Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-17
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
THE "DKTTNTsfERs' TAX" STILL
UNDER CONSIDERATION.

THE DKUM3TEIlS' TAX" STILL
UNDER CONSIDERATION.
The Finance Committee Recommends
Reduction and the Matter to be Acted
Upon To-day-The City Going Back TO
the Old Time-The Clocks to pc Se'
Forward on acknowledgements On
the Tax Ordinance-The FIRE DeP"f'
ment-The Police Want More ray
The civ Council chamber was well
filed with spectators last night, among
whom were a number Of leading meT-
chants and a delegation Of commercial
travellers awaiting the consideration of
the "drummers' tax" question. The pre-
liminary caucus lasted until after
O'Clock, and when the Council met in
regular session in the Long Room the visi-
tors benches were quickly occupied.
After the transaction of the usual rou-
tine business. the reports Of the various
committees were received. Among the
hrst was the report of the Finance Com
mittee upon petitions referred at the last
meeting of the Council, asking reductions
in sDecific taxes. The committee reported
in reference to the drummer tax re-
communication that the tax ordinance be
amended by striking out the section:
Every drummer, runner, or other persons
soliciting trade or orders or BUSINESS loF an Az
CITY or elsewhere. and having no liked place
OF business in this city, anu every peudieF
and itinerant transient trader, ana every
transient person selling or oneflng 10 sell Dy
sample shall pay the same tax required OF
resident and stationary dealers IN the same
articles and no officer of the city shall be au-
thOrized to reduce. or III anywlse cnange such
/ tax 50 required. nor shall such itinerant deal
er be allowed to sell his wares unuer lht
| license Of any auctioneer. or under the name
of any factor or commission merchant VINO
has paid his tax as such, until he himself shall
have paid all taxes required OF nm by TINS
( ordinance.
And inserting in lieu thereof the follow
ing:
Every drummer. runner. or other persons
! soliciting trade or orders, or business Tor an
I other or for himself, whether resident OF this
4 city or elsewhere. and having no liked place
of business in this city. shall pay the same TAX
/ required of resident and stationary dealers IN
| the same articles, provided, however. that
/ any person or persons transacting or Offering
/ to transact either of the kinds of business
mentioned in this clause and selling only 70
! the trade NAV takeout license for one week,
I for which shall be paid the sum OF ten dol
/ lars for each and every week, or part OF week
| that they shall be engaged IN business IN lAls
| city. which shall be in lieu of tax herein pro-
/ yidad; and every pedtllef ana ltlneFant TRAN =
! sient trader, and every transient person sell
ing or Offering to sell by sample, shall pay the
| same tax required Of resident and stationary
/ dealers in the same articles. and no ofncer Of
\ the city shall be authorized to reduce, or IN
I anywise change such tax so required. nor
shall such itinerant dealer he allowed 10 sell
| his wares under the license OF any auctloneer,
or under the name Of any factor or commits
sion merchant who has paid his tax as such,
/ until he himself shall have paid all taxes re-
/ quired of him by this ordinance,
An ordinance carrying out this recO-
mendati0n, and also fixing the tax upon
/ the Southern Bell Telephone Company at
/ $500 instead of 50 80 for each 'sconnecting
/ station" and reducing the tax upon
/ theatrical companies from 80 to 81 for
| each performance, and increasing the tax
of every retail dealer selling at whole
sale from 800 to 5000. was introduced
by the committee. Alderman Thomas
| asked the consent of Council that the or
dinance be passed to a second reading, as
it was important that the matter should
be acted upon at once. Alderman OCon-
nor objected, and, unanimous consent not
being given. 1t was laid over, under the
, rules, to be considered at an adjourned
meeting to be held tonight,
This matter being temporarily disposed
of, the reports of other committees were
heard. The Finance Committee reported
upon the petition of Chief Fireman Fer
nandeZ. asking an increase OF TIE Fire
Department, recommending tie passage
of an ordinance adding four men TO the
department at q salary of $50 per month
each. and ab0lishing the position of su.
pernumerary. An ordinance carrying
out the recommendations Of the commit
tee was read by the Clerk,
Alderman Wells. Chairman ofthe Com
mittee on Jail, formally reported the
transfer of the Jail property to the county
on the 9th instant, and submitted an III
ventory of the furniture in the jail sold tC
the county. The report was received as
information and the action OF thS com
mittee was approved.
The Committee on Market reported in
regard to the petition of game and poultry
dealers asking remuneration for losses o.
property by closing the Market on the
day before Christmas at O'Clock instead
of 9 O'Clock, as ordered by the Council
that they had investigated the matter
g. and believed the blame rested with the
Clerk of the Market in his disobedience OF
instructions, but they considered the
amounts claimed by the dealers as re
Enumeration for losses excessive, anC
! recommended that they be not granted
The report was received as information.
The Committee on Streets and Lanes
submitted a majority and minority re.
port upon the matter of paving Liberty
street. The minority report was signed
BY Alderman Hanley. A vote was taken
and the majority report was adopted.
The Committee on Public Sales and
CITY Lots reported favorably upon the pc
tition of the Industrial Relief Society anC
Home of the Friendless, asking separate
titles to certain lots.
The ordinance providing for an increase
of the police force was read, as printed II
the MORNING NEWS on Tuesday, and
after amendment, was put upon It's pas
sage and passed.
I d
TENSION.
The ordinance relative to allowing the
use of BICYCLES and tricycles in the Parl
/ extension was read. upon which Alder
/ man Thomas submitted an amendment
allowing the playing of base ball and foo
ball within the same limits. The amend
| ment was passed by vote o
: to 5. Alderman Hamlet opposed tn'
passage of the original ordinance
on the ground that grant OF the Park eX
tension for these games would make it ;
public playground and a resort for disor
Derby classes, and that in view of this the
place would soon become nuisance t
people residing in that part of the city
| fronting the Park or near 1t.
Alderman Thomas supported his amend
ment and the ordinance. tie had been II
doubt as to legal points, but in consulta
ton with the city legal adviser, haC
I
curing the city would not be liable fol-
any damages sustained. AS to its
being a resort for dis0rderly classes
he had confidence in the police that any
disorderly demonstrations which might
occur would be suppressed, and after per
haps one or two occurrences there would
be no repetition.
An animated discussion followed, and
the ordinance was finally passed by vote
of to ..
THE FIBE DEPARTMENT,
Alderman Green offered an ordinance
prescribing rules and regulations for the
government of the Fire Department, pro
Yiding for the trial of parties violating
the rules and for filing vacancies, and
fixing the pay of drivers. The ordinance
zyas read and referred to the Committee
on Fire.
Ordinances were also passed fixing Ger,
tain penalties for violating market regu.
lations.
4 memorial from the Liquor Dealers
Association asking reduction in the tax
imposed upon their business was read
and referred to the Committee on Finance.
An ordinance was also introduced by
Alderman Derst providing for tax on
wholesale dealers of $3.50 and on retail
dealers of 500. This is reduction Of $5C
on the retailers tax, while the whole
saler's tax remains the same. The ordi
nance was read by the Clerk and laid over
under the rules.
THE POLICE WANT MORE PAY.
A memorial presented by the private
membership of the City Police Depart
ment. asking an increase OF pay, was re-
ferred to the Committee on Police.
The memorial relative to reduction OF