The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-13
MEMPHIS AND HER RECEIVER.
How tho New Arrangement viii Probably
Work.

Memphis has been uncharted and abol-
ished by the act of the Tennessee Legis-
lature. Where, two days ago, there was
busy city and a thriving mart of COM
merce, may now be found no more than
bowling wilderness of houses, inter-
sected by some twenty odd miles of wood
en- pavements, mostly in state of decay
and pretty generally unpaid for. But
the city, the corporation of Memphis, no
longer exists. 1t has been Incorporated,
and has no title even TO name. 1t
might as Se.' be called Thebes or Tanais
as Memphis. The Tennesseean Memphis
did not have as long life as that of the
venerable capitol Of Old Egypt, which
hourished for more than thousand years.
But then they had neither Nicholson
wooden pavements nor municipal bonds
in those primeval times. The modern
Memphis was laid out in 1920 incorpora-
ted as city in 1881. After surviving
for forty-eight years it has been disincor-
porated and again "laid out" in 1879.
The receiver for the late corporation,
however, if he should be appointed, will
still find some property belonging to it
which he can seize upon. There is
handsome park and Jackson statue in
the centre of the city. There are build
ings erected for schools, courts, &C.,
which were the property of the defunct
corporation, and will naturally fall into
the receivers possession. In fact he
might take contract to conduct the mu-
nicipal affairs of the people in the vicin-
ity of the late city for the benefit of the
creditors, leasing the public property to
them at o reasonable rent, and acting
generally as trustee for neglected es-
tate.
In noticing the proceedings inaugura-
rated for the appointment of o receiver,
the Memphis Appeal of Wednesday last
says: "The filing of this bill is likely 10
complicate matters. Until its prayer is
refused or granted the new bill repeating
the charter cannot be enforced, as accor-
ding to Section 50 of the Code of the
State the repeal of an act cannot aanul
or injuriously affect proceedings begun
under IT,"
The Appeal, in commenting on the
probable workings of the proposed re.
ceivership, says:
"Under and by virtue OF the act, and
the granting of the above prayer by the
Court, the friends of the measure claim
that the receiver so appointed will be su-
preme within the city limits, will not be
hampered by council, will be an officer
of the Court, supported and sustained by
the Court. His orders, would, therefore,
be in the nature of the orders of the
Court, any failure to obey which would
be contempt, punishable by fine and
Imprisonment, or both, at the option Of
the Court. He can enforce the collection
of taxes, those past due as well as those
lust assessed or to be assessed, and he can
compel prompter obedience TO existing
ordinances than any city government we
ever had. He can compel the enforce
ment of sanitary measures, the paving OF
the streets, the sewering of the same, and
any measure he deems necessary for the
safety and the welfare of the city. In a
word, his would be the one-man power
| which Memphis needs to lift her out of
her difficulties. The only thing now
wanted is the man of iron nerve, and
| with sufficient brains to take the place
| and do the work. Under this bill, by
virtue of which the court has been pray
ed to appoint q receiver, the taxes are
limited to one dollar and sixty cents, and
these are levied by the State. Man
damuses cannot run, and will, say its
friends, have immunity from that, the
| one great barrier to our welfare and prog
| ress. The receiver has also the power to
compromise and settle the past due debt,
| and thus save the credit of the city, which,
under the bill retains its corporate rights,
titles, immunities, attachments and be-
longings."