The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-16
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
REGULAR MEETING.
COUNCIL, CHAMBER, January IA, 1868.
Present-Tho Mayor; Alderman haHenei'
Wragg, Gerdts, Small, O'Nein, WINS SIen- t n
never. Olney, Oakes, Marshall, Enston, WhlI-
den Cosgroye, Butler, Parker, Courtenay and
Pringle.
and confirmed.
The following matters were disposed of:
Sundry applications for licenses. Referred
to Committed on Licenses.
Application of John Neunan for permission
to repair his house in Mazyck- street. Referred
to Committee on Brick and Wooden 6uiaolngs, @ i1n
Communication of C. NJ. Eason. On motlon
of Alderman Steinmeyer, it was referred 10
the Mayor, with authority TO act:
Communication of A. j. Rutes, relatiTe 10
leasing the City Hall Square, during the sum
mer months, for tho purpose OF dispensing r.
freshments. Referred to Committee on Fuo-
lie Grounds, DC. .u o,..;,o to
O. balance due him BY Commissioners Oh the
Markets for work done previous to tue war.
Alderman Enston moved to refer IL 10 tne
Alderman Courtenuy moved to substitute the
Committee on Public Grounds, &c., to report
at next meeting. Lost.
Question REQUIRED on original motion ana
carried. c,. 80
Police, relative to his pay. he1erreo 10 'n'
Enpiication of Ed. Sebring, for renewal OF
certificate OF city stock, the original having
been lost. Granted.
The following communication was received
as information
OFFICE BOARD OF HEALTH,
CHARLESTON, January ., 1858.
To the Honorable the Mayor and Aldermen
GENTLEMEN: At special meeting OF the
Board Of Health, held on the "a instant, tne
following resolution was unanimously aooPteu,
and the Registrar instructed to Forward tne
same for the consideration anu appfo'ai VI
Council: u,.L 30
Resoiued, That the Board Of Health OF
Charleston respectfully and earnestly recon-
mend to City Council, the propriety and I'M,
portance of the immediate remodelhng ana
repairing OF the building known as the Merk-
house-putting the same in such condition M as
shall be suitable for city hospital. That pro-
posals for said work be called for, and the
work done under the supervision OF the CITY
Civil Engineer. The work to be completed by
the first day of May next, when the present
lease of the Tucker House, Hampstead, Will
Very respectfully,
Your obedlent servant,
GEORGE s. PELZER, n. D.,
City Registrar.
Alderman Courtenay gave notice that later
in the evening he would introduce resolution
touching on the communication. =,
Sundry bills against the different city lnsti-
tutions. Referred 10 proper Committees.
Bills against Aims House, for month OF DE,
cember, 1867, amounting to s29ba.lZ. heierreo
to Committee on Accounts. .oo,
Return of Harbo.master for December, looi,
showing s45S.2S paid into the City Treasury.
K Return Of City Sheriff for December. 1867,
showing s1S99 10 paid into the City treasury
Information.
Alderman Ravenel, chairman Committee OF
Ways and Means, submitted the following re-
port, which was received as information:
The Committee Of Ways and Means, after
long and careful consideration, beg to submit
to Council the accompanying bill, to raise sup
plies for the year 1858. p
In the estimate OF the probable wants OF
the several departments OF the city govern.
ment. the figures have been put at the lowest
point, but still large amount Is iouiio fequi-
site.
The estimate of the probable receipts from
all sources, will fall short Of the amount needed
by about the amount of the Annual interest OF
the CITY debt. 1t is true there is an arTear
of taxes due, from the years 1866 ana loot, OF
over 500, 900; but against that there are claims
against the city remaining unpaid OF an equal,
- hot n0
looked for from that quarter, even II the whole
amount in arrears should be paid.
In making this plain and candid statement,
the committee are aware that censure will be
visited upon them, but they believe that after
fair and impartial consideration by attendant
circumstances, and the difficulties encountered
by them, they will be acquitted OF blame; Or
Gu instances beyond our control, ana Which IL Is
useless to discuss, have produced condltlon OF
things heretofore unknown. Nor are we singular
in this respect. The failure Of the soil, whether
from seasons or otherwise, to yield Its accus-
toned products, has cut of trade almost en-
tirely. and our people at the end or cach year
find themselves poorer than at It's Deginnng;
with an impoverished people and such general
stannation M of trade, what else than great and
insuperable difficulties are to be expected by
.,orporatfoh whose only mode OF raising means
is by levylng and collecting taxes.
Our misfortune is that we found the CITY en-
numbered with large funded debt for the ex-
isteuce Of which the present authorities are
surely not responsible. In the case OF indlvl-
duals under the pressure OF debt, we see ai.
most daily how their energies are cramped
thereby, and how utterly impossible it IS for
them, with oil their struggles, to succeed. TINS
is equally applicable to corporations, but IN The
former case provision is made by the laws OF
the cJuntry to afford relief, which is altogeth-
ar irnnrscticable in the case OF municipality.
The taxes imposed the two past years have
proved q heavy burden upon the community, yet
the committee cannot recommend reduction.
To levy. q tax which would raise the tull amount
needed would require an advance OF over hfty
per cent. supon the rate OF taxation IN the Dill
of 1867, Even if this were done it is question
able whether any larger amount would be re-
allied than under the rates the committee Is
prepared to propose, and the result would be
to subject very large amount OF property to
sale under the sheriff, hammer, foi which no
purchasers will be found, our own people being
too much impoverished to purchase, and the
unsettled condition of affairs tending to pre-
vent lather than to invite lnvestn onts here
from other sections of the country.
In preparing the Tax bill OF 1866 the estl-
mates we're necessarily vague, the condition OF
things for several years preceding precludlng
the possibility OF obtaining correct basis up
on which to found them, and the amount real
izei under that bill did not suffice to meet the
demands. Those Of 1867 could be moro accu-
rately estimated, having the expenses OF 1866
as basis of calculation, and 1t Will be rcmem-
bered that when the bill camo up forlts second
reading it was accompanied by report from
the committee showing proOaDie ucnclency