Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-09-04
CITY MATTERS.


Board Of Aldermen was held yesterday
afternoon, Alderman Shaw in the chair,
The Mayor submitted message,
portion of which was devoted to the
street railway paving question. The
correspondence between Acting Mayor
Lynn and the railroad company was
read. The latter will demand damages
in the event Of their track being removed
from Main street The Mayor fears that
Main street will not soon be paved, and
says ut is TO be regretted that
Messrs. Forrest, Montgomery & Co., did
not commence paving under their con-
tract on Main street The contractors
say that it is difficult to procure lumber
in such quantities as they require fear,
therefore, that Main street, or a large
portion of it, will remain unpaved anoth-
err winter. Aside from its Importance as
the leading street to two depots, it is the
principal street for shopping and prone
nading-hence the great necessity Of
having it paved with as little delay
as possible-too great indeed, to be
delayed for the convenience of par
ties. The amount of business brought
to the city, or drawn away, by reason Of
convenient and cheap transportation to
and from the Mississippi and Tennessee,
and the Memphis and Louisville depots,
is of almost vital importance to our well
fare. The street railroad difficulty should
be Immediately terminated by compro-
mise or otherwise, and the contractors
invited to commence the work on Main
street without further delay"
The Secretary of the Street Railway
Company, Thomas r. Smith, Esq, in
letter to the City Register, thus speaks
for the company: THE question now
presented by the resolutions of the
Board of Mayor and Aldermen is Will
the Railroad Company yield to the
directions of the city authorities, give
up its Main street tracks, on which it has
expended about $4,000, abandon its
plans of roads and material, take up
and remove its tracks, and be at the
expense of rebuilding them, in part with
new materials, and, in addition to all
this, by so doing, voluntarily aban.
don all claim against the city
for damage 10 the company and
its property, by changing the street
grades from those it prescribed for
the railways to be laid by 2 With oil
Difference and respect for the city au-
thorities, and with as lively az interest
in street paving as other citizens can
have, the acting officers of the company
cannot consent to this am therefore
directed to reply that the acting officers
of the Memphis City Railway Company
cannot in justice to those they repre-.
sent comply with the terms in said reso-
lutons. He closes by expressing a
desire for compromise.
The collections of the City Tax Col
lector's office for August were 1874, S24 49,
The south market master collected
S34S 81, and the north Memphis market
master 1914 rs last month.
During August the wharfmaster col
lected S2842 35.
There were ninety two patients in the
city hospital on the lst During August
239 were treated aud l24 discharged.
There we're % deaths, and 'l64 patients
were admitted
The Privilege Collector collected
SIS, 48l in August.
The fire warden reported five fires du-
ring August, the losses, 1920, and loss
to individuals, 1920.
Alderman Boiling rendered his resig-
nation as alderman from the Fourth |
ward. Napoleon B. Hill, Esq, was
unanimously chosen to gil the vacancy.
Mr.. Hill is of the prominent Front street
firm of Williamson, Hill e. Co., and is a
shrewd, clear.headed merchant He will
make good alderman. Alderman Boil
ling did good service in the board, and
retires with the esteem of his constitu-
ents.
Leave of absence for ten days was
granted Mr.. c. W. Clark, the City Con-
troller Mr.. W. II. Bridges will have
charge of the office in the interim.
A large number of petitions were ap.
referred
The following paving ordinance passed
a final reading:
Be az ordained, ETC., That the paving
ordinance passed be so amended as to
include Union and Adams streets, from
Front street to the river, and that said
streets be paved by Messrs. Taylor,
Mclean & Co., with Nicholson pave
ment, on the same terms and condition
as the other streets now under contract
by them.
A resolution presented by Alderman
Ruflin was adopted instructing the Mayor
to order an election to test the sense OF
the people as to the propriety of issuing
500, 900 in bonds, to mature in twenty
years, the same to be invested in stock
in the Memphis Gayoso Gas Company.
Passed a first reading and referred to the
Ordinance Committee.
Aldermen Passmore, Shaw and Pow