Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-23
THE CITY COUNCIL

T-,,. rsoa-5 NJ Assessors Ordinance De
feated-Alderman O'Connor's Remarks
agaf,ss Tt-Other Minor Matters.
A reguIsr meeting Of the City Council
was beld last night, at the City Exchange,
with Hon. Rufus Z. Lester, Mayor, pre-
siding. and Aldermen Wilder, Minis,
Hamlet. Wells. Nichols, Derst, O'Connor,
Hamilton. Hanley and Thomas in attend
ance.
The Finance Committee reported that
they had examined accounts amounting
70 S1OOS4 Is. and recommended that they
be passed for payment. The report was
he Committee on Docks and Wharves
reported in favor Of leasing the slip at the
foot Of DraytOn street 70 Mr.. John T. Rob
ertsou. The recommendation was adopted.
The Committee on Fire recommended
that the apparatus Of the Werner HOOK
and Ladder Company. No. l, be appraised,
and that oue-half the value Of said appa-
ratus Be paid 10 the company upon tnelF
making a conveyance OF the truck 70 lhe
city. Adopted
The same committee also recommended
that the Mutual Protection Hose Compa-
nv Be admitted as an auxiliary or2anlZa-
ton % the Fire Department. Adopted.
The ordinance introduced at FORMER
meeting providing for the appointment OF
a BOARD 81 Assessors. one OF whom should
- 3. Receiver Of Tax Returns for the city,
was called up on its second reading.
Witt reference to il Alderman OCOn-
nor said;
During our administration the question Of
assessment Of real estate and the return Of
personal property have often been discussed
tent that Alderman Hamilton some time ago
introduced an ordinance for the election OF
city Assessor. whose duty would De TO assess
real estate for taxation ana 70 see tnat
ur1usr returns were made Of personally. The
ordnance has been changed since then
/ and Board Of Assessors are 10 take the place
| ~ CITY Assessor. one Of the board being
Receiver q Tax Returns lauOther name for
CITY Assessor 70 assess real estate. and sara
| Receiver Of Tax Returns Il 70 see that letter
returns are m4de Of personal properly &c
/ eor.ffuE 20 this ordinance we create a new
/ Office and q the salary az - so per anhum-
| The 81 zrical work incident 70 a proper per
| Torrance Of the duties Of the once VIII De
/ immense The actual expenses conneeteo
/ herewith viii Approximate the sum o. $4,VV0
/ aruualIv To meet the expenses II VIII neces-
/ state returns Of personal property OF the
| value q $4,000 more than have been receiver
! this year. Grant that the returns VIII amount
| 90 thar.vet cannot see what pecunlarY benefit
/ would BE derived by the city, when II VIII
/ take all the tax realized over the excess 70
/ pay the expenses incident to the ONCE Bet
/ Ter returns may be secured by this system,
/ bat not sufficient IN ny Judgment 70 make II
/ system Of assessing real estate and Of
/ obtaining returns Of personality may
/ Tor have attained perfection. yet
| Z venture the prediction that II VIII COM
/ pare fayOrably with that Of any other city OF
| state. u we Judge by the results oDtalnea.
1 Tie returns Of personality sre now recelYeu
| by the Treasurer, and the question occuT1.
/ VIII the Receiver Of Tax Returns perform me
/ lurv more acceptably and accomplish better
/ results Than have been hitherto gaiueds Inc
/ city 81 harlestOn has a somewhat similar
d - IN
/ and what is the result thereof
/ compared with our present Ones
/ g. usilerlnr the difference in population ana
/ the value 81 its real estate the city OF >aVan-
] NAH can boast Of greater assessed value Of
1 real estate and a letter return Of personal
/ property. The report Of the city Assessor Of
/ shows that the personal property re-
I turned for taxation was valued
I at S.,a35,z62 snd s7.il9.7s4 respectively,
/ while the assessed value Of personal property
4 returned for taxation In savannah lWlthout
/ the assistance Of an Assessor and HE clerks
I Tor the years lSsz and lss5 amounts 70 St-Oys,-
/ $40 and S5,li1,llz, respectively. Elther the
/ Charleston system is defective or ours brings
| about far results. chatham county
/ has Receiver Of Tax returns
ana his Iabors show as 70 the
! returns IL real estate for taxation, taking the
i MORNING NEWS OF Aug. 3, lss5, as authority.
I that only 66.l 52 acres Of tile zJs,bU1 acres OF
/ and were returned. II the present system Is
I not perfect. DO seems 10 me that the Finance
1 II immitfee might. by improvements IN blank
/ forms for returns. 10y change IN the Oath, Dy
/ SUPERVISION and occasional suggestions 10 the
I Treasure, and perhaps by giving MN some
/ 20 the power ami authority proposed Tor the
/ Receiver Of Tax Returns, accomplish any
I changes that are necessary. understand
/ that there are some parties who DO
/ rot make returns Of personal
/ property at an for taxation. l have been in
| formed thai there are mum cr OF merchants
I Nh0 have made no return THIS year OF STOCK 10
/ trade. furniture. money invested IN business,
[ etc / have been told that there are some
/ Aldermen who make no return OF stock In
/ trade. furniture. money invested IN business,
tocks bonds. etc II this state OF aualrs Is u
/ there Is a derelictlOn OF duty on the part Oh
[ -1mebsdv. Returns should be made for, and
axes assessed against all defaulters. Ger
I tIiulV then II their duty Is properly ATTENDED
/ to il would seem that the returns Of person
Z aitv would be larger than have been received
I This year. galu.lt occurs To me tlat lt Woulu
De difficult 70 get a good nan y .aAe tLe IOsi-
I ton. when be would be uncertain whether 4
I rev board. 10 elected, would Abolish OF con-
{ time the Office. IL VIII mol do 10 WOTry Inc
! people bv constantly tinkering with this
( subject. Let the Treasurer see that property
70 every description that is suutec % t7Natl0n
/ DE returned. and, If not let him make the
+ return himself and collect the taxes thal are
/ lue the city. 10 would Dc great cor FeAl-
/ elcs TO the people 70 have the IreasErers Oh
( dce auG other city offices open m the alteF-
I noon for the transaction OF puolc business,
( .ad there j. no reason why the officials OF the
i cav Should NOT bc at their posts IN the alter
/ noon as vel as the morning. We have enough
+ officials, and / am opposed u creating any
Z more.
The question then REQUIRED upon the
/ s-ssage Of the ordinance. 1t was de-
I ieated.
\ petition rom 4 number Of citizens
/ and property owners relative to the cendi-
; .inn OF the BilbOa canal and suggesting
/ means 70 improve the same was referred
4 O. the Committees on Dry Culture and
. Health and Cemetery.
/ The question whether Louis Thanasaw
I was liable TO a levy for tax as manutac-
I turCr was brought before the Council on
an anDpal. After hearing the evidence Of
I witnesses aud the remarks OF Judge
/ O'Byrue and the Corporation Attorney 1t
/ was decided that Nr. Thanasaw was not
I liable. and should only be required to pay
ibe tax imposed on a retail dealer.