Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-04-23
OUR CITY FATHERS.

9 NIW WAFER BUN Oo~1dE ChAGCGo
FOR SELLING THEM,
&C, &C., &C.
The City Council held its regular meet
ing on Tuesday evening last, present
Messrs. Ably, Bickle. Burke, Echols,
Evans, Funkhouser, Kayser and Witt.
PETITIONS.
The petition of Levi Shafer, City Ser
geant, to be allowed to return Ger ain tax
tickets, was rejected, the Finance Com
mittee recommending that action with
view of suggesting more diligence in the
collection The petition of w. A. McCue
asking to be relieved from the payment Of
a certain tax Was rejected. The applica-
ton Of Mr.. Barton to change Ills stall in
the MAJ ket was granted. The petition OF
Mrs. Tams asking that er tax be changed
from $l79 to $40, it l4aving been wrcngfully
given in, was granted.
I Petitions presented from ID. S. Young,
NJ. $. Cease, W. IL. Tyre, Jas. Paxton,
VIM. Kenney and J. f. ChurclMan on
various subjects were referred, and one
from Yeager Il Son, bakers, asking per-
mission to ''g;ye away" bread at certain
hours on Sundays, took the same course.
LAYING THE TAXES.
| AS Mr.. Evans, chairman of the Finance
Committee, was about Offering the tax bill
for 1875, Mr.. R. w. Burke offered a reso-
luton bealing on the question. The reso
| luton provided for abo.ishing the cutting
down OF the assessment last year, by which
! one-fourth o. the value Of real estate es-
| capes taxation. Mr.. Burke said in support
Of his resolution that while this reduction
on real estate Was made, none was made
on personal property, which was viola
ton of the Constitution, which requires
| fair and equal taxation. One gent eman
| who had been thus taxed altered his per-
sonal list bya reduction Of one-fourtll, and
| informed the Council Of Lis action al the
time.
Mr.. Evans Would you put t e tax Of
| IS months ago on real estate, which, as is
we'll known, has declined in that time?
| Nj. Burke-If real estate has declined,
has not personal property also? but real
estate has not declined. One Of the as
/
he has seen but one piece of property sold
| in Stanton below its fixed value. IF the
tax were made equal, the rate need not be
| high: indeed, it would be lower. A large
ameunt has to be raised for the com ng
year. and more care must be exercised in
our estimates. The personal property has
! been estimated for taxation at ST, zoo, 900,
while in fact it is only 1861 900.
Mr.. Evans-The difference was made by
| the merchants tax.
Mr. Burke-Then the difference ought
to be allowed fol.
MI. Evansville gentleman should re-
member the extra expense Of the past yeal
none of which could have been estimated
for-the $1,000 for the bridge; So 600 which
the street Improvement cost over the es-
| innate: ST eco extra for the Fire Depart
ment, and 81 600 or S.. COO for interest on
the Valley R. r. bonds, &c. And yet b,
tae genteman's vote all these extra ex-
penses were incurred
MI Burke-Then it is all the more i'm
portant we should not commit these errors
again.
The consideration Of Mr.. Burke's reso-
| luton was post poned until Thursday after
neon, as also WAS that Of the tax bill, 50
| both would he discussed together.
| THE sIA!1Is CLAIMS.
Mr.. KaYser handed in communication
Of the City Attorney saying that lie was
/ not in possession If FIJI information about
the condition of tie money due A. Simms.
| for building tie Augusta Strt ct arch, bit
thought tile safest plan would be to submit
! the whole subject to adjudication in the
| courts.
| The report was read and its suggestion
| adopted.
| Mr.. Bickle said the merchants who had
/ been involved III TIE matter through the
city should he loaned the money due them
until the matter was finally albitrated.
! Mr.. Abby said the money was due d.
rectly to the merchants, for had il not been
| for them the work would not Lave leen
done. Tie work lad been stopptdand tile
contract. III fact, 'roken, and it was Oh
tile goods of the merchants that the furtl-
er work WIS done.
TIE WATER BONDS.
The contemplated sale of the water bonds
gave rise TO some discussion which elected
a good deal OF information. Mr.. Burke
said the Virginia Fire and Marine Insur-
ance Co., of Richmond had made a Prop
osition about taking them. Col. M. G..
Harman, who was present, said he had
positive assurance that some, if not all,
could be placed in Lynchburg. General
Echols, who had returned from Baltimore,
said that j. III. Hambeton Il Co.. who
make specially of wafer bonds and who
had negotiated 100000 of the Norfolk
water bonds, thought of trying ours, and
next week would send brother of ore of
the firm to Staunton to investigate the
matter with view, il he thought fayorably
OF it, to take the wi ole work and take the
bondsln pay ment. They would require
very strict terms, similar to those Of the
Norfolk bonds, that is, if any coupon of
the water bonds is overdue so DAYS the
holder shall have right to seize upon the
water works. Gen. Echols said s per cent
bonds were not so much sought after as
many gentlemen seemed to think, he hay
ing been informed by Riggs, the banker,
of Washington, that he WAS every day
making investments for his patrons in 10
per cent securities.
HUNTING UP sNAG.
Mr.. Burke having mentioned the case of
a gentleman who, claiming that the reduc-
ton on real estate was unconstitutional.
had reduced his return of bonds PSI per cent,
Mr. Evans inquire d'who it was, and got
the following infolma' ion: that on hear
ing of tile reduction of real estate. Colonel