Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-01-11
THE @ OH JUDGE LEONARD Ta
THE COfuETV CQuffT.

the county court. We would state here
it was ordered to be published, and would
have appeared III the APPEAL simulta-
neously with its first appearance In print
had il not been withheld from US until q
: late hour in the morning. We do not
) say it was WilfuNy withheld by the par.
ties who were TO furnish it. but we did
not get it until after u in the morn
ing:
; Gentlemen OF the Quarterly Court, Shelby
; County, Tennessee;
r congratulate YOU upon the reassem-
bling Of the court, for the blessings and
5 favors with which we have all been IA
vored by a kind Providence, and that we
are permitted to assemble again, at the
beginning of another year, TO attend TO
the affairs of the county.
l beg leave TO submit to your consider
alton my report of the financial condi-
ton of the county, with such recon-
mendations as, in my judgment, are
proper to be made to your ~worsbipful
body.
REPORT.
herewith submit report Of the finan-
cisl condition of Shelby county
First. A statement marked "A"show-
ing the amount received and disbursed
by Thomas +. Leonard, ESQ, trustee,
since the 18th of April, 1866 Balance in
his hands at this date, Sl9l0 81
Second. 4 statement marked "B,"
showing liabilities and resources due and
maturing during the year 1867. a part.
of the items are estimated, based on the
Leceipts and disbursements for the past
Gear, but I believe the figures are nearly
correct. This statement shows a deficit
Of $50. 65S so TO be provided for. Iwould
cali your special attention to this state
ment, and ask your action on il.
Third. A statrment marked &C"
showing the liabilities and assets payable
at some future day, viz: Liabilities for
bonds due 1889, bearing six per cent. in
terest, for $500, 600, Assets for 100000
stock in the Mobile and Ohio railroad
company, the value Of which | do not
know, and other property and claims, in
all amounting to S42S $50, and the court
house and jail in Raleigh, on which l
have made 10 valuation.
John Donovan, Esq, of the criminal
court, has made report Of S2,6l7 03, lines
and fOrfeitures due the county, as you
will find in statement B.
NJ. D. L. Stewart, Esq, clerk of the
circuit court, reported ST % money col
lected a account of county. The cOu-
pons on $500. 600 county bonds, amount
ing to Sl0S,G are due Messrs. Ayers,
Calhoun and Randolph hold S78,353 Of
said coupons, and petition that a tax be
levied to pay the same. The Imperative
necessity for money to pay pressing liza
bilities is such, thst I would recommend
the levy of a special tax OF One-fOUVh of
one per eenk for tle purpose q paying
said inter9P, or the issuane of bonds,
bearing siA per cent. int yest, payable
two or three years hene Tor such sum
as may be necessa,yIpay the Interest
due on the bondgf This would relieve
the treasury andIlstain the credit Of the
county.
The jail contract amounts to Sl42, 400,
on which warrants have been issued to
contractors for S62, $50. The $50, 600
which you cOnfided to my care, for the
purchase of the iron work and iHclOsing
of the jail building, has been disposed Of
as follows, viz: $4,000 has been drawn
out and delivered TO contractors, and the
balance, $4,000 is in the Merchants
national bank, to the credit of Shelby
county.
The committee, T. c. Bleckley, J. H.
Goodlett, II. T. jones, and the judge of
your court, appointed by the court at the
October term, to negotiate for a loan OF
$4,000 for the Jail building, negotiated
with W. H. Cherry, Esq, president of
the Merchants national bank, for the
money. Mr.. Cherry manifested much
interest in behalf Of the county.
In compliance with the law, (see code,
page 1885, I have notified all collectors
Of revenue accruing to the county for
fines and forieitules, to report, most Of
whom have done so.
The jail building is progressing but
and a report will be made and
submitted as so0Il as I receive a state
ment from the architect. Tue assess
ments for Jail purposes are being col 4,
lected, and when all is realized will a.
ford ample means to complete the jail
according to original contract. /;
While on this subject, I would also
call your attention to another matter 4,
That a number o. the Jail commission
FRS met unknown to me, and assumed :
10 themselves u power 10 let out the f..
building Of a wall or fence around the
all lot, about three feet thick at tue :
base, by some ten or twelve feet, more 3
less, in hight, which work and mate 3
-isls will amount to some $4,000, be- !
tides the expense Of an iron fence on
of the wall. This work was let out q
three or moro Of the jail commits
TO J. J. Towers, one Of the Jail r
contractors. | d~i-approved Of the pro- :
believing it va unauthorized ny
aw, knowing full well the county was +
Il this time unable to do more than a
build the jail and pay her i'm !
mediate and pressing liabilities
moreover, l regarded the contract en- q
cred into by the jail commissioners IS +
10 part of the contract for the Jail build ;
ng and as ss0n rs I was aware OF the =
Of a psfsQi the Jail commission /
l euter5Pf { protest against their Z
lnauthoTizeAA zion; but I submit the :
naHfap 70 TahfrG hHffavfrru thor .
u,h p5a.r emaSes alone from the s
quarterly court. 4S county, at this \
ime, is unable to uceFs-iitioual ,
for the co~ustructi6 Ie- ;
Of a fence on so gigantN Eds ~ as 4
he one let out to Mr. Powers. : part Of
he wall has been built by Mr. Powers, II
With brick, costing him ten to twelve a
per thousand, for which he de :
hands thirty dollars per thousand laid :
u the wall. This seems to me a high 4
rice, and during next summer l believe
he same work could be done for one
lalt. 1t is for your wOrships to decide
he legality Of the contract, and also
What action you will take IN the matter
While l am in favor, at some subsequent
IeTiOd, of q COED and substantial wall,
.et I think the county, like individuals,
houid take advantage Of price OF labor =
nd materials, particularly as the Jail 1
will not De completed for some c
months to come. I have no objection to l
Ir. Powers doing the work, but only y
the power uf the commissioners to !
nake the contract without the order Of :
court. =
The appropriations made at the July 2
arm, for charity, have been distributed. Il
Considerable expenditures have been ,
lsde on account Of the epidemic which =
listed u city during the past summer. .
There exists, / regret to say, 81 differ !
nee of opinion between the jail commits Y
toner's and myself about an appropria- u
made by them for so, 900. 1 believe 9
be appropriation was premature, and I
elieving that sum was not due to the \
all contractors, as the estimate upon 5
7hich said amount was to be drawn was .
in part upon work done, and ma
erial furnished unauthorized by the !
Ounty court, anC, in the opinion of your Z
hartman, largely in excess of the sum Z
the contractors. While on this sub ;.
I would further state that the inter q
sts of the county, in my opinion, de- "
handed an Order from your chairman II
uthOrizing the architect appointed by .
MS court 10 measure and determine the q
uality, site, dimensions and value of all Il
be work and labor done, and materials d
ug lne t~OulEdCLOIs, up " the
rst of the present month. This order Y
issued by yOur chairman, and the .
'ork is being measured by the architect, u
} that if any money is due the cOntrsc- Z
1rs l may have clear authority for Il
a warrant or warrants in favor 3
f them for the same q
The property on Adams street ia occu-
led for city schools, in lieu of which the d
ity school commissioners furnish the C,
ouaty with clerks office and court room
zee Of rent this arrangement TO con- G
nue. so long as theschOol commissioners
ccupy the county property. 81
| would again recommend the sale Of
De property. I. will probably bring G
5000 or $40. 900.
AS the county has no courthouse in Of
his city, now the county seat, l would
initis.t0ry steps toward the
urchase of the ground and building a t,