The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-11-13
LOCAL MATTERS.

City Counca-A regular monthly meeting of III,
City Council was held in the Chamberlains Of6ce
f yesterday afternoon, at O'Clock, Messrs Mills
4! eM!ccanee. Snead, Butler. Richards, Crutehtield
2Stearns, Ayres Fry, Saunders, Quarles, Scott and
Miantes--The minutes Of the last meeting were
read and approved. sEt
r., ,Finance.-Mr. McCance, from the Committee o.
rinance, made the following report for increasing
tue taxes 80 per cent. ON the tax bill heretofore re
ported: ''1N.' -
, The Committee of Finance have to report to the
Counc The necessity to levy further tax ON the per
the llth of January 1855 assessing the taxes for tbs
present year. The Council, governed by q resolution
adopted soon after its organization has pursued stic
economy In all expenditures for works commenced
and In progress, and has undertaken new improve
eients OF much cost The principal outlay has beer
ror me extension of the Water and Gas Works, the
repairs of the City Hall, and ebuilding the Firs
nlafket-ali commenced nore than a year past. The
neavy outlay for the enlargement of the Water und
Gus W orks BECAME absolutely necessary to secure
coHiiued supply of water and to provide for the ma
nutaeture of gas, to meet numerous demands that
Gould not be supplied without considerable enlarge
aient OF the works To haze stopped the above men
tohed works would have involved heavy loss to the
CITY, and great Inconvenience to many citizens de-
pfl9lng them of the use of water and gas. In the
prosecution of improvements necessary to the safe
~ and comfort of its citizens it became necessary to
give the obligations of the city for work done and
tnas IN the stringent condition of the money mark
Tue necessity torursue the course recomm ended by
the committee to the means the credit
OF the city. The semi annual interest on the city
deot que the lst OF January next is provided for by
the remaining half OF the assessed for the wear
TO Dc paid between the 18th and 3lst of December
next.
The levy now advised to be made with other reve-
nue. lrom VARIOUS Sources will pay off the temporary
debt OF the city, and the expenses of the city
ment. Ihe equity of paying off the Temporary debt
created Tor improvements which the citizens are now
enjoying the full benefit Of cannot be questioned
whilst the committee feel reluctant at this time
70 increase the taxes, and have used every effort to
raise the money to preserve the faith the
CITY, except to sacrifice her bonds they believe it will
be more agreeable to the citizens to pay what is
cessary than to relieve themselves by the sale of bonds
az price that would be permanent injury. This
view OF the subject will meet the of every cit
lzen when the fact Is considered that 81, ,z26 800 of
the funded debt Of the city, amounting to So 100 OO0
mas oeen created by their vote directing subscriptions
to be made to the Jllnes River and Kanawha Canal,
the Richmond ard DEuyille Railroad Company the
Virginia Central Railroad Company, and the Virginia
and Tennessee RailroGd Company, neither improve
ment bringing enc cent Of direct into the city
treasury. The balance Of the funded debt $873 zoo
is represented by city property of more than equal
value; aud it - confidently believed that when the
water and gas works are completed, that the
from them Will uearly ii not quite paw the interest
ON that portion Of the debt after furnishing the citi-
zens with water and gas cheap is furnished in
any other city i'll the Union.
1.-The committee think the city bonds will acquire
new value as permanent Investments, when it is
known that at all cost the city faith is maintained by
the citizens, the value Of which confidence will be
realized when it becomes necessary to re-nves ma
tured bonds given for unproductve investments in the
canal ana various railroads. ImpeIled by these
sderatlons the committee recommend the Council to
pass the ordinance (reported by the comittee) as
signing levy OF thirty per cent Oh the persons and
subjects mentioned i'll the ordinance passed the lIth
January last assessing the taxes for the present year
MIR. Scott moved the reception of the report
Mr.. Talbot opposed it. and called the ayes and
noes. He was in favor of selling city bonds at SO
cents in the dollar, rather than increase the taxes
Mr.. Stearns thought the bonds were worth but
80 cents.
