Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-07
COUNTY AFFAIRS.
Quarterly Session OF the Davidson
County Court.

Railroad StOck-hepOrt8 Oh OOAns
mitfees-Enort 10 Suspend Public
schOOIs-The County Asylum.
The County Court met in regular quart
erly session at 10 A. NJ. yesterday, Judge
Ferris present; Justices, Alternately, Bask-
cite, Bigley, Bowen, Bush, Brantly,
Claiborne, Chandler, Chickering, Couch,
Campbell, Cheatham, Creighton, Davidson,
DilIahunty, Everett Galbreath, Graves,
Gray, Gleaves, Griggs, Haynie, Hardy,
Hows, Howell, Harris, Marshall, Maxey,
Meacham, McCarley, Miller, Newly, Ney-
Ian. Paul, PEBBLES, Phelan, Power, Read,
Saunders, Spain, SizemOre, SimpkiDs, John
NJ, Simpkins, James NJ, Shivers, Sulli-
van, Still, Taylor, Treppard, Walsh,
Wands, WherTy, Williams, Wyatt, Wright.
wANTED-AUTHoRITY.
On motion, the rules were suspended,
and Justice Maxey introduced the follow
ing preamble and resolution:
@Vhereas, This court has ever shown a
disposition to relieve the citizens Of this
county, as far as it is in their power, from
Cumbersome taxation; and
s.WhereaS. They have heretofore recon-
mended to the citizens (and still believe it
is the only policy to be adopted to relieve
them of oppressive taxatiOn) that. they
shouldgive 10 the County Court authority to
sell the Davidson county stock in railroads,
whenever the court can obtain reasonable
price therefor-the members of the court
pledaing themselves that no portion OF the
funds received for the sale of the stock
shall be used for any other purpose than to
take ND the bonds given by the county to
railroads;
"Therefore, Be it ordered by the cO1rt
that the Judge of this court be, and is
hereby directed 10 notify the Sheriff to
open and hold an election at the August
election, to ascertain the wishes of the CT
tizens of the county on this subject, and
those favOring the sale of the stock TO have
on their tickets "Sale," and those opposed,
s.nO sale" and that the Sheriff be required
to make a return of the votes cast TO the
clerk of the court"
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
COUNTY woRKHoUsE.
The County WOrkhOuSe Committee re-
ported: Number of prisoners on hand
April l, IL: received in April, May and
june. %; total, 80. Number of prisoners
released during the quarter, 10; escaped, ,;
ON hand July /, Is. Cash received for hire
of prisoners during the quarter, SzSS.4Oi
paid TO various parties, S276.6O; cash on
hand July !, Sll.S0, which amount has
been paid over to the judge of the court.
During the quarter the prisoners were en-
plOyed fifteen days working at the court
house."
The report was received and filed.
AN INTERESTING REPORT.
Justice Maxey, chairman Of the Build
ing Committee of the County Asylum, sub
mitted the following:
"The Building Committee OF the County
Asylum, after your meeting in April, re-
ceived the report of the architect, j. l..
Smith. whom we had requested TO visit the
Eastern cities and examine the different
aSylumS and to furnish us with a suitable
plan of building for the accommodation
Of two hundred patients. This he did not
accomplish until the latter part Of June,
and as the honorable court met in so short
a time thereafter, your committee deemed
it advisable to submit the plan to the court
for the adoption, which we
hereby do with specifications
and estimates, also drawing of
the building after completion. The COM
mittee las agreed upon a site FOR the
building, which is on the hill in rear of the
orchard on the avenue between the prop
crtv purchased from BransfOrd and that
purchased from Ramsay, and about half
way between the present buildings on the
Bransfoa land and the big spring. Your
committee also report that the oats sOwn
upon the BransfOrd place proved failure
on account of drouth and insects, and that
the clover will be greatly injured, If not en-
tirely destroyed by the drouth."
The report was received.
The commissioners OF the county Jail
made the following report, which was re-
ceiSed:
prisoners on hand April l, white "a,
Colored ~. total IS. Committed during
the quarter s., discharged lOl. On hand
July ]. 3S. We have found the Jail in good
condition"
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SPITE OF FAMINE.
Justice MaXey offered the following:
Whereas, since the leyying of taxes at
the January term, 1874, the prospects for
crop in Davidson county (from a drOuth
which has prevailed during the months Of
May and June and up to the present time)
have been diminished one-half or more;
and,
.sWhereas the present rates Of taxation
are bUrdensOme on the citizens and with
the present failure Of crops must be ruinous
to a large portion of them;
Therefore, be il ordered by the court
that the levy for common school purposes
for 1874 be, and the same is, hereby re-
scinded."
This gave rise to a. protracted discussion
and was finally rejected. AYES, o. noes, 80.
LOCAL MATTER.
Justice Cheatham introduced a resolu-
ton to change the location Of public
schOOlhouse TO he built in the eleventh
district.
Referred to the school commissioners OF
that district.
TIIE PROPOSED COUNTY ASYLUM.
\ recess was here taken to give the mag
istTates an opportunity OF examining the
architects plan Of the proposed County
Asylum.
Pending a motion to accept the plans
and specifications of the architects, the
court adjourned till 10 O'Clock thismornihg.