had no way Of redress.
Certainly none will refuse to pay small
sum per annum 10 rid themselves Of these
nuisan noes when al the same iithe q voice 10
given them in the control Of the city sffairs.
Ii they be willing to enter the city bounds
no voter upon the charter Of course will
object to SO commendatory feature
We only regret that i cannot include the
residence Of Mr.. LIE Claire, as we would
like 10 see our old friend sin town." We
understand thai by this &C, the grounds of
the late Mr.. Macklot are excluded from the
corporation. An oversight, we deem it.,
in those who drafted the charter, which
with other slight discrepancies should be
rcmedied at the mex, meeting Of the Legs
la,ure, provided our citizens, with their
accustomed good sense, adopt this char