The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-06-02
PETERSBURG.

e +
r,S.Scss OF THE crTY--REDUcT1oS OF
Tps TAX on REAL EsTATE--lssoh VT snW
.n,oN ,a.rox IMPROVEMENT B0EDS-sER-
-.,rrs AT THE BYRNE-sTREET BAPTIST
cprrcu-n NURpERER's sEcRET-ExcuRsIcN
AT n1Nw1pDIE COURTHOUSE on FRIDAY.
rc,r,cxnondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.]
JUNE /. 1877.
The CITY Council is wrestling with ardor
tb;s afternoon with the city finances, dis.
,,,ayiup a laudable ambition to reduce The
.eyrenses OF the municipal government and
tbc rate Of taxation to the lowest notcn.
II was expected that report would DC
submitted BY the City Treasurer setting
forth the entire bonded debt OF the city,
With the dates Of the different issues; but
owing 10 the sickness Of Mr.. johnson,
which is said to have been Superinduced by
his ,ahnrs in this connection, the report was
not fully prepared, and further time was
oIIawcd. From the usual monthly report
~ the Treasurer it appeared that the re-
nn;n.s from all sources BY the treasury OF
the CITY during May amounted to $50, 2SS.9 SO.
The Council, by unanimous vote, granted
the RIGHT OF way through the streets OF the
CITY 70 the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph
Company.
An opinion of the City Attorney Captain
Dr,iry 4. Hinton) was read i'll Council
this afternoon in response to resolution
Of that body asking for the proper con-
struction OF the act OF Assembly prohibit
ing councilmen and other city officials and
representatives from being interested IN
public contracts. The City Attorney is OF
opinion that the prohibition. "applies to all
contracts which require and prcsupposc
some action Of the Council, and 10 those
a
ton, and not to the sale OF such articles Of
necessity as are required from time to time,
and which from the eXigencv OF the case
and the insiSniticance OF the cost may be
purchased by the committees of the Coun-
Gil from the appropriations OF 500 allowed
to bc expended by the chairmen OF the va
riouS committees without the consent OF
the Council first obtained" The opinion
was received and fled.
The important subject Of the Appomattox
Improvement bonds was next considered.
In 1870 an issue OF 100000 bonds bearing
interest at the high rate OF los per cent. was
authorized by the Council and negotiated
bv 2 bank in New jersey. Not all OF this
money was expended for the purpose OF the
original iSsuc--to wit, the Improvement OF
the navigation OF the AppomattoN river.
This evening Mr.. Venablc, from the Finance
Committee, called up an ordinance for the
issuance OF S165,000 city bonds bearing in
terest ut the rate Of six per cent. per an
nun, and payable in thirty-tivc years.
The interest is to be paid Semi-an-
nually in June and November, and
the bonds are to be either coupon or
registered in sums of 800 or its multiple.
They are to be exempt from city taxation,
an q 4 tax OF one eighth OF one per cent.
on each 800 value OF real aud personal
estate is to be laid for the payment OF the
interest and for the establishment of q
sinking fund for the ultimate extinction of
the debt. The tax Is to be known rs the
APPROXIMATION River Improvement loan-taX.
Tue ordinance was adopted, and the is
suance OF the bonds was left TO the Finance
Committee.
The tax bill. which is to he considered
and acted on by the Council during its
session, will reduce the tax on real estate
from two TO one and three fourths per CEN
tum on the value Of the same.
During the month Of May the expenses Of
the city amounted to S7,925.S9.
During the same month the total number
OF all deaths in the city reported to the
health officer amounted to twenty-eiSht-a
decrease OF six from the deaths OF the cor
responding period last year.
lltN. y. y. Leslie, OF hlCulllOHu SOIleSe, Is
announced TO preach on Sunday at the
Byrne-Strcet Baptist church. a union
meeting of the Baptist congregations OF the
city will take place at the. same church Sum
day afternoon.
The Lotus Club, social literary assOcia-
ton OF :he city, held its last meeting last
night. and adjourned with great eciGt to
resume its laborS when the fail arrives.
i new schedule on the Richmond and
Petersburg railroad goes into effect on Mon
day next, according to which the last mail
train for the North leaves this city at
o'clock in the afternoon; but | learn it is
intended to put on freight train which
will leave here later in the afternoon.
Jack Peasants, the Dinwiddie murderer,
who is to be executed at the courthouse OF
that county on Friday next, intimates that
he intends to disclose on the day OF the
hanging Il dreadful secret known only to
himself. This is supposed to refer to the
mysterious death, many years ago, OF Jacks
former master, Mr.. Henry Tucker, who was
found dead one morning near his hog-pen,
with his head broken open. The author
OF his death was never known, but as Jack
was at the time and had been for many
years before runaway, is now supposed
to have been the murderer, and to intend to
disclose the full facts Of the case when he
comes 10 be hanged. ROBIN ADA1E.