The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-06

The minutes Of the last meeting were road and
confused.
Tho petitions of sundry parties to take out
licenses were referred to the Committee on
Licenses.
A petition from Edward Bull, to be paid FOR
some work done for the Market Board, was re-
fered to the Commissioners OF the Market.
The petition of large number of tho sorgeants
and prvates of the police force, to be paid their
arrears in greenbaclis, and stating that theh pre-
sent condition, imperatiyely demanded some acton
on the part of Council, as their creditors hal IN
many instances refused 10 extend longer maui
gence. and if city bills were taken with the dis-
count, they would prove insufficient TO pay their
| debts was read.
Alderman Cosgrove asked if the Committee on
Ways and Means had devised plan to pay the
city employees; but his motion was ruled OUT OF
ORDER reports not having been taken up.
Sundry reports from City officials, Ieludln2 the
Annual Reports, the Captain Of the Police, City
Treasurer, City Civil Engineer, City Sheriff and
others, were received as information and ordered
| to be published.
/ Alderman Ravenel, OF the Committee OF ways
and Means, reported that the Committee had done
all in their power, and had ordered the Treasurer
to pay ell applicants in City Bills. There was no
other money; the city was without resources, and
| it was the only course they could adopt
Alderman Wragg reported that the work on tho
artesian well had been stopped for some time, the
appropriation being expended and it proving I'M
possible to remove the distractions. The $4,000
appropriated had been spent in preparing the ma
terial for work (aI having been destroyed during
the war) and in paying the salaries of employees
| engine, s725; tower, STAB 81; labor, TOOLS &C.,
s2,S1s Sc; salary OF the Engineer and superinten-
dent, Major Weldon, 1884 g.; unexpendsd, 1902 g.
Reports were made by the Committees on
Records, Licenses and Accounts
Alderman Oakes, from the Special Committee,
made the following report
CHARLESTON, November ., 1867.
A Committee to whom were referred the resoia-
tion OF Council to investigate certain rumors re-
fiectne on CAPTAIN c. B. Sigwald, Chief Of Police,
and deemed BY him prejudioial TO his character as
public officer, respectfully report that they have
given the subject careful and thorough exami-
nation, and are pleased to say that nothing has
been elected affording any foundation 10 sustain
tho rumors alludedtc.
No formal charges having been preferred against
Captain Sgwald, the Committee do not deem II
necessary or important to his vlndicatlon TO EN-,
body in their report the testimony OF the several
witnesses examined by them, but would simply
beg to say that in their opinion the investigation
has disclosed nothing rejecting on his character
as an officer or citizen,
The Committee beg to be discharged from the
consideration Of Mr.. LaCoste's case, as no specne
charges have been made against him.
The Mayor stated that, according to the charter
of the city, this was their last regular meetng an
order had been read at the extra meeting from the
military authorities forbidding an election, and no
notice was published. Tomorrow would be the
last day of their existence, and as yet no orders
had been received from Headquarters and no COM
munications had been made as to the Intentions
Of our military rulers. Under these circumstances
1 have examined the acts both OF the City and OF
the Legislature bearing o. this subject, and
tn ugh satisfied in my mind as to the proper action
to be taken it becomes to refer the case to the
City Attorney, as the legal adviser OF the city.
Each of us have our surmses as to the best course
to pursue, but it is best to consult the City Attor-
ney and lsve his opinion on the validity OF any
acts done by this body while holding over.
"a Bill to regulate the salaries Of city officers,
and for other purposes" then came up for action.
It was moved by Alderman Willis, and seconded
by Alderman Courtenay, that the Bill be laid on
the table.
The Ayes and Noes we're ordered and called, as
follows: Ayes-Adermen Willis and Courtenay.
Noes-Aldermen Ravenel, Wragg, Gerdts, Small,
O'Neill, steinmeyer. Olney, Oakes, Honour, Mar
shall, Enston, Cosgrove, Butler, Pringle, and the
Mayor. Total Ayes, 3; Noes, 15. The motion was
therefore lost.
The first section Of the Bill was then declared to
be in order.
Alderman Willis then 1ooycd, That from and
after November 18th instant the salaries OF all the
city officers and employees be reduced twenty.
Ave per cent, as well as the expenses Of the City
Government.
Upon this motion the Ayes and Noes were or.
dered.
Alderman Willis in rely to Alderman Ravenel,
said that his motion was as comprehensibls and
practicable as the recommendation Of the Commit
tee on Ret,enchment He did not see why the
Council, which had remained in office eleven
months without reducing the city expenses,
should now endeayor to prescribe rules for their
successors He then Analysed the report OF the
Committee, and said that 1t wac not consistent or
impartial he was in favor Of retrenchment, but
time was required for carrying out reforms, and
that time they did not have. BE was opposed to
the whole bill, and thought tho twenty-five per
cent. reduction proposed by himself far more just
So far he could explain his motion, but no could
not explain the rest. He was opposed to reduc-
tions in the High School, and urged that the whites
should be taken as good care Of as the negroes.
He wished to see reductions OF expenses in every
quarter, but there was not now time to do it.
Alderman Courtenay took the ground that the
Bill was not in order because it proposed to legs-
late for the new Council. This was the laet meet
ing Of the present Council. and they could not
properly act he said that no city official hea re-
ceived the salary charged against him. The city
employees had worked and toiled, and had not
been paid the money placed against their names.
They had been paid in city funds at twenty-five
per cent discount; this had been reduction
enough. lie was heartily in favor Of retrench-
ment, but he thought It ought to have begun In
another quarter. He referred to the city indebt-
ednoss and expenses and said it was his firm be-
lief that, with good management, Charleston could
pay, in greenbacks, living salary to every mall
whom she employed
Alderman Gerdts then moved that the further
consideration OF the Bill be postponed until the
next regular meeting Of Council. He said that it
would then be known what the military intended
to do, and no one would be able to say that the
Council preached an did not practice.
Alderman Marshall opposed postponement. He
said that expenses had exceeded income, and the
best time to- begin retrenchment was at this the
close Of the city year, The errors in the estimates
Of income aud expenditures had been found out,
and it was the part Of true business man to en-
deavor at once 10 re-estsblish an equilibrium and