Mr.. Crutchfeld was opposed to increasing taxes
Mr.. McCance called attention to the fact that in
1858 large debt would be due, and that if the
bonds were sacrificed, the city would not then
meet her engagements, because persons would be
afraid to purchase her bonds.
Mr.. Saunders regretted the necessity of increas-
ing taxes, and preferred selling the bonds at 90
cents to pay the debt, but as that could not be
DONE ho should vote for the bill to save the credit
of the city.
DR.. snead would vote for it because the debt
must be paid
Mr.. Scott saw no other way of getting out of the
present difficulty and would vote for the report of
the Finance Committee.
DIR. Mills was in favor of the report because it
was the only legitimate way OF paying the current
expenses. He felt panied to be reduced to the ne
cessty of increasing the taxes but believed that
the people would rather bear the burthen than per-
init the credit of the city to suffer
Tho question was then taken on receiving and
adopting the report, with the following result:
AYEs-Messrs. Butler, Richards, Stearns, Scott
McCance, Snead, Ayers, Fry, Saunders, Quarles
and Mills-l1.
NoEs-Messrs Talbot and Crutchfield-2.
So the report was adopted
The ordinance necessary to carry out the recon.
mendatons OF the report, was then taken up and
that all persons and subjects already
taxed will have to pay additional tax of 30 per
cent on their tax bills. 1t reads as follows:
4R ordinance to increase the to be collected for
assessed tares.
l. Be it ordained by the Council of the city of
that the taxes of the city the persons
and subjects mentioned in the ordinance passed the
llth day of January, 1885, prescribing the sums to
be collected for assessed taxes" shall be increased
thirty per centu upon the persons and subjects there
in named.
2 The Collector of the City Taxes shall add to the
books returned by the Assessor both of real and
sona property, the said thirty per centun upon all
the persons aud subjects contained therein and shall
collect the same between the 18th and 3ist of Dece
ber next inclusive, allowing deduction of ten per
centun upon all of said additional taxes paid within
that time. -..
s. In advertising for fifteen days prior to the 18th of
Collector shall especially call the attention of all per-
who have already paid taxes in whole part
for the present year to the provisions of this ord
nance; and notify them that they, as well as those
who have not yet fully paid such taxes required
pay the additional assessment required by this ord
nance.
This ordinance shall be in force from its passage
Ihaprouement.--The committee Oh the improve
ment of James River. presented a long and inter-
esting report which was adopted and ordered to be
printed
Seabrook's Wareh0nse.-The committee on Sea
brooks Warehouse reported that it would cost S5-
500 to build three sheds one hundred feet long at
Seabrook's Warehouse. -
On motion, the report was laid on the table.
Nert Meetim9.--1he Council determined TO meet
again next Monday afternoon at O'Clock
Clerk of First harke,-Mr. Samuel Ellis was
unanimously reelected
Weigh Masta-Thomas p Diddep was elected
weigh master for the first market.
Clark and Weigh Master for Second Market.--sIr
John b. Valentine was unanimously reelected.
The Council then adjourned
Hastings C0urt.-The regular term of this court
commenced in the State courthouse yesterday
morning, a very large number Of persons being in
attendance. -eE sftT
Pick Pocke-A, J. Williams alias Ford, charged
with stealing watch from DIR. Addison Dold, at
the Exchange Hotel, was examined and sent on
to the next tern of the Circuit Court for final trial
Horse .Stealing-Wm. T. Hare, charged with
stealing q horse from John Brauer of Henrico. in
September last was examined and sent on to the
Circuit Court for final trial .s.E
Grand J1y-The Grand Jury met and after a
session of three hours, made presentments against
the following persons, charged with misdemeanors:
Thomas Duke, for assaulting William A. Wright;
Michael Egan and Margaret Connerton, for assault
ing and beating VIM. McCarty; Andrew Miller and
Otho Melton, for permitting unlawful assemblies in
their houses; Henry Mangle, for breaking down