Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-26
An Important Session.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

A called meeting of the Board of Alder
men was held last night, President Carroll
in the chair.
The Finance Committee submitted re-
port which was received and adopted
A resolution was adopted to pay the
Metropolitan Police for the month of Oc-
tober and up to the time they ceased to be
policemen.
A bill to indemnify securities of the cor
poration by pledging the city property and
its faith to such persons becoming sureties
for the payment of the city debt, passed
three readings, under q suspension of the
rules.
A message from the Mayor was read, and
on motion was received and fled.
A proposition was submitted from Mrs.
Alison, proposing to lease the lower wharf
for twelve months for the taxes that will be
assessed on the property during the term
of lease Referred to the Wharf Com
mittee
The bill fixing the rate Of taxation for
the use of water, which passed two
readings at the last meeting, was called up,
Mr. Hurley offered an amendment to
increase the present rate of taxation OF
water to twenty per cent. Lost. The bill
then passed its third reading.
Mr.. Hurley offered resolution providing
for the appointment of committee, con-
sisting of one from the Board of Alder
men and two from the other Board, to con-
fer with committee from the Tennessee
Manufacturing Company relative to the
extension of water pipe to the factory II
North Nashville. Adopted.
bill requiring liquor dealers to take out
a license of SO was rejected-ayes 6,
noes T.
Mr.. Patterson offered a bill to regulate
and govern the police of the city. The bill
provides that the Commissioners shall
be elected on the 9th of December, and that
they shall select the police force, to be
properly uniformed, and give sufficient
bond for the faithful discharge of their du-
ties; that the rules and regulations hereto
fore governing the Metropolitan Police be
referred to the Police Committee for such
revision as may be needed. Referred to
special committee of five, consisting of two
on the part of the Board of Aldermen, and
three on the part of the other board.
Messrs. Hurley and Patterson were APP
pointed.
The amendment to the bill authorizing
the Workhouse Physician to examine
A resolution, calling for committee to
conferwith our Senator and Representatives
in the General Assembly, and secure such
legislation as will secure the city in the
issuance of bonds Adopted and Messrs.
Carter, Cabler and Simmons were ap-
pointed said committee.
The Gas Committee reported that they
had held a conference with the Secretary
IL q, ,<Iht 70,
the price of gas for the next year, and refer
the City Council to the following PROPOSE
ton from the company:
The company state that they hold
accounts against the corporation of Nash
vile for gas already furnished, amounting
to S., 700 They propose that if the city
will pay this amount at the rate OF so
cents on the dollar, by the first OF Decem-
Der next, the company will agree to furnish
the city with gas for the year beginning lst
December, 1869, at $3.50 per 1000 cubic
feet, cash, payable monthly.
The report was received and filed.
A bill to amend an act regulating labor
brokers, to strike out 800 and insert $40,
passed three readings.
The Board then adjourned
COMMON COUNCIL.
The regular meeting of the Board OF
Common Council was held last night,
President HEREFORD in the chair and
eighteen members present. The minutes
of the previous meeting were read and ap-
proved.
The following able and elaborate message
from his Honor Mayor Morris, was read
and received:
MAYOR MORRIS MESSAGE.
To the Honorable Board Of Aldermen and Com
mon Council OF Nashville:
Steps have been taken, as you are aware,
to resist by appropriate litigation, the
payment of spurious checks which were
issued by the two Alden administrations, as
they are commonly called. You are aware
that very large proportion of such checks
is unquestionahly of an illegal character.
Another portion of them is Of doubtful
or uncertain character; and still another
portion is of that kind of checks which, if
issued by authority of lawful
board, would be regarded as binding
on the city corporation. There also has
accumulated a large amount of past-due
and unpaid interest on the funded debt OF
the corporation, the amount of which can
not at the present be accurately stated. 1t
amounts probably to at least $4,000;
and more of the interest is falling
due from time to time. On the first Of
April last 800. 600 of the Nashville and
Chattanooga railroad bonds matuTed, and
remain unpaid and on the first of April
next another 800, 600 of the same bonds
will mature. Your Finance Committee
will no doubt at an early day make such re-
port as will show more fully the financial
condition of the corporation.
In addition to the above, l will say that
there are numerous outstanding unhquida-
ted claims against the corporation which
are presented and pressed daily. Some OF
these, though exorbitant, are IN part good,
or will be finally held SO, as We are advised.
The result of the pending litigation will no
doubt be, that the corporation will be held
bound for considerable amount
upon checks which have been given
for a valuable consideration, or
else upon the original considera-
Grafton itself. The payment Of these liza
bilities of the corporation cannot be IN
definitely postponed, and the earlier we set
about preparing the means of liquidation
the better.
1t cannot be expected that the people
will be able to bear a burden OF taxation
for the ensuing year which would enable
the corporation to meet ali the demands
against it as they may be pressed upon it,
even with the strictest economy In the ex-
penses of the administration; and if pos
sible some other means must be
devised for that purpose. 1t is with
great reluctance that / recommend an in
| crease of the funded debt of the city; but,
| after mature reflection, | think it is adj
visable to take such steps as to obtain the
necessary authority from the Legislature to
issue bonds of the city to fund at least a
large portion of its floating debt. This
proposition at once suggests the question,
| Can the bonds of the city be sold for q rea-
sonable price? And in answer, 1 say, l
| think they can. The law of the State pro-
vides that it shall be the duty of the
| Mavor and City Council of Nash
| vile. in each annual apportionment
| of the taxes upon property in said
city, to levy a specific and separate
| tax, the proceeds of which shall constitute
a fund to be called the interest fund; which
| fund shall be held apart from all other
moneys paid into the treasury Of the city
of Nashville, and be applied exclusively to
| the payment Of interest on the public
funded debt of the city, E. until the
SAID tund snail amount 10 sum sulnc1oHt
to Hquidate all the interest on said
! funded debt now due, or falling due
| within the year of each such 9ppor-
| tionment; and the residue of said fund,
if any, shall be paid into the common
funds Of the city. 1t is doubtless the I'M
alterable purpose of every branch of the
present city administration to faithfully
! obey the law Our troubles have arisen out
| of want Of knowledge of and reckless
disregard of the law. 1t will be your duty,
| in obedience to the law above quoted, to
levy large interest tax at the proper time
for the coming yeaT-suffeient in amount
to pay in actual cash all the outstandig in
terest now due and unpaid on the
funded debt, as well as all such
interest falling due during the year.
take it for granted that this will be done
without hesitation and that the provision
m ! I 8. 4 I,,A ~