Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-08
IN THE HARNESS.
First Meeting of the New Board Of
Aldermen.


Nobody Hurt by the " Investigation.''
The newly elected Board of Aldermen
met at 7:30 last night; President McCrea
in the chair and all other the members pres
ens.
MAYORS MESSAGE.
The following message was sent in by
Mayor Kercheval:
MAYORS OFFICE, Oct. z, lS73.-Gen-
tlemen Of the City Council: In entering
upon our duties ae officers Of the corpora
-tion of Nashville, In obedience to time
honored custom 1t becomes my duty, as
well as pleasure, to address you. Upon the
faithful discharge of the duties entrusted to
our care and management, exercising dis
cretion and sound judgment, viii depend in
a great degree the success and prosperity of
our city.
As many Of you have never had much
IL any experience In law-making and muni-
cipal affairs, it may not be improper FIR me
to remind you Of the fact that your position
is responsible one, and the interests con-
fdsd to each one of you, is Of the greatest
magnitude, and the people are directly in.
terested in the result of our actions and
viii closely scrutinize what we may do.
The making Of and proper enforcement
Of wise and wholesome laws IL indispens-
able to the health and prosperity of
the citizen. Your action upon all
questions coming before you for con-
sideration should be such ss to make
the people feel and know that they have en-
trusted interests TO your care and manage
ment, which will be guarded and protected.
Some of you have had more or less expe-
rience In the management Of the business
affairs of the corporation as its Lawmakers
and are well aware of the duties as well as
responsibilities imposed upon you, and those
of You who are new members, not having
had such experience, but being sensible and
practical business men, will soon, hope,
become familiar with the duties required Of
you.
To you, gentlemen, is entrusted the law
making power under the charter of the
city; and representing the various wards of
the city, and knowing and refecting the
wants and sentiments of the people, it viii
be your duty to exercise sound discre-
ton to propose and adopt such measures
as will be most calculated to promote their
interests and the general welfare of the
city, keeping, however, always in view, the
financial embarrassment by which the city
Is surrounded.
am but an executive officer, whose duty
it is to see that the laws are faithfully exc
cuted, and am clothed with the power to
veto such measures as, in my judgment and
opinion, may not be calculated to advance
the best interest of the city. The exercise
of this power Gan unpleasant duty l
hope will never be required of
me. As you pass along in the
exercise of your duties, beg leave to ad-
monish you to never lose sight of the fact
that the corporation is yet largely in debt,
and it will behoove you to practice as much
economy as will be wise and judicious I'M
der all surrounding circumstances. And
that no money be foolishly expended upon
temporary and frivolous improvements, but
that when appropriations are made and
money spent, that it may be upon perma-
nent and lasting Improvements, such as the
building and repairing Of streets, the build
ing, possibly, of few main sewers, cul-
verts, etc, and the extension Of water and
gas pipes.
The entire debt of the city is, in round
numbers, some Sc, 7O00 900, TO which the
present administration has fallen heir. Dur
ing the last municipal year there wss paid
off AMI retired in actual cash for bonds
due, coupons, floating debt and interest.
$159, 514.49, besides the sum of $35, 600,
which was funded By issuing new bonds
maturing st various dates. The total re-
ceipts for last year amounted to only $780,
696.31, which was less than the previous
year by several thousand dollars. This
fact is accounted for, however, by the long
and ex.remely hard winter which we had
to encounter, the prevalence of the horse
disease, and the terrible scourge of cholera
which took off so many Of our people, and
caused such Generalization In all kinds of
business and professions. These Affections
to man and beast increased the expenses of
the fire, hospital and dispensary depart
ments much greater than Otherwise would
have been the case, besides the necessity Of
sanitary department to furnish aid and
assistance TO the sick and afflicted, and but
for these universities, of which you are all
cognizsnt, the collections of revenue and
the reduction Of the public debt would have
been equally as great, if not greater than du.
ring previous years.
So far as our common schools are con-
cerned, am informed that they are in
good and prosperous condition, and reflect
much credit upon the Board Of Education
for their great success, and hope that such
steps will be taken and policy pursued as to
continue the schools successful.
would call your attention to the ques-
ton of water tax. From this source, a
revenue of some 100000 per annum is
raised, which is about double the amount
necessary to make the waterworks
self-sustsiniDg. This believe 10 be wrong.
| believe that water should be supplied to
the consumer at just what it costs to furnish
it, and no more. This burden and hard
ship of high water tax is more oppressive
upon the very class who are less able to
bear it (the poor classes) than any other,
therefore, respectfully recommend reduc-
ton to at least one-half.
While upon this subject, permit me to say
that, as you are aware, great deal has
been said about building new waterworks
for the purpose Of obtaining better and
purer water. My opinion is that to build
the proper kind Of new waterworks, and at
the proper place or locality, 1t would re-
quire one and half million of dollars,
which would be so large an amountto raise
by direct taxation upon the people, and
hence to raise this sum it would be neces.
sary to have the Legislature to give the
city authority to raise the necessary
amount In bonds to be q mortgage upon
said water works, but as the Legislature
will not again meet until after the expira.
ton OF the present municipal year, of course
that proposition then will not likely to be
brought before you for action; but would
recon mend however, that if it can be
found to be practicable that some means be
adopte to better filter the water in the
present water works, thereby removing
much of the filth which we are now from
day to day consuming. While viii again
usge upon you the practising of economy, l
must make some allusion TO our streets and
pavements. would urge the strict enforce
ment ofthe law in reference to requiring
persons to put down their pavements. say
that it is great shame and disgrace to our
city to see the ragged and dilapidated con
dition OF our streets and side walks, and L
| the present law is not deemed
sufficient, would Recommend
! that one be enacted that will prove to be
| efficient. would further recommend that
liberal snd iudicious course be pursued
| towards extending water and GAS mines tC