Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-10
rrt.idenl,. Reporf.

Memphis will find the report compfete sad
encouraging.
Presidents Report.
TAxISe-DIsTRIcT, SHELBY COUNTY, TENN,
December /, 1882
To His Excellency. Alvin Hawkins, Governor of
sfE-The act establishing the Taxfng-District of
Shelby county, Tenn. makes II the duty tsee sec
tfon 13) Of the Fire and Police Commissioners TO
make biennial report to the governor before the
conyening Of the regular session of the Legisla-
report showing the receipts and disbursements
and the various transactions of the Taxing District
spectfully submitted. In the report OF the seere-
tary, Mr.. Charles L. Pullen, will be found various
exhibits of the financial condition of the several
departments, To each of these EXHIBITS your
attention Is respectfully called, they being made
Exhibit A is c balance-sheet of the financial
transactions OF the Taxing District for the twenty
% i9nr nouns e9saesa IN tais report IL Is sue
and disbursements for the various departments.
pnplieate receipts for every dollar paid ont are on
Of the collections by the county trustee have been
regularly made as the law directs Exhibits b, e
County Trustee E. l.. MCGOWAN for the years 1850,
1881 and 1881, respectively.
An exemiaption and analysis of the foregoing
exhibits is requested. The next, exhibit L, show
ing the delinquent taxes due the District from its
period of four years, is rather startling for gov
ernment o'herwiss So exceedingly Satisfactory
prompt taxpayer much painful dissatisfaction,
aud many ask the questions, "Wby should
pay when others do nOt2 Is It not b tier not to
pay than topay7 Are not all laws made in favor
OF the delinquent taxpayer, and to the prejudice
tions OF good citizen?' This exhibit shows that
the delinquent taxes due tue Distries amount to
s143,l2z 81, an accumulation Of only four years,
and that upon very m moderate valuation of both
personally and realty in the District made still
less in many instances By sweeping reductions in
valuations, on the part of our very liberal wor-
ehipful County Court. AS evidence of these
sweeping reductions made by the County Court in
Va 6p-
crease In the tax Justly due the Di triet reference
reduction TO be, for the three years. over $4,000 900
ia valuation, and $50 COO in taxes. such delin-
anen. e5n,Ds 81 as sb taeSe IePeatsdly made dioag io
her 70 the only expedient left her. namely, the
rspesl Of her charter. and The establishment by
II is q fact that the same property and parties
who were delinquent IN thel4te city OF Men phis,
continue TO be delinquent to the Taxing District,
and ever viii be until laws are changed, so as
to speedily enforce the cole ton of all taxes:
Mississippi; cannot the same stringent laws be
enacted and enforced in Tennessee? To this mat
attention of your exceiIency and the Legislature
soon to convene, hoping in your wisdom some
law will be framed for the relief OF the Taxing
DistEi t in this particular.
Exhibit gives the aggregate expenses OF the
02s So. This department, under the efficient con-
troll OF Chief W. q. Davis, is eminently satisfactory
might with propriety be increased Its so i'm
tied that the patrol force is only about fourteen
men on duty at time. out oil fOrty-ilree men on
the payroll at Ieasf twelve, besides officers. are
detailed tof market and square keepers, saui-
suggest the amendment Of the charter so as 10 al.
low the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of
the Taxing District to increase the number to
SIXTY men at any time they dt. with the priyi-
lege of raking the salarss at least ten per cent,
provided the measure would be considered ex-
pedienI BY them. Such measures are not now abb
kolutely Necessary, though such an amendment as
suggest would leave the commissioners free 20
act when occasion arose. Il aflrds me great
pleasure to bear testimony to the correct and hon
orable department of the individual members of
this Of the government. They are men, true
and faithful, and de their duty at all times
About one-fourth OF the force are coiored men,
who so far have met all the requirements of their
officers and have proven themselves worthy of the
confidence of all our citizens.
Exhibit presents the expenditures of the fire
department for two years-S1,410 10. After the
death OF Chief McFadden in January last, the
board sppointed Capt Jas Jas f. Cleary TO the hign
was ever more deserving of promotion Having
been connected with the department. almost fIom
infancy, his smbition daring boyhood pointed
him onward and upward. and now he occupies a
place among the fire chiefs of the country of
chanc, strict disciplinarian, ready and pro-
gresive, his entile department., though small,
stsnd- unsurpassed by any similar organization
In the country. The firemen under him So
ber, industrious and brave. and at all times they
no previous time has the Fire Department been
managed more economically and with such mill
tary discipline. Within tee last six months we
have been compelled to purchase two new en-
gines, and 2009 feet of new hose, to upply the
saS penditure OF Of about $1,000. We have now only
Iour engines and one Hook and Ladder ComT any.
