Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-05

universal SatiSfactiOu, nor Will SOhOoot
nv disappointment at the persistent n
o6an nnfair and illiberal opposition That
| encountered, especially from those-the
taxpayers-whOse interests / felt il my
necuIiar province to guard. While, how
aver / regret nv inability to please eve
L have done that which to me IS
even more gratifying, in that have
pleased myself and will carry with me
wherever l may go a CONSCIOUSNESS OF
performed my duty as under
stood it.
A few words for the thoughtful atten-
of those who are to succeed us. AS
there is but one memory to mar my PRIDE
al having been for two years the chief
magistrate of the city of Memphis, SO
there is but one stain on the otherwise
fair fame of our city. l allude to the
non-payment of the interest on our time
bonds, the importance of which may not,
and 1 fear cannot, be appreciated by our
citizens who remain at home, but ask
those who occasionally go abroad and
with the merchants and bankers
of other cities, and they can tell you that
the blush of shame has often been brought
to their cheeks, as | tell you 1t has To
mine.
The corporation that issues time bonds
for funding its debts, says to the purcha-
sers of said bonds that it cannot then pay
debts. but can and will pay tie inter-
est as it accrues. Now how must Mem
phis appear in the estimation of her bond
holders who know our better
than we do; who know that last year
we sold thirty-odd million dollars worth
of cotton; that we are the third cotton
in the South; that we aspire to De
the initial point on the Mississippi river
for the Southern Pacific Ralroad win
numerous other advantages that Mem
Dhians delight to boast of. And yet we is
sue bonds,we send a citizen of known IN
tepritv abroad to herald their value; we
sell them TO citizens of New York ana
Baltimore who confde in our promises,
and then, because the money Is 70 go
from home, we refuse to pay the nrst cou-
pom that falls due; and what is still worse,
The refusal comes not from the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen who pro-
vide for it, but from the property own
ers-the taxpayers, the bank officers
who assume to be the guardians n rep
resentat,yes of the credit n honor OF
the CITY. No wonder that our n are
only worth forty-ive cents. Why, the
bonds of the old city OF LynchourS,
whose leading interest was entirely des-
troyed By the war, and whose deot, IN
proportion to their taxable property, IS
twice as large as ours, are worth seventy
cents? and why this difference of twenty
1--WE uts-mo than fifty per cent
Because. with loss of business, CONNER
ciaI honor became more valuable, Whlch
thew protect by providing for their inter
est. no matter at b sacrlfce, nor
whether it is due elsewhere than al home.
Beyond doubt, this failure 10 pay the IN
terest on our bonds has damaged the
credit of every merchant and banker OF
Nemphis in the financial and commercial
center Of the country, and has lowered
our standard of morals in the estimation
of all who appreciate the sanotity of an
obligation. That can be, and Is not re-
deetGCd,
"Shake not thy CORY locks at me,
Thou cans't not say / did it,"
For the sake of our common reputation
for fair dealing with others, 1 earnestly
hope the incoming administration VIII
provide for this interest, cost what 1t
NAV. It will be ar honor towhoever does
it, and | confess TO a regret hat the honor
is not ours, but for those who come after
US.
It appears that under existing laws no
special provision is made for a police force
from the morning of the6th instant TO the
organization of the Police Board. Ii
therefore becomes your duty to MAKE
such provision as will supply the want
which is an imperative one, and VIII bt
recognized by thecOmmunttysand the law
! making power of the State. To avoid the
commotion that would result from a hasty
organization of q new force, which would
have TO be repeated again in a few days,
respectfully recommend that an ordinance
be adopted making one of the present Po,
lice commissioners a Chief of Police, ano
continuing the captains, ~sergeants and pa
trolmen Of the present force in their re-
spective positions till the organization o
the Police Board under the new city
charter.
Ihope this Board will take special care
30 clear up as nearly as possible all I'm
finished business that the new on
may find but few annOvances of tina
nature. One more word:
entered on the discharge of my otffeia
duties without any knowledge whateve
of the routine requirements of the posi-
ton, and much of the time my feebl
health would have disqualified me, bu
for the ready assistance / have so klndl
resolved from those who accepted m.
Mace during my absence, and the efieien
aid l have so literally received at tn
hands of each and every official, VIII
seem to have We'd with each other 1
their efforts TO relieve me from labor.
, thank them all sincerely. 1 part wit
them in sadness. and will carry with M
to the end of life none but pleasant reooI
lections of u official relations and assc
Citations.
Yours, very respectfully,
JNO. W. LEFTWICH, Mayor.
On motion the messages were receive
and filed.
The Secretary read the following
OFFICERS Export.
DR.. G. B. Thornton, physician in charg
of the City Hospital, reports as follows;
Patients remaining at last report...". {
Patients admitted during mOnth"...1O
Patients treated during month."."..1S
Patients discharged during month";. {
Patients died during mOnth-.""r...,. J
Patients remaining December 31.-".
The marine accounts S6.3l.
The surgeon also reports that he has i
his possession S243.50 belonging to JAIME
Wyatt, who died in the hospital Augu:
l, 1869, and ISL belonging to Elias Ruet
man, who died December Z, 1859. III
friends of neither party have never mad
inquiry about them or their effects.
j. Ii. HUMPHREYS, city engineer, report
the following expenditures in his deparI
ment during the month, viz:
Salaries .......... $3.50 {
Office expenses ......... .."."...~.. 20
Streets and alleys.."""""~r"... lOI7
Total sl52I
Peter Conley, North Marketmaster, n
ports S2l9 collected during the month.
Chas. Borner, South Marketmaster, n
ports $500 IS collected during the montl
T. NJ. BOland, Lumber Inspector, II
ports having inspected "a, 942 feet of lun
Der during the month. Fees for sam
$40 As.
J. j. Chandler, Tax-Collector on Priv
eyes, reports sl5,5S7 collected during Il
) month.
Jno. H. Bowen, City T~ax-Collector, r
, ports S42. 1896 81 collected during the mont
=, All of which were received and ordere
filed.
The usual acquisitions for the Hospita
City Engineer and other department
were allowed.
0 OF STANDING COMMITTEES.
, Alderman Dyer, chairman of Cqmmi
tee on Claims, reported the usual mont
ly payroll.
Alderman O'Donnell, chairman of Il
7 Improvement Committee, reported on Il
following petitions;
I Favorably on petitions of Chas. Ga
mani, to reduce taxes on mill on Popli
street; of citizens to have sidewalk la
e on Court street, from Fourth TO Charlie
= ton depot; of j. G. Lonsdale, John Can
eron. W. L. Cameron and NJ. f.. Edding
Adversely to petition of Randolph
Hammond, to grade fernando street.
Reports received and adopted,
Aluerildu DOAueI StetOO tAas 1hCI
were several other documents of minC
2 importance which had been referred
f the committee, but which the committ'
= had determined to destroy, and had Their
fore instructed him to tear up. He hg
e done so, and wished the public to knowi
! Alderman Hoist, chairman Fire Con
mittee, reported favorably on the petitio
of Mrs. Agnes Jones. Adopted.
Alderman Ogden, Chairman of the Ma
ket Committee, reported favorably on ii
|, petition of the stall-keepers of the Sout