Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-03-17


lowing message was received from the
Mayor:
mayors 0PrIcE. CRY HALL.
MEMPHIS. TEss., March IL. 1893.
To the Honorable Board Of Aldermen;
After an absence Of several weeks, /
regret on my return to find our financial
wants still unrelieved and loudly claim
ing attention.
While in New York, Baltimore and
Washington City, it was my pleasure to
meet and converse with many Of the
holders of our securities, and to find them
actively solicitors for our prosperity, and
willing to lend liberal assistance toward
the improvement Of our credit, both at
home aud abroad, which all concede is
too low il Memphis is to assume the rank
among cities to which her natural adj
vantages entitle her.
1t may be said that self-interest in
spires this wish for our prosperity, which,
il true, is legitimate and commendable,
and might be protitably initiated BY those
10 our midst who would ruin credit
which it should be their pride to sustain.
At no period of our history has enter
prise and capital looked so inquiringly
towards Memphis as at the present, and
the low standard of our credit is tho only
contradiction to the generally received
opinion that brilliant future is before
US.
The Importance of improving, or at
least sustaining, the city's credit, was
clearly recognized in your determination
to order an additional issue of city
bonds, which, it will be remembered, was
reluctantly agreed to as the only measure
left to protect the honor, as well as the
credit, OF the city. To meet the seeming
objection to an increase of the city's
bonded indebtedness, and bridge over the
few months that must intervene before
we reach cash basis, arrangements
were perfected by which loans were
placed, some at as low rates as seven per
cent. per annum, with margin of bonds
to insure payment at maturity; but in
compliance with the caprice of few
self-constituted guardians of the city's
interests, the more expensive mode of
funding, according to the letter rather
than the spirit of the law, must be OBJ
served
As the silly ostrich hides his diminu-
tive head beneath leaf and deludes
himself with the belief that his huge
body is concealed, so have those de-
ceived themselves, who under the false
pretense of preventing fiscal corruption
have sought to thwart your plans for pro-
tecting our credit, thus hoping to break
it down, to enable them to pay their past
due taxes, or to cever short sales OF
scrip, with deprecated evidence of city
indebtedness.
The success of their schemes would
compel the issuance of scrip to meet the
pressing wants of city employees, labor
ers and other creditors, who in their turn,
with little demand for their scrip, would
be forced to sell it at the purchaser own
price for the benefit of these delinquent
taxpayers.
The forbearance of these needy cred
itors, under all the circumstances, has
been truly commendable, and will,
hope, strengthen your determination to
redress their wrongs by paying them at
an early day in money which is their
due, instead of scrip which would put
them at the mercy of the spectators. :
A resolution was passed at your last
meeting forbidding the use of bonds ex-
cept OF par, which but for the fact that
mere resolution is as a dead letter
against a law or ordinance would posi-
lively prevent the completion OF your
plans to pay the debts now due. To
avoid even the appearance of vacilla-
ton in your purpose to protect the city
credit, / respectfully recommend the
repeal Of said resolution.
At one of your recent meetings petit
ton to open the alley between Washing
ton and Poplar and east of High street
was granted, but no provision was made
for the legal condemnation of the ground
to be appropriated. To avoid future
complication, would recommend that
the legal condemnation be provided for
before action is taken in the premises.
| herewith present for final action the
report of the Commissioners selected to
assess the damages to the Taloert prop.
erty," by the extension through said
property of fernando street into Uniou.
| also present a communication from
R d. Baugh, Esq, one of the Water
Works Commissioners, to which l ask
your attention, and such action thereon
as you may deem advisable.
/ am convinced that a clerk or assist
ant is absolutely essential to the prompt
and thorough performance of the duties
of the City Tax Collector, and recon-
mend that the same be granted.
also present communication from
the Sanitary Sergeant Of the Metropoli-
tan Police, aud recommend compliance
with bis suggestions.
Yours, very respectfully,
JOIN W. LEFrwICH, Mayor
The documents alluded TO we're to the
effect that K. d. Baugh City Controller,
submits the report OF the Special Com
mittee, appointed to examine the differ
ent plans laid down by the City Engineer
in his report on the water-works and
sewerage, and recommends committee
be appointed to ascertain the most FEAST
BILE plan of carrying it subcommittee
to report ct the next meeting, aud the
work to get under way Immediately.
The Sanitary Police report Rotten
Row as in a most filthy aud horrid con-
dtiou. The report prays that it be de-
cIared nuisance by ordinance, and
abolished or shut up.
The message was received and filed.
The City Engineer reported and sub
mitted profles of certain streets laid
down on the maps, and recommended
their adoption. Received aud fled.
r ]. Morgan, City Attorney, reports
in favor of accepting the proposition of
w A. Bickford, made at the last regular