Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-13

AndIEGS hucN NdS andIuCu ihC CDh-
tract of furnishing the city hospital with
mea as heretofore, and George Hume
to supply bread to the same department
at four and half cents per pound.
NEW CARPET.
Chief Athy was authorized TO purchase
8 new carpet for his Office.
THE wORKHOUsE COMMITTEE.
Aldermen Dent and Dwyer were ap-
I pointed a committee from the board Of
aldermen, to meet the committee from
the county court on the subject OF the
workhOuse.
THE LATE CHAIRMAN, HARRY S. LEE.
The joint committee appointed to
draft resolutions appropriate to the MEM
ory of the late Harry S. Lee, made their
report, which was oIdered to be spread
1 upon the records OF the board. The re-
port in full appears in the proceedings of
the common council.
THE CITY HORsE-sHOER.
The bids for shoeing the city's horses
was referred to a special committee, con-
sisting of two from the board of alder
men and - from the council. Al
dermen Dent and COlligan were sp-
pointed from the board of aldermen.
A BRICK BRIDGE.
Alderman COlligan presented reso-
luton authorizing that the mayor ad-
vertise for bids to build q brick bridge
across the bayou on Georgia street, be-
tween Main and Shelby streets. Re-
fered to the improvement committee.
MASK BALLS AGAIN.
The ordinance regulating mask balls
/ passed first reading, and an amendment
so that mask balls held for charitable
and benevolent purposes be exempt
from the provisions of the ordinance
was lost, and the ordinance passed its
second and final reading under a sus-
pension of the rules.
THE RED wHARFBoAT.
The petition praying permission to re-
move the Red wharf boat from the foot
| OF Court street to the foot Of Adams
/ street, was granted.
Adjourned to Friday afternoon at
three o'clock.
THE OOMmON COUNCIL
The common council, pursuant to ad- !
journment, met in the city hall at three |
o'clock yesterday afternoon, President |
Hewitt in the chair, and full quorum |
present.
MAYORS MESSAGE.
The two boards met in general coun-
Gil when the following message from the |
mayor was read:
Honorable Board of General Council:
GENT .ENIEN-The time having at .
length arrived for fixing the rate of tax
alton, our fellow citizens will have an
opportunity of knowing whether our
promises in the event OF an election to
Office, in advocating economy, Tetrench-
ment and reform were transitOry or
fixed, on the determination to make an
attempt to lessen the almost insupporta-
BILE burden of taxation, by which every
effort of the industrious masses toward |
progress is retarded.
The assessed value Of taxable property |
in the city, for the forty-sixth corporate |
year, was SIS, ,217, 1863, and from the re-
turns made by the assessors for this, the |
forty-seventh corporate year, there viii /
be but little change; hence, in fixing the |
rate, we may, in round numbers, put the |
assessed value OF property at SIS, 900, 900, |
| upon which the present rate is:
For general purposes on each 500 worth
OF taxable 09
For w
/ For Nicolson-pavement tax, TO pay T. E.
Brown, by 1nGnddmts and ordinance. 70 /
] For Nicolson- pavement tax, TO reimburse
those whose property fronted on the
streets paved and who had paid the
I 20 I
For educational purposes. 30
For sinking 20
For Mississippi river rrailroad.-......-...... 10
/ Total................... ...........si 20
/ In all, per cent. on assessed value.
| This rate takes from the industry of the
community, for the benefits derived
| from local government, 81, 600 an
/ nuaIly. This seems to lie more than the
] people, with all their energy and de-
| termination to meet their liabilities, are
| able 10 pay-in other words, taxation !
! has become oppressive and should not |
be so continued, if we desire the pros !
| perity Of our commercial community |
| and the extension of our city's limits.
/ The question should not be at present, |
how much money is required in order to |
carry on the city government, to pay |
our debts, or to prosecute with vigor /
some of the many schemes suggested as |
general improvements, but, on the con-
trary, adopt every conceivable measure
of economy, postpone all unnecessary
expenditures until the public debt is so
reduced that its payment will not be
questioned, nor taxation for its
interest oppressive. With these OBJ
iects in view, / beg leave to
submit for your consideration a rate
of taxation for different purposes,
which believe will be sufficient for the
object desired; If not, may safely say
it is as much as the people can bear at
present, and is all they should be asked
to pay until all doubtful legal questions
touching their liability for the bonded
debt or It's interests are determined. In
this connection hope am not mis-
understood. The city has no fault to
find with creditors, who exhibit the
least consideration for it in its embar-
rassed condition; but if suits are to De
pressed in the future as in the past, it is
full time that suilors should learn that
the city has some rights as well as they
have, and that the questions of liability,
usury, and want of sufficient legal con-
sideration will be urged in every in
stance. The city has long groaned
without murmuring, and under the cir
cumstances forbearance has ceased to be
a virtue; and now that our local courts
of law have determined our right to col
lect taxes, and superior courts have de-
fined legal liabilities, the charter pro-
vides that the rate of taxation for gener-
al purposes shall not exceed one per
cent, therefore the rate / recommend to
YOU (although it is not sufficiently is, for I
General purposes, on each Sl00 worth of /
taxable property, 81; for interest, % ,
cents; for Judgment Of 7. f. Brown, if |
Eldnddngus is prayed for and granted, /
80 cents; for public education, 80 cents; |
for Mississippi River railroad, or PsdC- !
cab aud Memphis railroad, cents; for !
sinking fund tax, I cent; total for all
purposes, 81 30. -.---.-.-
This will be less than half OF the pres
! ent rate, nevertheless ii is as much asth0
| people can bear, and it should be made !
/ to answer every purpose.
In explanation of the rate on interest
I account, present this view: The total
! bonded debt is S3,97S 900. OF this
amount there were bonds issued dming
the years Of 1S67-S-9 to the amount of
/ =, ,2s9, 900. The legality of this issue is
questioned, and the want OF sufficient
legal consideration is certain, as may be
seen fHQm the books In the ecomptroller's
Office, And was made known TO the
world at the time the bonds were issued.
OF the 500, 900 Issued as school bonds
$3.50, 600 were issued ia violation Of the
constitution, and for which legal cOnsid-
Grafton was not obtained by the city, nor
by the board of education. or these
bonds little need be said, for a eonsldera-