Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-04-07
Speech OF President Pettigrew-Nearly
One Hundred and Fifty New
Members Admitted.
Reports of Committees On InpOr tant
WOrk-MemOrials to Congress-
Our Railroads and RiT-
ers, Etc, Etc.

Secretary Toof read the minutes of the
preceding months meetings, which
were approved.
, Under the call of nominations of
names for membership, President Petit
grew said:
GENTLEMEN-It gives me great pleas
ure to announce to you that in pursuance
of a card published some tive weeks
since by the officers of the chamber of
commerce, we have succeeded in secur-
ing l40 new names for membership,
thus enabling us to reduce the fees from
S35 to $50 for firm membership, and
from S25 to Sl2 for single membership
without the initiation fee of S., as
heretofore charged), and by this means
bring the dues of membership within
the reach of every citizen having any
interest in the prosperity of our city.
This, indeed, speaks well for the future,
and is an evidence that our citizens are
becoming alive to their own interest.
And by determined and united effort,
with harmony and concert of action, you
can and will accomplish much good and
upon this our future greatly depends.
We are under many obligations for this
large increase of membership to the
energetic aid and assistance given us by
Messrs. Leon TrOusdale, J. G.. Nicely,
d. T. Porter, Napoleon Hill and John
L. Williams, and for the valuable as
sistance rendered by the APPEAL, AUG-
tdnche and Ledger, and especially the
APPEAL for the elaborate history of the
chamber from its organization to the
present. l desire to call your attention
TO subject that affects the entire finan-
c!al and commercial interest of our city
taxes. In pursuance of 8 nldnddnlIS
issued by the supreme court, the general
council passed an ordinance levying
tax of 81 40On the S100 of property for the
| payment of the NicolsOn pavement debt
10 cents in cash and 20 cents in paving
/ scrip. | am satisfied that the trainers
/ of the ordinance intended the tax to
/ be levied only upon the real estate, and
! not upon capital invested in business.
! But Mayor League has construed it to
| apply alike upon all taxable property.
! See how this works. A merchant own
| ing his store, and having paid for the
! pavement when it was laid down, is
now compelled to pay that tax again,
not only upon his real estate, but also
upon the capital he has invested in
business. Now, 1 ask is this just? The
tax upon merchant engaged in busi-
ness, according to Mayor Leagues
construction, is upon the capital invest
ed as follows, say upon the 500:
Mississippi railroad w. tax, 10 cents;
sinking fund, 20 cents; school, 80 cents;
n1d1ldGDll5S paving tax, 20 cents; reim-
bursting paving tax, 20 cents: interest
tax, 81; city tax for general purposes, 81; !
making S4, or 4 per cent. Then add to
this the State and county taxes. Now
is it possible for the financial and COM
mercial interest of our city to thrive and
prosper under such a tax? Something
must be done, and that quickly. TRUST
that you will at once put the ball in mo-
ton to have removed as far as possible
the privilege tax and tax upon capital,
and to place the tax for permanent inn
prOvements where it properly belongs,
and effect such other changes as will in |
duce capital into our city instead of
driving it away, as must necessarily be
the case if the present unjust system of
taxation is enforced. Now that the |
membership has been increased to such |
a large number, and nearly every class
of business being represented, compris- |
ing all the leading merchants, manu- |
factureTs, mechanics and bankers, / !
hope you will be prompt in your attend |
ance at all meetings, giving your aid /
and counsel upon all subjects looking to |
the improvement and prosperity of our |
city.
Secretary ToOf then offered the follow
ing resolutions, which were adopted:
Resolved, That the action OF the board
Of officers OF the chamber, at their De-
cember meeting, 1873, in fixing the dues
of members for the current year at twen-
ty-five dollars for individuals and thirty
five dollars for firms, be and the same is
hereby resciDded, in so far as the same
has effect after April l, 1874
ReSOLUed, That the recommendation
of the present board OF officers, that the
dues for the year commencing April l,
1874, be fixed at the reduced rate of
twelve dollars for individuals and twen-
ty dollars for firms, without initiation
fee, is hereby approved and adopted
The following list of names of ap-
plicants for membership was then read
by the secretary, and the gentlemen
under suspension of rules, were elected
members of the chamber of commerce
of the city of Memphis:
W.T.. Avery, criminal court clerk
M. ID. L. Stewart, clerk and master second
chanceTy court.
Patterson & Lowe, attorneys, D Madison.
J. Harvey Mathes, privilege tax-collector,
Barbour q Simpson, hardware merchants,
23l Main.
B. F. Coleman, clerk of first circuit court.
", IL N.
John League, mayor, city hall.
n L. Williamson, city register, city hall.
James A. Newsom, mptroller, city hall.
Martin Kelly, city treasurer, city hall.
Pat Duffy, liquors, Adams
NJ. MeKeogh, and police recorders clerk,
corner Second and Adams.
Lytle & Shields grOcers, 2IS Main.
Nathan Adams, planter, Stanton, Tennes-
see.
r. b. Miller, Justice Of the peace, a Adams.
4. NJ. Ward, druggist, 2l5 Main.
Pamela oil company, naYy-yard, foot OF
W. Oberst, cooperage, corner Main and syc-
amore.
Mitchell, Hoffman & Co., furniture and car
pets, sos Main.
and notary public $50 Main.
J.J. Sears, firm OF Sears & Greedy, convey
Theodore Hoerner, druggist, corner Beale
and Second.
G. H. Becker d Co., manufacturing agency,
IS and Is Union.
J. L. Graff, restaurant, and II West Court
Hosea Townsend, attorney, ~ Second.
Memphis wood-works, 354 and Sj5 Second.
Milburn, Walker & Co. wagons and car
riages, 353 and 352 Second.
a. NJ. Stoddard & Co., auction and commits
sion, S9 Union.
Williams & Co, lumber, doors, blinds, etc,
corner Gayoso and second.
MN. 4. Ellis, manufacturer of plows and
e. Keck & Bro, Ivery and sale stables lOS
Second.
Owen Lilly, carriage factory, el and 6S
Union.
Flaherty, Marley & sullivan, undertakes,
3l7 Second.
]. q. Schmidlapp, cigars and tobacco, 81
Union.
John Lilly, wines and liquors, 35S Main.
Chas. Stout q Bro, hardware, ETC., 242 Main.
Splcer Ryan, wholesale grUcers, 35i Main.
Jas. Roper Bro, groeers. 392 Main.
Dush & wilson, stoves, tinware and hard
ware, S9i Main.
James NJ. Beattie, furniture and carpets, s96
Main.
George Hume, baker, as Main.
? James Sutton, commission merchant, 1863
Main.
Charles Howard, confectioner and ladies'
restaurant, 1853 Main.
Henry B1hrmann, saloon, 33 Monroe.
Thomas b. Coffee * Co, boots ana shoes, 1886
Grubbs & Austin, wholesale clothing, Ss2
Brode q Cooper, merchandise brokers, 296
Front. o,,-
Joe Selignnan, sale stable, Is Union
WI. smith, surveyor Of the port, II Madi-
son.