Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-22
ORDINANCE.
An Ordinance Regulating Taxation
im tho City Of Memphis. l.
MERCHANTS.

m tnufacturers, and all other dealers. shat
pay an dd palorcm tax upon the capital IN,
vested in their business equal 10 that levied
on all taxable property: and the term 'mer-
chant shall include al, persons and copart,,
nerships Engaged in trading in any kind Of
goods, wares or mercnanulse' elt.eI On iano y,
other craft, g ationed at OF plying within the
corporate limits of the city Of Memphis.
whether such goods, wares or merchandise be
kept on hand for sale, either on commission
! or otherwise, or he purchased and delivered
for profit as ordered. ProDided. that this Sec
ton 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
IS 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 OF
| Memphis. a license in accordance with the
provisions Of this ordinance. And avery per
SON and every copartnership who shall violate
! The provisions of this section, shall be guilty
| of a misde n eanor for earh days violation OF
the same, an shall DO arrested as. in other
cases of misdemeanor, and on conviction be-
fore the Recorder shall be lined. for each sep
arate offsnse not less than five nor more than
fifty dollars, which shall be collected as other
fines are collected. .
Sec. 8. Every merchant or commission
merchant and copartnership, before receiving
a license, and at the end OF each twelve
months thereafter, shall execute 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 or
commission merchant will render to the City
Tax Collector az 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 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 equiyolent, 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
may be or is used as the representative of
capital or as q 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 a bond as hereinbetOre required,
each merchant or commission merchant be-
fore receiving licen.e shall pay TO the City
Tax Col lectOr the sum of twenty-five dollars
(s25l; ar when the mercha ant or commission
merchant pays the taxes that. may be due
upon his capital as herein provided, the SAID
sum shall be allowed him as credit upon
and shall be deducted from, the amount of
the taxes due from hun.
Sec. 5. The dd vqlorem tax provided for
herein shall be payable as ot9 ,a. ,sSes upon
same manner; and for the. porpnse Of ascer-
tanning the capital invested by each merchant
or commission merchant, or copsrtn ership.
which is declared to be taxable. II shall be
HE 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-
shin in a stock of goods. wares or merchan-
disc. whether owned by him, or held or of
red for sale by him on commission or con-
Segment.
Second-All capital employed during the
preceding twelve p months in any manner
Of trading. whereby no stock of goods, wares
OF merchandise is or has been kept on hand,
unless such business IL otherwise taxed as
The statement herein provided for shall be
sworn to by the person, or persons ma; ing It,
or some one of them; but i shall not be con-
elusive upon the City of Memphis IS to the
actual amouut of the taxable capital. but 1t
mar be sh wn ts be false. and. in such case,
the Tax Collector soall ascertain, by the best
evidence in his power, the actual amount OF
thu taxable capital of the merchant, commits
sion merchant or copartnership making the
false statement; and, when he ascertains
such actual amount of capt. Il, be shall levy
aud collect the taxes herein provided Tor
upon such actual amount. 1t shall be the
duty Of the Tax Collector to provide the
necessary blanks for the statements required
by this section, and he shall furnish the same
any person desiring to make such slate
Sec. 6. That the license provided for in the
second elton of this ordnance shall be is
sued for the term of twelve non his, but sha al
be, and b GENE. forfeited in all cases by the
dinance. Ana at thu end of the term of each
license. a new one shall be taken out as pro-
vided fnr in this ordinance
Sec T. That every merchant and cOpRrt-
nership who is engaged in business IN the clty
OF MempL is under existing ordinances. shall.
within thirty days from the passage OF TINS
ordinance. make bis report TO tue City Tax
Collector and pay the tsxes that have become
due from him since his last report as now re-
ouired by rdinauce, aud shall then surrender
his existing license and re i've from the City
REGISTER a license in accordance with the pro-
visions Of this ordinance.
Sec. 8. That the bond required BY section
three Of this ORDINANCES shall be forfeited by
a failure to render the statement, under the
oath, as therein required, or by rendering a,
false statement, or by faiiing 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 ak Collector to hand all such bonds
as become forfeited TO the City Attorney. who
shalt bring suit upon the same tor the beneht
of the city. and. in case of breach OF the
bond and sucn suit, the city Of Memphis
shaIl be entitled 20 recover the fall amount OF
The pena ~ specified in tho bond, and an
AGREEMENT TO that effect shall be inserted
therein. And no recovery on the bond shall
10 any way affect the right. Of the city OF
q
uupaid and due from the merchant. commits
sion merchant or cOpartuership making Il, 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-
CURED by section three pf this ordinance, OF
any Of the requirements Of hecu0n nVe' anu
the party offending shall be liable 70 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,
geIdines. mules, jacks, jennets, cattle, sheep,
9oats and hogs; also. all money secured by
mortgage or deed Of trust, money IN actual
or constructive possession, money due hqm
solvent debtors, whether BY bond, bill sim
vle. pronlssory note. bill Of exchange or
Judgment; also. all articles OF agreement Tor
the payment Of money. and accounts on SOL
vent parties bearing interest, owned or pcs
sessed by any person or persons whatsoever,
exeept notes or bills for work or labor done;
ALTO, all shares Of stock in any bank, insttu-
ton or company now or hereafter lncoIPg-
rated by. or ia pursuance Of. any law 81 thus
State, or any other State, or OF the y nited
States Of America. which bank or institution.
or company, is located m the corporate limits
OF the city Of Memphis. a1d not elsewhere,
whether the stockholders. or any OF themi re,
side in the city Of Memphis or n0ti and AL
publjc bonds or stocks whatsoever. al in
oomes from bonds or stocks which BY the laws
OF the United States or by the laws OF the
state Of Tennessee are exempted RON ta1a-
ton: all money loaned OF invested AZ int
rest in the city Of Memphis, or elsewhere,
including money Of orphans. legatees and
distributes, under tEenty-one years OF
age; alss. all household aHd kitchen FUR.
nture, including gold and silver pl ate; AL
gold and silver watches and lewelry; all
pleasGne carriages aud buggies OF two or four
wheels; all gaiaries and emoluments OF lees
Of Office, aaa als0 al ether sources Of rev
enue and all other properly. real ana per-
sonal, now taxable by The Lave Of the state u
Tennessee. shall be assessed. listed and val
ued aud shall be taxed for az city purposes
hut enecito ur0perty shall in no case be