Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-22

a 80 t@AL I
full Investigation of this question ana
final action thereon.
Yours, very respectfully,
J.. ". LEFTWICH, Mayor.
On motion of Alderman Renner the
message was received and filed.
Amessage was also received veto1ng the
ordinance putting the parcel express
wagons under a ten thousand dollar BOND.
on motion of Alderman Renner, the
ordinance, with the Mayors oDJectlonS
thereto, was referred back TO the OruI-
nance Committee.
Alderman Vincent introduced a resolu-
ton TO put a picket fence around Bickford
Park in Chelsea.
Amotion to refer to the Improvement
Committee was withdrawn, and the ordi-
nance was adopted.
Alderman 0'Donnell, on the special
Committee on the petition of Mrs. Bridget
McGinty, reported by permission that the
damage to her property dot No. New
Madison street, was Sl45O.
Alderman Cartwright said that as the
Board had met for a special purpose, he
moved that no business be transacted ex-
cept that business for which they were
assembled, all other business to be re-
ferred to the regular meeting on the hrst
Tuesday in July.
This created considerable argument. \
vote was taken and the chair was not
GaLfSLeU. y ukNlSlOu was NDCAh ~
called for when the discussion was recon-
. meneed. It was finally put an end TO by
Alderman Renner, who offered the follow
ing ordinance:
Re a ordained, etc., That a special tax
of thirtv-fYe cents on the 500 of taxable
property be laid to meet the interest De
| coming due during the fO~rty-seeond cor
porate year on the bonds issued for raii-
road purposes by the city.
NTIarnra n RnDnpr said IN OfIefll2
this ordinance he had a few words which
he wished to say. The Finance COMMITTEE,
he said, had had no formal meeting, but
each member of it had tried 10 do his best
| in the shape Of borrowing money to meet
| the July interest. So far they had met
with but poor encouragement IN the
| meantime he had tried to examine, in con
| nection with the City Attorney, as TO the
/ right of the city to levy a special tax, and
1 received this written opinion from Col
Morgan.
Mir. Renner then read the opinion, which
was quite lengthy, but which took the
ground that the Board had, up 10 $3.50,
been restricted or limited to one per cent.
tax 10 meet the ordinary current eX-
nenses. but in October, 1866, the amended
| charter increased this one-half per cent,
making a tax Of one and a half per
cent in all. From this the Board may
spt aside enough to meet h interest
on bonds becoming due, and may order &
special tax to provide funds to pay Inc IN
lterest on bonds issued 10 railroads, etc
.. Acting on this opinion" continued Al
6err,sr Renner. of the City Attorney
which was also examined and its correct
ness attested by the legal gentlemen, !
have prepared the above ordinance. As
near as l can get at the railroad bonds Is
sued by the city, they are as follows;
Memphis and CharlestO sJOO,O0t
MississipDi and Tennessee. 25O,ON
Memphis and Ohio ltl,OUt
Little Rock Railroad 5oo,tu'
Little Rock Railroad Endorsed, and
for which the rents Of the Navy
Yard are 55u,UW
These and the balance of the Little Roch
bonds make a total Of II, 100000, which VII
REQUIRE Sl02.O 600 coupon interest at 8 per CT
| have ascertained the assessed value o
the CITY property, for the fOrty-seconC
corporate wear, to be about thirty mllllol
of dollars. This viii make a special tal
of thirty-ive cents oneVery hundreu uoi
lars of taxable property necessary TO NEE
that sun tSlO2,0 0 0Ol. As we are alIoWt-'
one and a half per cent. on all taXah!'
property, or a dollar and a half on every
hundred dollars. il takes from eighty L
eiuhty-Gye cents On the hundred dollar
10 meet the interest due toF the yeaf. Fol
lowing the amended charter, we put asid'
fftv cents of that from the regular tax
which leaves thirty-tiye cents to %
raised by special tax. Last year W.
did the same thing, but II was ken
back somehow, and WhOt become Of Z
7 don't ka0c. In framing this ordl
nance I have gone 10 the bare eXten
of the law, and no further, and l hope yo'
win adopt it on its first reading. so IA
we have laid no for the torty-Secon
corporate year, the books being not qulI
ready. They will be, however, in day o
two. The CITY Attorney further states
in his opinion. that This special tax is {
1 be paid in currency. This will help Il
immediately out of our difficulties. As
; remarked, we have as vet made no dehn
l tic Arrangement, but some things ar
! loomingup now ofwhicb / cannot speak
but by tomorrow they VIII be ripe.
now move the adoption of the ordinane
on its first reading, @,
4 Alderman O'Donnell asked If thls ord,
s. nance levying 4 special tax was to De con
= sidered a q report Of the committee {
g whom was referred the Mayors messag
r aud the financial question, az the preNiou
c meeting.
Alderman Renner stated that he WOut
= like it to be considered as such; he eoul
not. of course offer il as such. a. there ha
been no formal meeting Of that con
mittoe.
- Alderman Clancy said, before there wa
:, a vote taken on this measure, which +
d intended TO support. he would like to rs
r n few questions. Why were not the take
already due the city collected? Why dI
e not this Board take some steps 10 secui
their Davmeut? / want, said he, TO sc
the taxes already due by the richest IN
: biggest men of Memphis collected. Actio
n ought 10 be taken on them first. We al
a slow Board. a weak Board; l admit
and that I amthe weakest member Ihel
arr six or seven men that control Us, an
e, control Memphis. They have the mOne'
L and money controls the world. beinl
we take a vote on this special tax "
II ought to take some steps to- his en'
4 or see that some IS taken IN II
e Legislature this fall. The poor ta'
k payers have paid their JaXes-the
sr are afraid Of the law, but GreenlaV
* Brinklev, OVerton, Jones and Lee
1t though Mr.. Lee i = gentleman, and goo
bevond them all. He pays his taxes, bl
81 the Others-these big men ought TO
a made to come up. If they did 50, "
re- would not have To sell our Little Roc
Railroad stock. I viii vote for the speci.
-aX, though L thought S25 was enough.
10 Alderman Gallagher said that, in JUST,
IA to Mr.. Greenlaw, he would say hat J
lie had paid up his taxes. lie was n of o.
a best and promptest taxpayers He rs
1t paid over S30,0OO Of taxes.
l. Alderman NlncenL Sald ne AOulu w
10 for Il. If it was amended as follows: "P.
vi vided. the said tax was not used, or M
part # 1T, to pay the July interest,"
,e There was no second to his amendmeI
,oI for some moments, and Aid. Rem
Of begged Mr.. Vincent TO Withdraw it. III
le Chair said hat the discussion was out
u order. as the motion 10 amend was II
IS seconded ,whereupon Alderman Gallagh
n said he would second ii ont Of courtesy.
20 Alderman Renner said he would moi a
cept the amendment. 1t was prepOste
le Gus. 1t was for the very purpose, in fa'
of pavingthe July interest that the L
was to be levied. IT was for paying I
Indebtedness Of the I'D corporate year
IL the july as well as the January intere.
Of He begged the gentleman from the MIN
ward TO withdraw the amendment.
means Reputation and nothing else
ed least it smells of il.
s. Alderman Williams thought hat II "
or time this Board quit burlesquing a.
e. get to business and face the music, a.
I'd moved 10 table the amendment of Add
n man Vincent.
" The motion TO table being secondt
was put and prevailed, by an unanimo
q. vote.
Alderman Dyer arose and said thai
e. hoped-he would move that the rePort'