The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-19

o' ~ SO,OUU
~. Eor ,ne nfoutso ntS oI Civ ,aicers $4,000
~ For the board OF health. Iooo ooo
10 r1r Snhanbnna,a oS Skaters of Mercy 6 600
~. rol @ npnin Mining aud adye tising -. 1000
is. For city hall stationery and Mayors E nm
II. Unpaid @ bills OF 1853, 10, III and IT,. $4,000
Alderman Gage moved to add $4,000 10
the appropriation for streets.
The Mayor explained that the appropriation
for improvements would be used principally
upon the streets; whereupon the motion was
Withdrawn.
Alderman Bowen considered the canal ap-
propriation unnecessary, as be could not
thipk that any material advantage would re-
suit TO the city from the building OF the canal,
which was, In fact, impracllcable.
Alderman Gage said that the calculations OF
the city engineer as to the sand excaVateo
from the canal being worth fifty cents per
load were doubtless true regarding the sand
az already excavated, but the sand ID the oeo
of the canal was lot worth FIVE cenls loao.
he was likewise Informed by practical aulnor'-
ty that the flow OF water through the caua'
would 30 wash the banks as to render It I'm
possible to keep the canal from filling up, ana
1t would, therefore, become nothing more
than slough which would Impair instead OF
improve the health of the locality.
The Mayor said that the city was at present
paying fifty cents per cart-lead for SAND, ana
that, as the city carts would necessarily ce
employed to carry garbage beyond the limits
of the city, they could return loaded Win
sand, and the article would thus be utilized at
very small cost.
A motion to strike out The appropriation lot
the canal was made and lost.
Alderman Gage thought the police appro'
prlation was entirely too large, and moved to
reduce It to sixty thousand dollars.
Alderman voigt said that last years appro-
prlatlon for police purposes was sixty thous-
and dollars, aud the treasurer's books showed
that thirteen thousand dollars additional had
been expended.
Alderman Gage argued that the police iorce
should be reduced, as there were larger citles
than Charleston In the United States which
expended far less than che for police. He
was in lavor of letting The citizens protect
their own property, and he thought That the
detective force should be wholly abolished.
Alderman Pelzer said 1t was o much more
difficult matter for the citizens to protect their
own property than the alderman supposed.
He had seen persons upon his own wharf,
stealing cotton, and ordered them to deslst,
but Without avail until the arrival oil police.
man.
Alderman Gage replied that the cilizens
could hire private watchmen, and have them
empowered to make arrests.
Alderman Bowen moved to amend Alder
man Cages motion by making the approprl-
alton SCI, 900 instead OF $4,000, as proposed
BY the original motion. The amendment was
accepted, but the vote being taken it was lost.
Alderman Gage opposed the appropriation
for the Catholic Orphan Asylum. he objected
to The approprlallng city money for sectarlan
purposes. The asylum was doubtless an eX-
cellent institution, but there was plenty of
room In the City Orphanhouse to sccommo-
date the inmates Of the arst-named inslilu-
ton. he moved 10 strike out the appropri-
alton, but his motion was not seconded.
Alderman voIgt asked IL there was no ap-
preparation for the settlement OF unpaid bills.
He said that the treasurer's books showed
s25, 900 Of unpaid bills, and $4,000 borrowed
firm the sinking fund, and he wanted 10
know where the money was coming from TO
settle those accounts.
The Mayor said that the money In the
treasury, with $50, 900 of uncolected taxes,
was quite sufficient for that purpose.
Alderman Pelzer said, with regard to the
sinking fund, that as one of the commission
ers of the fund, he was closely watching the
amount borrowed by the city, referred TO by
Alderman VoIgt, but he regarded 1t as per-
fectly safe, and as well Invested. The bill
passed lis second reading without further op-
position, and on motion was read the third
time and ordered 10 be engrossed for ratifca-
tion.
The bill to raise supplies was then taken up
and read by sections.
Alderman Vogt said he had understood that
the committee OH ways and means intended
to reduce the assessments on real estate, but
he learned only few days ago that he was
incorrectly infcrmed. He, therefore, offered
the following preamble and resolution:
whereas. Bonds, stocks and all other personal
proi erty are assessed and taxed at The regular
market value and where g, The real property is as
sessed and taXei much above the market value.
which has justly caused great complaint and dis
satisfaction from he citizens; thereto c, be it
ReSolced, That the tiLy appraiser he hereby in
struc ed 10 assess the re. estate OF Charleston
cne-elghth per cent. less than It now stands.
1t was decided that the preamble and reso.
luton were out OF order, whereupon the AL
derman made the following remarks:
The bill calls for 81 so on all taxable property,
both real and personal. b. motion is to strike
out 81 80 and insert So OIL every hundred dollars.
According to the present asse. sme ent we have
,S76 worth or real and $9.026, ,951 worth OF
personal properly, also 2.l65, 900 worth OF city
value. This Will give us at the Fate OF 81 90 per
hundred S641 2o3 co. Now, we all know the gen.
sral com plHlbtin regard the over assessment
or real estate In Charleston, and therefore my
proposition to reduce the assessment on that
kind OF property Is just and proper. The holders
o. personal property will have no reasonable
grounds to complain, th!lr property, Including
city stock, beng already assessed and taxed az
The market value, according to their own returns,
ton on It, but leaves 1t, as IL now stand, at the
proper standard OF vaInaton. But even when
we reduce The asse ssment on re 81 estsie ohe-
civ hth per cent, as propose, there will be vast
difference In favor OF the personal property. y.hod-
ers, but real estate owners will bG in general
mure satisfied. and then 1t plac.. both ElHds OF
property on more equal footing The Total