Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1854-11-27
For sAs Gs:tfte.
ANENDMKNr or THE CITY CHARTER.

Assembly OF this State for an amendment o
the chsr,e. o.; this city substantially as fol
lows:--
The tirst section provides for an extension
OF the city limits and makes the boundaries
as follows: commencing on the river at
point due south of the centre of sector
thirty -four for the western boundary -
This includes the city cemetery and the
lands Of the city below it. Thence north ts
the centre of section twenty-seven. This
includes what is known as the "Burrows
tract" and excludes Mr.. Mackenzie's prop.
erty. Thence east three-fourths of mile
10 Forres. & Dillon's land, thence north
along their west line and to the east ana
ives. centre line of section swcnty-uree'
thence east along the centre line OF sec
tons % and "a in this township and to the
northeast corner of the southwest quarter
of section nineteen in township seventy
eipht range four east, thence south to the
river, thence down tho river to place OF
beginning. The section also provides that
whenever any tract of land adjoining the
city is laid OFF into town lots and recorded
the City Council may annex the same to the
city.
The second section provides for the quail
ification of electors and persons to be elect
ed in the annexed districts, SO that resi-
dence in the city three months Gas now
required) shall not be a necessary quaiiil-
cation.
The third section constitutes the city one
entire Road district and authorizes the City
Council to appoint one or more Street Com
missioners, and provides for the payment 81
all road taxes levied By the county upon the
property within the city to the Street Com
missioner to be expended by him within the
limits Of the city.
The fourth section authorizes the City
Council to appoint the Marshal, Treasurer,
Clerk, Assessor and such subordinate Off
GERS as may be required, or they may pro-
vide by ordnance forthe election of any enc
or more of them.
The fifth section is in relation to borrow
ing money BY the city and issuing Bonds
The City Council is authorized to borrow
money and issue bonds, provided that they
shall create no debts the interest Of which
together with the interest upon any debt
created before shall exceed three-fourths the
ordinary revenue OF each year, without vote
of the citizens of said city sanctioning the
creating of such debts.
The sixth section provides for authority to
levy special tax upon the property Of the
fourth ward to pay the arrearages due on
road work while Mr.. Goldsmith was Street
Commissioner of said ward.
These are substantially the amendments
proposed by the City Council, and they are
submitted in this form by the committee for
the consideration OF the citizens both OF the
city and Of the district proposed to be annex
ed.
IL
auainted with the charter as at present and
the working under it, will see the importance
Of all the amendments proposed without any
discussion of the matter, if we except the
single one of the extension of the city
limits.
Nearly the whole district proposed to be
annexed is now really part Of the city, SO
far as appearances are concerned. Lots and
blocks are laid off, streets opened, buildings
erected and great portion the inhabitants
claim to live in Davenport at this time
They act and feel as though they were q
part Of the city. Their interest is identical
with that Of the city as at present organized
The growth and improvement Of the
thickly inhabited part of the city adds to their
growth and the value of their property
The great objection likely to come from the
district proposed to be annexed is that great
bugbear taxation. Itisayery natural feel
ing of mankind to hate taxes. 1t is believed
however BY the committee that the dstric
proposed to be annexed would in the on in
AIRY course of events have expended within
it, in Improvement Of streets and varion;
other ways by the city, fully as much o
more than the amount of taxes that woult
be collected by the city from it. II this b'
true, then it is the interest Of all propert,
holders outside the present limits to conn
in, for it is well known fact that none.
expended for improvements in streets, road
and various other ways will add more to tn
value of the property than the cost Of suci
Improvements. But says one. if any por
ton Of the revenue derived from the proper