Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-18
COUNCILS BUSY SESSION.
THE CITY ACCOUNTS RUNNING
AHEAD OF THE BUDGET.


The Boards to be Allowed to Remain
Where They dc Not Extend More Thar
Four Inches Beyond the street Etpe.
1t took the City Councilmen long time
to get from the caucus room into The
Council chamber last night, but once
there no time was wasted IN getting
through with the business. A number Of
matters of more or less Importance art
supposed to have occupied the attention oil
the Aldermen in caucus. There was 1T
tie to interest the few spectators who
were present, and the proceedings IN open
session were gone through with as rap
idly as possible.
The prohibit0ry bill board ordinance
passed at the last meeting was brought
upthrough petition signed by merchants
and business men generally asking for its
amendment or repeal. The petition was
referred to the Street and Lane Commit
tee. and Alderman Myers submitted an
amendment to the ordinance adding to
the second section the provision "but
nothing herein contained shall be held or
taken to prevent the attaching Of bill
boards TO walls, houses or fences, and the
posting OF bills, programmes or advertise
ments on the same, provided such boards
do not extend more than four inches over
the line of the street." The amendment
went over under the rules and will be
acted upon at the next meeting. II prac-
ticallY does away with the objection
able prohibitory clause in the ongi-
mai ordinance, which was con
sidered too sweeping in that 1t
prohibited the use Of the ordinary bule-
tins and bill boards erected upon the sides
OF buildings, and in no way interfering
with or Obstrueting the city's domain.
The unsightly structures standing 10 the
centre OF the streets ana along the side
walks come within the ordinance, and
will have to be removed. The posting Of
bills or advertisements on anything fur
ther than four inches inside the line Of the
street is also prohibited.
The Committee on Accounts, in adj
dition TO its regular bi-weekly report, sub
mitted a statementOf the accounts which,
at the end of the first half of the year, APP
pear to be running in excess of the
amounts allowed in the annual budget.
Exchange appropriation $1,000. Bills
already passed for $2,0S6 II.
City Court appropriation $4,000. Bills
already passed for s., sos II.
Dry culture experimentation. Bills
already passed for $5,470 90,
Fire department appropriation $23,500.
Bills already passed for Sl2,69S SO, inelud-
ing only five monthly pay-rolls.
Incidentals appropriations $4,000. Bills
already passed for $2,673 go, including
cost of assessment and election.
Laurel Grove Cemetery appropriation
$1,000. Bills already passed for So, 1863 93.
Market appropriation $500. Bills al
ready passed for $3.50 49,
Street and lane appropriation $4,000.
Bills amounting to $25,7lS rs, including
cost Of crossing the Ogeechee canal, al
ready passed.
The total amount appropriated for the
above accounts was $114,300. The eX-
penditures thus far have been $50, $50 "a,
more than one-half Of the appropriation,
leaving but S36,3l9 06 of the original ap-
preparation to be expended during the re-
naming six months of the year.
The Health and Cemetery Committee
submitted an extended report upon the
petition Of property holders relative to
the cleaning of vaults, IN which they
claim to have given the matter careful
consideration and to have consulted and
advised with number of leading physi-
clans as 10 the sanitary questions in
YOlved. From their opinion, as well as
from the experience of other cities, the
committee believed ii would be uuwise to
tinuance Of cementing the bottoms Of
vaults, and therefore reported adversely.
They called the attention Of the petition
ers to the fact that the charge fixed by
ordinance for the cleaning of vaults is
based upon the containing capacity of the
vault, and not upon the cubic measure
ment Of the matter removed. The COM
mlttee failed to recognize wherein the
charge upon the property is unjust, and
was of the opinion that the petition that
the burden should fall upon the citizens
generally would be unjust 10 them,
many of whom are taxed heavily for
water rent and repairs necessary TO keep
their closets in proper sanitary condition.
The committee, in closing its report.
urged upon the Council the immense ad-
vantage, from sanitary point Of view,
which must accrue in the adoption Of
measures for the immediate removal
without the city limits Of the contents OF
the entire vault system by rapid water
carriage, and invited its earnest attention
to the subject.
The retail grocers DONG business in the
extended limits Of the city petitiOned for
exemption from the special tax OF $40
imposed upon them, on the ground that
they are not benefited by having their
places embraced in the limits, having no
police protection or light, or the adj
vantages they would have inside the in
corporation. The matter was referred to
the Committee on Finance.
lengthy petition, signed by Bay street
merchants and men, was submitted, ask
ing that Gas House hill be regarded, and
that the extension Of Bay street beyond
Randolph street be widened from 35 feet
20 30 feet, and also that the storage OF
c0mbustible material from the
gas works in the vicinity OF the
warehouses and wharves be prohibited.
The petition was referred to the Street
and Lane Committee and Committee on
Fire.
A number Of other matters We're brought
up, among them the receiving Of the re-
port of the Committee on Accounts,
which recorded the expenditure Of
5000 "a in the various city departments
Funeral OF Mrs. George A. Mercer.
AZ o'clock last evening the remains oil
Mrs. George A. Mercer were borne reyer-
entity fnfo Christ Chrroh frha uaoral