Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-03
To the CITY Council.

to be guarded and fosiered by you. is that of
the FINANCES. A well regulated system of
finance is AZ essential To the ad g ancement and
uninterrupted prosperity OF the various in
terests OF our city, as is the uninterrupted
flow Of the hearts blood TO the physical
body of humanity. To clog either must in
evitably produce unheaithiness, disease and
consequent cay in the various departments
that otherwise should be rendered healthy
and prosperous.
By reference to the books of the Recorder
il is ascertained that the Indebtedness OF the
city, including liabilities of every character,
is S776.S34 AZ. OF this total debt, S38035
SO natures. and its payment provided for
during the ensuing municipal year. There
also exists at the present time. of this debt
due and unpaid, Sl08,5iS 81 Gncluding
$54 600 bonded debit while the best esti-
mate can make of the amount that will be
requires to defray the necessary expenses of
your city government, and to complete the
improvements already commenced, will be
100000. Adding these three items together,
you will discover that you will have to pro-
vide the extraordinary sum OF S306.554 81,
to meet the maiured and maturing liabilities
of the city for the ensuing municipal year,
which the public interest imperatively de-
mands should he met with promptness, and
the credit of the city thereby be preserved
and enhanced This you will find perhaps.
the most difficult duty made incumbent upon
you by virtue. of your respective offices. The
resources from which this amount is to be- re-
allied are few. aud by no means prolific.
From the assessment OF property for taxation
for the year 1859, you will discover that we
have taxable property valued at Sl1 1854 42,
which, at the present rate of taxation, pro-
duccs a revenue of Sl25, SOS 63; the water
tax amounts to. say 10 SGT 400, and the Re-
cOrder's collections TO S23 900; and these are
the main sources from whence all monies for
the above designated purposes TO be real
lied. 1t is true. there is q small revenue de-
rived from your wharf, market house, work
house. &C., but these are Insignificant when
compared tn the amount that will be required
to meet the d mands against your city.
During the past municipal year, law
creating a sinking fund was enacted, the OBJ
irct of which was to provide for the paym Mt
of the bonded debt of the city, aud if pos
sible thereby 10 enhanc" the value of your
city bouds. so that they may be used vii hout
Sd, rilce in the completion of all extraordi-
nary improvements. and which, if it can be
made successful, will enable you to curtail
taxation to such a ratio as Will only be re-
quired to meet the maturing interest on these
bonds; and in this manner let each succeed
lug generation pay It's pro rata for the i'm
proVcmtnts that 1t enjoys, in tue shape Of
iniere upon the bonds used in making such
L
far AS this city is concerned. Il new project, Is
very mat, rally decisive in many respects.
and should be AMENDED as to accomplish
the great objects tor which il was orr gInally
designed. 1t will be your duty 10 30 perfect
this law as to meet the desired object; and in
70 doing, you will undoubtedly greatly aug
ment your financial facilities, while you will
be enabled to relieve your conitituents from
a great portion OF the burtheu of taxation
which rs pressing them so enormously at the
present time.
WATER WoRKs.-In this department, much
money has been expended To afford the neces-
sarp cOnvenipnces OF life tnyour citizens. and
to protect their properly against the drvastl-
ton OF fire. That much of this has been inju-
diciously expended, no one. l CINE will
deny, because the disasters attending il no
one could fOresee. As the new reservoir was
reported TO b. valncless in its present condi-
ton. and its demolition recommended by the
very able committee on that d partm"nt for
the past municipal year. you will have to
act, and while / feel incompetent to recon-
mend any particular policy in this regard.
would suggest that in whatever action you
take. you cannot too well consider and re-
fl CT upon this very important subject, and
prevent if possible, a recurrence of the dis
asters that have heretofore attended this
Improvement.
STREETs.-Therc is perhaps no other depart
ment of your city affairs that your attention
will BE- more frequently called to, or that will
require action at your hands oftener, than
that of your streets. Upon their proper i'm
provemcnt, not only depends the convenience
of your citizens and visitors. bnt the value
of real estate and our credit abroad. The
beauty of the city is perhaps more intimately
connected with this department, than any
other. During the past municipal year.
there was inauguratrd system of street i'm
provement which appears to meet the apprO-
baton of the public, and gives general salts
faction. Under this system of graveing
streets, your authorities have progressed
rapidly in their improvement, while it is
clearly developed that it is the most economi-
cal system that has ever been inaugurated.
Tim, OF course, will develope more salistac-
torily good or evil results of this 81 tenn;
and while | would, in no way interfere in
such manner would in the least retard its
progress you cannot to rlgidly watch its
operations. or fail 10 avail yourselves of any
necessity that may become apparent. to in
crease and perfect the utility of this very
popular system.
Th"re has been law recently enacted by
YOU predecessors. regulating the drainage of
your streets. So far. this law has been in
operative. This should not he the case.
Much damage is now being done to the inn
provements already made. by the want of
proper sewers and cutters on either side of
the streets, to carry off the water. and pre-
vent il from coursiug through the middle of
the streets, carrying with it the gravel that
has cost SO much money and labor to place
there. | would suggest that this law be
rigidly enforced, and that such mrans be
placed at the disposal of your executive de-
parlmeut. as will enable them TO carry into
ellie I ne objects of this law, viii t delay.
Your predecessors also enacted law APP
pointing a City Engineer and defining his
duties, and also Instructed ssIid Engineer TO
survey The city and establish grad. for all
The streets. A portion of this duty has been
performed, but much remains 10 be accom-
plished. In fixing these grades, you cannot
be too vigilant IN preventing the e. tablish-
ment of improper grades, that would result
(if carried into effeci) in much damage to the
property OF our citizens, and cost to the city.
ScHOoLs.-The most marked evidence that
we can exhibit OF progress and prosperity as
city, is our system OF public school instruc-
tiou. No other city South of Mason aud
DX"n's line can compete with our city N this
reg trd. Our schOol-houses stand US towering
monuments of the munifcence aud public
enterprise OF our people 10 advance and dis
seminate the great blessings OF education.
Upon you, a. the faithful guardians of con-
hding constituency, will, To considerable
extent, devolve the duty of perpetnating aud
perircling this important enterprise. In 80
doing, you cannot be too careful in enacting
nothing that will retard its p,ogress, while
you see that economy and propriety are
strictly observed in its management.
RAILKOAus.-Your city, in it's corporate Ca
pacny, in order to devrlnpe Der commercial
abilities and the agricultural interests uf the
surrounding country, has become large
stock owner in some of the railroads cent'ring
here. and their tributaries Her sub~crip ions
in this regard amount, In the aggregate, TO
SS72 900 90. The results Of this liberal
Iolicy upon her part. are too Transparent for
the most casual observer To pass unnoticed.
III onmrrce has increased TAR beyond the
moot sanguinc expectations of its most en-