Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-02-15
DlS-INCORPoRATED MEMPHIS.

TERMS : S2.oO IN ADVANCE.
DES-INCORPoRAT MEMPHIS.
The coming Of new words is a |
privilege in which literary men |
should indulge as sparingly as pos
sible, but the present status of our
sister city is so unprecedented that
u new word seems called for to de- |
fine her new position.
We propose in the present paper,
by a careful examination of the acts
Of legislature on which it all de-
ponds, to render ineligible to our
readers the method by which legis-
lature, after abolishing its corporate
character as a city, undertakes to
provide for the local administration
of that which once was the city Of
Memphis, but is now a taking dis
trict" of Shelby county. The whole
process is effected in two bills of the
State Legislature, both originating
in the Senate and entitled Senate
bills No. IS and No. 80.
The provisions of Senate bill No.
IS can he briefly defined. 1t simply
abolishes all previous acts by which
Memphis attained its corporate eX-
istence and by which its territory,
municipal powers and privileges
received enlargement from time to
time. These extend from the first
act incorporating the town of Mem
phis in 1926 TO an act approved
March %, 1876, 'to regulate and
organize municipal corporations OF
certain population, and for the in
crease and diminution of their pow
ers." In this latter act Memphis is
not mentioned by name, but the act
applies nominally to all corporations
having a population of over 5000,
rs estimated ut the Federal census
of 1870. OF course this limits it to
Memphis, as that was the only city
i'm Tennessee whose population
amounted TO that sum at the last
census. This circumlocutiOn is to
prevent any dispute of the legisla-
tion on constitutional grounds.
Then follows the retrocession to
the State of all the rights, privi-
leges and immunities which had
been conferred upon the now dis
Incorporated city in the following
terms:
And the populations within the terrific
rial limits as now defined, and the territory
oI all municipal corporations heretofore
governed under and by virtue of said re-
pealed sections % TO 50 inclusive, are hereby
resolved back into the body OF the state,
and all offices held under and by virtue of
said repealed sections are hereby abolished ;
and all power Of taxation in any form what
ever, heretofore invested in or exercised by
the authorities of said municipal corpora
tons, by virtue of any OF the acts OF incorpo-
ration herein be ore recited, or otherwise, Is
forever withdrawn and reserved to the Leg
islature and the public buildings, squares,
promenades, wharveS, streets, alleys, parks,
rre-engines, hose and carriages, horses and
wagons, enginehOuses, engineer inStru-
ments, and all other property, real and per-
sOnsd. hitherto used by such corporations
for municipal PURPOSES are hereby trans
ferred TO the custody and control OF the
state, TO remain public property as II has
always been for the uses To which said prop
erty has been hitherto appled. ANA no
person holding Office under and by virtue OF
any Of said repealed sections or under any OF
the acts above recited, shall, from and after
the passage of this act, exercise or attempt
20 exercise any Of the powers Or functions OF
said Office.
Thus terminates Senate bill No. 58.
Senate bill No. so is of course more
elaborate, as it provides for the local
government of the district vacated
by the late corporation. 1t is en-
titled "a bill to establish taxing
districts in this State, and to provide
the means of local government fol
the same" Its provisions are made
applicable to all the communitie:
embraced in the territorial limits o
such corporations as have had Oh
may have had their charters abOl
iShed, etc.
Section , provides that taxes fOl
the expenses of such local govern
ment shall be imposed by the Gen
eraI Assembly Of the State Of Ten
nessee and not otherwise. As off
GERS for the administration Of thi!
local government it creates the fol
lowing functiOnaries :
l. \ Board OF Fire and Police Commits
SiOners, To be selected and qualified In tin
manner hereafter provided.
. Committee on Ordinances or LOca
Laws. to be known as the Legislative Coun
ell Of the Taxing District" ana which shall
consist of the Commissioners of the Fire an'
Police IfOalu and the SuDerNlSOrS OF IN
Board of Public Works.
3 A Board of Health, TO consist of tn
Chief OF Police, a health officer and one ply
siclan, who shall have been in practice 70
the period of five years next preceding hi
appointment, who shall be an lnhabltant o
the taxing district and fOr five years a resi-
dent of the county, who shall be eE-QUtcl
President Of the Board.
A. A Board of Public Works, to consist q
I'VE Supervisors OF Public Works, three o
whom shall be chosen by the qualified
voters OF the people OF the taxing district
and two appointed as hereinafter provided
and SHALL serve for term of two years
Then follow two very long sec
tions, Nos. 3 and 4, comforting Oh
the Legislative Council the power
of municipal lawgiving usual!
assigned to Board of Mayor anC
Aldermen, and on the other board
and officers those powers essentia
to preserving the peace, order anC
health of the district which are con
veyed in the charters of wei
ordered corporations.
Section provides the manner o
appointment Of these Commission
ers and assigns their salaries.
l.. The Board of Fire and Polio
Commissioners to be three in mum
her, over thirty years old. Two t
be appointed by the Governor wit
consent Of the Senate, one to b
elected by the qualified voters q
the district at an election held b,
the Sheriff of the county. One c
those appointed by the Governor t
be chief executive officer of the dis
triCt, to receive a salary of $4,000
year and to devote all his time t
The duties Of the Office. (Ie vii
in short, be Mayor Each othe
Commissioner To receive $500 a veal