Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-24
ORDINANCE.
An Ordinance Regulating Taxation
in tho City Of Memphis.
MERCHANTS.

msnufacturers, and all other dealers, shall
nav an ad ualorem tax upon the capital IN,
vested 10 their business equal 20 .nas ! levied
on ali taxable property; and the term mer-
chant shall include all persons anu copart-
nerships engaged in trading in any kind Of
goods, wares or merchandise. either on ianu,
or at or on any steamooat, wra VIVA. ,r;.h, ,Ss s
corporate limits Of the city of Memphis.
whether such goods, wares or merchandise De
kept on hand for sale, either on commission
Oshssyss ot Of SS ProSsd that this
/ ZION shall not affect in anywise the levy and
Collection Of privilege taxes upon the avoca-
1 tioas declared BY law 10 be taxable as prlvl-
leges, except merchants anu PeTsS9ins uv noS
| the business OF seiiihg merchauulso uPo"
Sec 3. And no merchant or commission
1 merchant shall commence or continue busi-
mess in the city Of Memphis. without obtain
| ing from the City Register Of the city Of
Memphis, a license IN accordance with the
provisions Of this ordinances. And every per-
| son and every copartnership who shall violate
] the provisions of this section, shall be guilty
of a misdeme anor for each days violation of
the same, anu shall be arrested as IN other
eases of misdemeanor, and on convection be-
fore the Recorder shall be fined. for each sep
arate offsnse not less than i've nor more than
fifty dollars, which shall be collected as other
fines are collected.
Sec. s. Every merchant or commission
merchant and copartnership, before receiving
license, and at the END 2, eacn .wsit te
the city Of Memphis, with COED security, to
be approved of by the City Tax Collector ana
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 a true statement,
under oath, of the amount of capital invested
in the business carried on during the twelve eve
months preceding, and viii 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 securl-
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 a 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-
eeuting 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
Is25) arc when the merchant or commission
merchant pays the taxes that may be due
upon his capital AZ herein provided. the SAID
sum shall be allowed him as a credit upon.
and shall be deducted from, the amount Of
the taxes due from him.
Sec. 5. The ad valorem tax provided for
herein shall be payable as other taxes upon
property are, and shall be collected IN the
same manner; and for the porpose OF ascer.
or commission merchant, or copartnership,
which is declared to be taxable. II shall be
the duty of such merchant, commission mer;
chant or copartnership at the time required
by the condition of his bond to report his tax
able capital. 70 file with the City Tax Collec-
tor a statement. under cath, showing
First-All capital invested by such mer-
chant, commission merchant or sopartner-
ship in stock of goods, wares or merchan-
disc. whether owned by him, or held OF Of
fered for sale By him on commission or con-
Second-All capital employed during the
preceding twelve wy 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
priv eye. -
The statement herein provided for shall be
sworn to by the person or persons maslng IT,
or some enc of them; but it shall not be con
elusive upon the CITY of Memphis as TO the
actual amount of the taxable capital; but 1t
NAV be sh,.wn To be false. and, in such case,
the Tax Collector shall ascertain. by the pest
evidence in his power. the actual amount OF
ths taxable capital Of the merchant, commits
sion merchant or copartnership making tne
false statement; and. when he ascertalns
such actual amount Of capital, he shall levy
and collect the taxes herein provided for
mon such actual amount. 1t shall be the
duty Of the Tax Collector to provide the
necessary blanks for the statements required
nv this section, and he shall furnish the same
Sec. 6. That the license provided for in the
second section of this ordinance shall be is
sued for the term Of twelve months, but shall
be, and be GENE. forfeited in all cases by the
violation Of any Of the provisions Of this or
dinanee And at the end Of the term Of each
license, a new one shall be taken out as pro-
yided for in this ordinance,
Sec Z. That every merchant and copart-
uership who is engaged in business in the city
Of Memphis under existing ordinances. shall,
within thirty days from the passage OF TINS
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-
ouired By ordinance. and shall then surrender
his existing license and receive from the City
Register license in accordance with the pro-
visions Of this ordinance.
Sec. 8. That the bond required BY. section
three of this ordinance shall be forfeited BY
n 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 il shall be the duty Of
the CITY Tax Collector to hand all such bonds
as become forfeited to the City Attorney. who
shall bring suit upon the same for the benefit
Of the city, and. in case Of breach Of the
bond and such suit, the city Of Memphis
shall be entitled 20 recover the full amount OF
the penalty specified in the bond, and an
agreement to that effect shall be inserted
therein. And no recovery on the bond shall
in any way affect the rlght OF the elty o.
Memphis 10 collect the taxes that may remain
unpaid and due from the merchant. commits
sion merchant or eOpartnership making u, or
any other right or remedy the city may have
against him BY the provisions OF this ordinance
or otherwise.
Sec. 3. That il shall BIO misdemeanor to
violate any Of the conditions Of the bond re-
quired By tectiOn three of this ordinance. OF
any Of the requremonte Of section hve, and
the party offending shall be liable 10 arrest
aud punishment therefor, as In other cases Of
misdemeanOr.
PROPERTY TAX.
Sec. 10 That all real estate. and all per-
sonal property, to-wit: stallions, mares,
geldings, mules. jacks. jennets, cattle, sheep,
goats and hogs; also. all money secured by
mortgage or deed Of trust. money IN actual
or conductive possession, money due nom
sotvanf dehtors whether by bond, bill sin