These are not enough, however encien,tly they
and increasing wealth committed to their care At
should l% be adSei d4 Within the ann next two
years, aud then the Taxing District won have
no better fire protection, proportionately, than
Exhibit II is a classified statement of the ex-
penditures OF the Engineering Department under
Mai. Niles Meri wether amounting to S234 204 20
Exhibits L. NJ and enumerate and give in de-
tail how and where this vast sum has been ex-
pended HIS written report is also explanatory Of
the same. Under this very able eDgineer, Maj.
Meriwether, the Taxing District is assuming new
Who daily t6rong our streets wonder whose nm
and brain directs and carries forward the many
improvements visible everywhere in the limits.
Maj. Meriwether is the moving spirit-improvis-
ing, planning AMI executing the.e many lasting
and permanent i'm provemenfs, in building streets,
savers and bridges, 50 long needed and so much
appreciated by every citizen; Every month, every
tended, which enhances the value of property and
incressss the comfort and convenience of the peo-
accomplished in 50 short time by a people so
prostrated by epidemics, short crops and oppres-
sive indebtedness, but brain, pluck and indoniita
Bile energy have placed us upon sure fouuda
tion. snd brighter future is open to us
Thornton, president, DR.. j. H PurnelI, secretary,
d. F. Jackson, health officer, aud w. c. Davis,
chief police. is active. vigilant and effective in
ali things pertaining TO local sanitation, and in
Breven ing the Introduction and spread of infec
tious diseases Its efficiency in the past two year.
public health organization and it has given entire
satisfaction 70 this government and our citizens
The expenditures of this branch of the service
has been SIS 52s 60, as shown in exhibit of the
secretary's report This department is increasing
in efficiency each mouth, and the people are rap
idly being educated to comply with all laws and
IS i,'@''I more vigiiant and appreciative on
lasting dement's than This board acts in har.
| mouy with the State and National Boards OF
aid The National Board of Heal gave us ad-
| vice and pecunfAry aid When the deepest distress
overwhelmed US, and her strong arm has ever been
stretched forth to shield and protect whenever
there was the least danger OF infectious or conta
gious diseases appIoaehln$& gu Us. ms com unity
and advice of such an able sanitarian as Dr.. G. B
! Thornton, who stands among The hrst Of his pro
| affecting this community, ana the whole Missis-
sipsi valley, delivered before the various health
associations of the country merit and receive the
| universal commendAtion of his medical brethren
| and the business community. The work of this
| of the Board OF Health, DR.. j. h Purneli. which
i Is also made part of this report
ExBibit shows the COST OF maintaining the
District hospital for the two years. which has been
s27, 900 81. under the supervision OF Dr. A. A. Lau
| renee hospital physician. This department ha'
| been managed economically and satisfactorily in
! every respect patients receiving all the care and
i medical attention which the limited means oul
| disposal would warrant us in besto~ing. You
will observe that this Is very expensive institu
iients ent there from the District in proportion
! the large number coming from contiguous States
| Only about one fourth OF the patients treated
have any claim, as citizens, upon this community
| The other three fOurths are iunerantS, and arJ
cases shipped here by other communities TO get
| rid of the care OF them We satisfied that
| additional expenditures viii have TO be made in
repairing the dilapidated buildings in the mex
| The sewer department is under the contro
of Maj Niles Meriwether. District engineer
is an experienced mechanical engineer. The
system used Is the one introduced her.
| jr and Notwithstanding many fears as tC
sugflity it has proven successful under the care
full management Of Mr. Ross, who has revised
| supplemented and otherwise improved the orig
inzf plan until ii has reached its present high de
gee of perfection A reference TO exhlbi. i
shows the cost of this department to be S79050 i
/ for the past two years an amount consistent viii
/ the quality and quantity of work done The Ar
rangemeut of this system Is such that by the ad
! dition Of new mains and outlets IL can be en-
4 laFged TO meei the requirements OF much large
/ population.
] 4 word in reference to the debt OF the old cit