Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-19
ORDINANCE.
An Ordinance Regulating Taxation
in the City Of Memphis.
MERCHANTS.

; ConnciI Of the city Of Memphis. That here
after all merchants, commission merchant,
m manufacturers, and all other dealers, sha
nav an dd Udl0rem tax upon the capital IN
vested in their business equal 20 that ievie
on all taxable property; and the term mel
chant" shall include all persons and copafi
nerships engaged in trading IN any KIND
! goods, wares or merchandise, either on land
| or at or on any steamboat. wharf-boat. o
other craft, stationed ut or plying within tn
corporate limits of the city OF Memphis
whether such goods. wares or merchandise D
kept on hand for sale. either on commission
or otherwise, or be purchased and delivered
for profit as ordered. Prorided. that this sec
ton shall not affect in anywise the levy ant
collection Of privilege taxes upon the avoce
tons declared by law to be taxable as priyi
leges, except merchants and persons doinl
the business of selling merchandise upoi
commission.
Sec 2. And no merchant or commission
merchant shall commence or continue bust
ness in the city Of Memphis. without obtain
ing from the City Register of the city a
Memphis, license in accordance with thu
provisions of this ordinance. And every per
SON and every copartnership who shall violate
the provisions of this section, shall be guilty
| of a misdem elnor for each days violation o.
| the shine, ana shall be arrested as in Other
eases of misdemeanor. ana on conviction De
| fore the Recorder shall be lined. for each sep
| arate offsnse not less than i've nor more thar
| fifty dollars, which shall be collected as Other
fines are collected.
| Sec. 3. Every merchant or commission
| merchant and copartlership, before receiving
a license, and at the end OF each twelve
months thereafter, shall execute a bond to
the city of Memphis, with good security. to
be approved of by the City Tax Collector and
the City Register, in the sum Of one thousand
dollars, conditioned that such merchant OF
| 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 50 invested,
the amount of cash, or its equivalent. as
bonds, notes, or other evidences or securi-
ties of value in place or lieu thereof, or prop
erty, real or personal. of every KIND, which
NAV be or is used as the representative of
capital or as n 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-
ecuting n bond as hereinbefore required,
each merchant or commission merchant pc
fore receiving license shall pay TO the City
Tax Collector the sum of twenty-five dollars
(S25) 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 rs a credit upon,
and shall be deducted from, the amount of
the taxes due from him.
Sec. S. The dd rdlorem tax provided for
herein shall be payable as other taxes upon
same manner; and for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the capital invested by each merchant
or commission merchant. or copartnershlp,
which is declared to be taxable. II shall be
the duty of such merchant, commission mer-
chant or copartnersbip at the time required
by the condition of his bond to report his tax
able capital, to file with the City Tax Collec-
tor a statement. under cath. showing
First-All capital invested by such mer-
chant, commission merchant or eopartner-
ship in stock Of goods. wares or merehan-
disc, whether owned by him, or held or of
fsred for sale by him on commission or cen
signment.
preceding twelve W. months in any, manner
Of trading whereby no stock of goods. wares
or merchandise is or has been kept on hand,
unless such business is otherwise taxed as a
The statement herein provided for shall be
sworn TO by the person or persons making IL,
or some enc Of them; but i shall not be con-
elusive upon the City of Memphis ss to the
actual amount of the taxable capital, but II
NAV be shown to be false. and, in such case.
the Tax Collector shall ascertain. by the best
evidence in his power, the actual amount OF
the taxable capital of the merchant. cGmmls-
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 Tor
upon such actual amount. II shall be the
duty Of the Tax Collector to provide the
BY this section, and he shall furnish the same
to any person desiring to make such state
ments. q,
second section Of this ordinance shall be is.
sued for the term Of twelve months, but shall
be. and become, forfeited in all cases by the
violation Of any of the provisions of this or
dinance. And at the end of the term OF each
license, a new one shall be taken out as pro-
vided for in this ordinance,
Sec T. 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 this
ordinance. make bis report to the City Tax
Collector and pay the taxes that have become
due from him since his last report as now re-
quired by ordinance, and shall then surrender
his existing license and reseive from the City
Register license in accordance with the pro-
visions of this ordinance.
Sec. s. That the bond required by section
three of this ordinance shall be forfeited by
a failure 10 render the statement, under the
oath, as therein required. or by rendering
false statement, or by failing to pay the taxes
assessed, or due, at the time or in the manner
herein provided: and II shall be the duty of
the City ! ak Collector to hand all such bonds
ss become forfeited to the City Attorney, who
shall bring suit upon the same tor the benefit
Of tie city. and. in case Of breach OF The
bend and sucn suit, the city Of Memphis
shall be entitled 20 recover the full amount Of
the pena ty specified in the bond. and an
aUraRnelt 10 tldt eUecL hntll DC
therei1. And no recovery on the bond shall
in any way affect the right of the city OF
Mem phis to collect the taxes that may remain
unpsid and due from the merchant. commits
sion merchant or copartnership making i, or
any other right or remedy the ely may have
against him by the provisions ofthis ordinance
or otherwise.
violate any Of the conditions Of the. bond re-
quired b. section three Of this ordinance, or
any of. BIC requirements of section five, and
the party offending shall be liable to arrest
aod punt hment therefor. as in other cases Of
misdemeanor.
PROPERTY TAX.
Sec. 10 That all real estate, and all per-
sonal property. to-wit: stations, mares.
Reldings. mules. jacks, jennets, cattle, sheep,
goats and hogs ss9' an money Ssy eg IN actual
or constructive possession, money due rom
solvent debtors. whether by bond. bill sim
gle, promissory note, bill OF exchange or
Judgment: also. all articles Of agreement for
The payment Of money. and accounts on sol
vent parties bearing interest, owned or pos
seseed by any person or persons whatsoever
except notes or bills for work or labor dOnei
al.o, all shares Of stock in any bank, institu-
tiOn or company now or hereafter ineorpo-
rated By. or in pursuance Of. any law OF this
State, or any other State. or OF the Y nltea
States Of America. which bank. or institution.
or company. is located IN the corporate limits
OF The city OF Memphis. and not elsewhere,
whether the stockholders, OF any Of them, re.
side in the city Of Memphis or noti and all
public bonds or stocks whatsoever. all IN
comes from bonds or stocks which By the laws
of the United States or BY the laws OF the
state Of Tennessee are exempted from taxa
ton: all money loaned or invested al inte-
rest in the city Of Memphis. or elsewhere,
including money Of orphans. legatees and
distributes, under twenty-One years OF
age; als-. all household aHd kitchen fur,
niture, including gold and silver plate; al
gold and silver watches and jeweiry; all
pleasure carriages aud bugkies Of two or tour
wheels; all salaries and emOluments OF fees
Of Office. and also all other sources Of rev
enue and all other property. real ana per-
sonal. now taxable BY the laws Of the state o.
Tennessee, shall be assessed, listed and val
ned and shall be taxed for All city purposes