The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-20
abandon the enterprises until moro fayorn-
BILE condition OF the city finances ehall present

There has been received by the City Trea-
surer, since the present Council was sworn
into Office. only s73G 65. while he has paid out
81, ,5o5 o2, so that up to tho close OF business,
on the 18th instant, there was in the City
treasury only the small pittance OF SAT-. .8S.
The duty Of the present Council seems to
must be exercised by every committee, in
ordcr that the expenses may be kept down 10
tho lowest point consistent with tho dignity
" .ne city, and tho necessities and require
1t IL tiuo, tho State Legislature has granted
10 tho CITY Council the power to raise money
suihclent TO carry on all needed improve
ments, and to keep tho machinery Of tie city
government in motion, but with ali this
power, there IL necessity for prudent and wise
discretion: Unfortunately for the Council,
Inc recent lazy OF the General Assembly
Granting the city the right to isaue bonds is
very detective. We can only negotiate those
bonds ut public sale. They cannot be nut
upon the market ill any other way. II bankers
lorm combinations to keep the bonds below a
| certain prico, thero is no way By which the
city can prevent the bonds from being sold at
great sacrifice, il they arc once put up for
public sale. Whether thero ia any way by
sale ut these bonds, remains to bo demon
strated. There is growing necessity for
improvement in tho city, and moro particu
larry IN the street department, where consi-
| deraDlc money must be expended before our
streets can DO put in proper condition to
answer the public demands. The improve
lnents =, ;:iready begun, viz: tho new City Hall
ward, providing the city can do so without
serious less to the Treasury by borrowing
in0nei at ruinous rates OF interest.
Ihese are questions which your committee
| feel called upon to present for the considera-
tlon OF the Council boforc any active mea-
| surcs are taken to increase tho already heavy
S load now bearing upon the City Treasury.
mo burden OF taxation is heavy, while the
prospects Tor reducing it nrc by no means flat-
| tcIlnB at present.
| Your committee is confident that somo of
INC departments OF the city government
sclf-sustaining. Tho police force as an tX.
ample, could, by q proper enforcement OF the
various city Ordinances, yield u revenue
nearly large enough to support it, without
| ura"inH entirely upon tho City Treasury
| nc hEes and penalties for non" compliance
| With Ordinances would afford 81 large revenue.
II collected according to the spirit OF the law
me bonded debt OF tho city on the 9Th of
| April, Instant rs shown by the printed stato-
n"nt of the City Treasurer, amounted TO
| 1911 500. No portion of this debt, however.
iaiis due prior to 1876, but tho annual inte-
| rent upon thn entire amount, aggregating
:22, $50, mnst be provided for This, added
TO the interest upon the iloating debt.
amounts to nearly s24 900 per annunl, or an
| average expenditure Ut $4,000 per mouth for
! interest.
| The sources o. revenue upon which princi-
pal dependence is placed are faxes licenses,
| AID iiies and penalties. The assessed yaiua-
| Ho'i W P,"Pct,S suoJcct 10 MUNICIPAL taxa
'!on. both real and personal, amounts to
| ABOUT -. .UC0,UuJ, and that, at 4 tax OF one per
centum, Yields revenue of $4,000. Tho IL
ccnses ;or the Year 1877 amounted 10 S2O,-
6ll ~, the water rents s., so, aud the returns
| from the market 50 100. This yields n total
re"cnuc-provided the taxca arc all collected
-oi ABOUT SSo.OOO per annum. With this
amount, the city government could easily be
run, were II not that we have to meet ut once
an outstanding obligation Of upwards of $50. :
go. This could be done frora the proceeds of
the sale OF city bonds. thus leaving tor the
actual current expenses the cu1rcut revenue
| Iroal various sources.
| This, yonr Committee fee! confident, can be
done without any further increase Of taxa
| non, or ilic imposing If any additional bur-
dcn- upon t!lc people. Respectfully submit
;cd. j.. CaSS CARPENTER,
| >. B. THOMPSON,
y. COOPER,
Committee of Waye and Means
| :.cc we'd ~ information,
| -.!su, reported bacl. report of CITY Trcasu-
iei iur March, as HaI:incd and found correct
Cui,' urrcd II.
lsovr:nan C"orrr, from tic Commttco on
| streets, reported that the drains ut the cor
ncr Of ayior ana Main streets, Assembly,
| hciwc"n Medium and fcmGcton strceta, anu
G"tes ncar Lincoln street, are III IL bad con-
!ition, ana recon- nicntc! that brick drains be
lai,. down.
Alderman thompson ,lovci, that the Com
:nl;icc on streets be authorized, TO imm c,llatc-
| y ttTe is:c drains laid rs recommended III
1
l:ic reading ot 'An Ordinance to rarulat c
TIC expenditure oi money by Tie regular COM
| n':itecs III their respective departments, :"
adopted March .. ISL wAs called for, ard
read - the Council.
| -Aidcr:t;:! Carr, from Committee on Market,
r.epurtcd back thc report o: Clerk of Market
!'r March, as examined and Toumd correct
| Cuncr:r,d ~.
alderman ,i,ifa, irJla Committee on Ii
e.E4o.. Go! '.,ci o.ci: application OF Frances
I NILS !or tavern license, ana recommended i.
be granted. Adopted.
Alderman Young, from ComMi,too Oh City
Ds!, 70. p:tcd tia. certain necessary repairs
:.ScI.rr!o:.i, rrc.
| : u. ra1n Carpenter That unit further
! arin'.. ;l.!s Council be governed by the r,,.os
" i".':s by CJ;sacil iuiy 25 1871 Adopted.
! ~ Aii, rnAu CArrol-T!.,.t the City Cieri;
~ required IL prepare, by our uoXt regular
!""r'in". :: c':rec. ata:cr!"n; oi all money
i!..I INT" III" city Treasury dEvins the last
;"p .ehi" a"G !.ow the aaiAc Las bsun *
F, cH!".i. Adopted.
IL. n':luw.ai; named Gitl:n.nccs W, re re al
:Iiai ;i.ir ana ordered .ur coi.s!,,ra,:u.. 1T
, II. 81 Iat cling:
IA o'rj:nonc.tJ a.t.n'i;n O,r.inuncc concti.,.-
.rJ ,,'>es ":d jus. r.a".y Gs.u artr..y il.
:'sc streets.
H. !; i;"rjiiacd byMe TiyornuG .llier,nen oy
.' chy u CDiU!siti, IN COUMtI asSGmticd,
l.:A; section ! of "An Ordinance concerning &