The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-29
THE CITY FATHERS.
THE TRIANGLE OYER THE ENTER
PRISE RAILROAD.
The Subject Turned Over to the Board
OF Health and all Legal Procsedings
TO be Suspended in the Meantime.

Tho Subject Turned Over to the Board
OF Health and all Legal Proceedtn8s
TO be Suspended in the Meantime.
Aregular meeting of Council was held yes
terday afternoon at the usual hour. Pre-
sent-the Mayor; Aldermen 0'Neill, Bowen,
Smith, Gage, Voigt, Kenny. Mlchaels. Swee'
gan, Glover, Johnston, Moran and Pelzer.
Before confirming the minutes of last meet
ing, as read, Alderman O'Neill hoped that bis
vote against the motion Of Alderman Volgt, to
retain eminent counsel at o cost OF two thous'
and dollars, be recorded.
Alderman Brown hoped his vote on The
same side would also be recorded.
Alderman Sweegaa objected. The vote had
been taken two weeks ago, and the proposed
proceeding was unparliamentary.
Alderman Gage thought 1t was but courtesy
to allow the request. As he had voted against
the motion he would like to have his vote re-
corded also. The question being put the
minutes were confirmed as they stood.
PETITIONS.
Ofthe vesi-y and wardens of st. Philips
Church for the remission of certain penalties
and taxes. Referred to the committee on re-
trenchment and reliefss
The following petition wss then read.
OFFICE CHARLESTON CITY RAILWAY COMFY,
No. 2 BROAD STREET, May u, 1872. !
To The Honorable Mayor and Aldermen:
GENTLEMEN-The undersigled, In behalt OF
the board of directors and stockholders OF the
City Railway Company, brgs leave respectfully
to lay before your honorable body statement
of facts. which it is hoped will Induce you 10
reconsider the bill now before yea, which pro-
poses to impose license fee of one hundred
dollars on each of the cars run by this COM
pany. .,,.
road wss built soon after the war, under cir-
cumstances of great difficulty. Money was
scarce, and high ra.es of interest were then
demanded, and the cost Of all materials reqii-
site to complete 1t correspond1ngy high. The
most prudent and sagaciuus friends advised
against the attempt as likely TO prove fall.
ure, but The necessity for some safe and cheap
means of transportation and the belief That It
would be great convenience 10 our fellow
citizens, caused us to perseVere ana risk tne
failure 30 much predicted and dreaded.
at that time such was the conviction OF lis
necessity that any reasonable exemption from
taxes would have been granted In oraer 10
encourage the building of the road, nothing,
however. but reasonably liberal cnarter ana
the privilege of such thoroughfares as seemed
to afford the largest accommodation to the
citizens and remunerative to- the projectors
was asked.
Your petitioner may say, without fear OF
contradiction, that 1t has proved great pup
lie CONVENIENCE, tnat 1t has Increased the value
of property along Its routes, and that the ben
efits received by The city and the cilizens have
been equivalent If not more than the prohts OF
the stocknolders. Independent Of these incl
dental benefits derived by the city, this COM
pany has paid in city. Stale and United States
Government taxes, since It commenced opera
uons, $32, ,662, being an average OF $37s2 Tor
the first two years, and $s365 per annum for
the remainder of the time 10 the first day oil
Nav, 1872, niue per cent. of Its gross receipts.
The continually increasing taxation has pre-.
vented the company from extending us line
of road, and from affording greater accommo-
dations to the public; and the additional
license tax now proposed must have ten
dency to curtail the number OF IT'S cars, 1n-
stead of increasing them, thereby lessening
the public facilities and throwing out OF en-
ployment all those persons required as con.
ductors and drivers OF such cars.
An erroneous impression seems 70 pre-:
vail. and 1t may be- shared by members OF
your honorable body, that this company is,
ihe property of few capitalists, when the
fact is that threeIourthS VI the STOCK
is held by persons owning from twenty shares
down to one-trust estates, widows, and per
sons OF small means generally, VINO nna IL
stock which pays regular and fair Interest.
Canitalisls can do better with their money
in various other ways, and are usually 100
shrewd to invest in company subject 10
excessive taxation. II, therefore, the false
Impressions OF Its wealth, Its. entire owner
ship In the hands OF lew, Is unoounueu su
cess, and other like rumors are maze tne
standard by which to increase lis taxation and
license fees, then there is no body OF STOCK
holders in any corporation In the city 10 whom
the loss would bear harder or be more olsLress-
ing. .,.,.,- .,
entertained that the p.ofis of The company
are very large, and that over and above the
dividends paid large surplus fund has accps
mulsted. While quite satisfied with our ousi-
ness, and receiving a generous PATRONAGE
from the public, our expenses are sucn, III
order to operate the road successfully, 10 pre-
clude any great accumulation: Salaries OF
officers, wages of 1ily-four employ ees, forage
for seventy (7O) horses and the daily other ex'
penses Incident to the working OF Inc ROAD.
wear and tear all combined, actually leaves
our surplus Insufficient TO renew our cars,
now long In use; and to PsoVloe oeon lor unl0re'
In view of These facts, which can be sub
stantiated by the records OF the company,
your petitioners would respectfully Deg your
honorable body not to pass the DILL imposing
a license tax OF one hundred dollars On eacn
car of this company, believing the true policy
OF the city lies in fostering and encouraging
all enterprises which give employment ana
support, and render convenience TO al
citizens, instead OF Overwhelming them with
taxes, and rendering Impossible reasonable
profit, without which no buslnsss can prosper.
And no enterprise, 1t undertaken hereafter,
will derive any encouragement In the face Oh
the Impression likely to prevail-if 1t dops not
already-ihat If success be attained, taxation
and license fees will surely and efeclually rem
= der 1t improbable as an Investment.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN 8. RIGGS,
President Charleston City Railway Company.
On motion of Alderman Pelzer, the petition
was received as information.
OF George T. Afford, to tap the pipe in
Meeting street to get artesian water for the
Payiltsn Hotel. Referred to the committee on
Artesian well, with power to act.
OfW. q. Prioleau, to erect two frame build
ings on his lot at the west end Of Broad street.
Granted.
OF Elvira S. Splet, to have her cart and
boroe emnloyed nv the city she being help