Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-13
ORDINANCE.
An Ordinance Regulating Taxation
in the City Of Memphis.
MERCHANTS.

MERCHANTS.
Station 1. BE IL ordained by the Genera
CounoiI of the city Of Memphis. That here
after all merchants, commission merchants
manufacturers, and all other dealers, shal
pay an nd Ual0rem tax upon the capltai IN,
vested in their business equal 20 that levied
on ali taxable property; and the term 'mer-
chant" shall include all persons and copart.
nerships engaged in trading IN any klnu q
goods, wares or merchandise, either on iand,
or al or on any steamboat. wharf-boat, OF
other craft, stationed at or plying within the
corporate limits of the city of Memphis
whether such goods. wares Or merchandise be
kept hand for sale. &. on me commission
for profit as ordered. PROVIDED. that this sec,
tion shall not affect in anywise the levy and
collection of privilege taxes upon the avoca-
tioas declared by law to be taxable as privi-
leges, except merchants and persons doing
The business of selling merchandise upon
Sec q And no merchant or commission
merchant shall commence or continue ousi-
| Ing from the City Register Of the city OF
| Memphis, license in accordance with the
provisions Of this ordinance. And every per
| son and every copartnership who shall violate
| the provisions of this section, shall be guilty
| of n misdemean0r for each days violation oil
| the same. and shall be arrested as in other
cases Of misdemean0r. and on conviction be-
fore the Recorder shall be lined, Tor each sep
arate 0ffsnse not less than i've nor more than
fifty dollars, which shall be collected as other
fines are collected. -
merchant and copartlership,, before receiving
a license, and at the end OF each twelve
months thereafter, shall execute bond TO
| the city of Memphis, with good security, 70
be approved of by the City Tax Collector and
the City Register, in the sum Of one thousand
dollars. conditioned that such merchant or
commission merchant will render to the City
Tax Collector at the end Of twelve months
| from the date of the bond true statement !;
under oath, of the amount of capital invested
| in the business carried on during the twelve
months preceding, and will pay to the Tax
| Collector the tax thereon, as provided by law.
| And to fix the amount of capital SO invested,
the amount of cash. or its equivalent, as
bonds, notes. or other evidences. or secure
ties of value in place or lieu thereof, or prep
erty. real or personal. of every kind, which
NAV be or is used as the representative OF
capital or as basis for the transaction Of bu-
siness. in each case respectively, shall be
considered and held as said capital.
Sec. 4. Upon applying for a license and ex-
eeutinR a bond as hereinbefore required,
each merchant or commission merchant be-
fore receiving license shall pay 70 the City
Tax Collector the sum of twenty-five dollars
$3.50: ard when the merchant or commission
merchant pays the taxes that may be due
upon his capital as herein provided, the said
sum shall be allowed him as a credit upon,
s nnu taTss dne from him.
'"SS ac THE od palorep tax provided for
herein shall be payable as other taxes upon
a.la mamma. and for the parpose of ascer-
tanning the capital invested by each merchant
~ cnrnmission merchant, or copartnership,
which il declared to be taxable, j shall be
w 49, ~ nonarfnershin at the time REQUIRED
by the condition OF his bond to report his tax
able capital, to file with the City Tax Collec-
E;rst-AII capital invested by such mer-
chant commission merchant or eopartner-
ne. =; stock ~ goods. wares or merchan-
d;sa whether owned by him. or held or Of
fered for sale by him on commission or con-
s si1vT az,
Sscond-Au capital employed during the
.a.ad;n, tSraIve U1l months in any manner
~ 'rod;ns whereby no stock Of goods, wares
or merchsndise is or has been kept on hand,
vnIess snch business il otherwise taxed as q
~ nri, :; "eee -. -7E -TH
Tha Statement herein provided for shall be
sworn to BY the person or persons making it,
or some one of them; but il shall not be con-
elusive upon the CITY of Memphis ss to the
actual amount of the taxable capital: but II
may be shown te be false, and, in such case.
the Tax Collector snail ascertain. by the best
evidence in his power. the actual amount oil
the taxable capital of the merchant, eommis-
sion merchant or copartnership making the
false statement; and. when he ascertains
such actual amount of capital, he shall levy
and collect the taxes herein provided for
upon such actual amount. IL shall pc the
duty of the Tax Collector to provide the
necessary blanks for the statements required
by this section, and he shall furnish the same
10 any person desiring to make such state
ments.
See. 6. That the license provided for IN the
second section of this ordinance. shall be is,
sued for the term of twelve months, but snail
be. and become. forfeited IN all cases by the
| violation Of any Of the PROVISIONS OF TINS or
license, new one shall be taken out as pro-
yided for In this ordinance.
Sec Z. That every merchant and copart-
nership who is engaged in business in the city
of Memphis under existing ordinances. shall,
within thirty days from the passage OF 1nls
ordinance, hahe NJ ie sUas H. hove hsco%e
due from him since his last report as now re-
quired by ordinance. and shall then surrender 6ie
his existing license and receive from the City
Register license in accordance with the pro-
visions of this ordinance.
eec q That the bond required by section
three Of this ordinance shall be forfeited by
fsiIrra ~ render The statement. under the
oa,h 81 therein reauired. or by rendering a
Ssisa' statamenf or Nv failing To nav the taxes
ns"assad ~ dne a. the time or in the manner
herein provided; and it shall be the duty Of
W W heeo,ra foyfeited 10 fbe Cty Attorney who
~ ~ hI ~, mon me came for the benefit
~ ~ ~ n;ts snd IN case ~ a breach of the
| bond and SUCH suit, the city Of Memphis
IN os snoc;fed in The hond and an
sne penatv tSSt affect shall he inserted
s asIeenen' ~ No ,.corsrv m the hond shall
.neiein' nHu ~ ~ rigbt cf tha citv al
| ~, ~ colIaet tbe 10 YES TINT nav remain
Men " al CO., w nc ,nsrnhsnt
uhPalu anu uue iioni at;n II or
non nieIcnls " sp,,ad, ,ba civ NAV have
any OsHsi ~, 4, th;s ordnancs
AgaihsLn,iin W 'n' Vi '''''
or otne1"i M 4, .h.u H.. r,isdaro.sror 20
cec. .. In e ~ ~ snai i;, ~ 70 ~ LS 70
violate any Oh .ne ~ ~ ~ ord;nenes or
qulie9 n ,,I,ss 81 sac,inn Eve and