Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-12-10


At the regular meeting of the City
Council, Tuesday night. there were present
President Cochran in the chair, and
Messrs. Bargamin. Berkeley, Butts, Craig,
Crowle, McMahon. McQuaide, Oberdor-
fer, Summerson, Teabo and Tams.
POLICE SALARIES.
A report of the Finance Committee
adverse to increasing the salary of officers
Lickllter, Newman and Simpson to $50
a month, was. on motion Of Mr.. Teabo,
laid on the table.
REMITTING DELINQUENT TAXES.
The Finance Committee reported adj
versly to renting the delinquent tax Of
s34 81 due by Miss Mary Hassett. Mr..
Tams SAID the committee had so reported
because there was no other way to report
and yet do justice to the city and other tax
payers. The entry Of delinquent taxes
was standing in due form on the book In
the Office when Miss HassetJ bought the
property and was lien on the property,
which, like any other citizen she had the
opportunity to know. The fact that
/ Treasurer Carroll had told her lawyer that
| there were no taxes due On it did not re-,
lieve her or her lawyer from the onlyslegal
mode of ascertaining whether sush ttissss
did exist the reference to the book where
they were recorded as lien against the
property, which is accessible to everybody
Mr.Craig. who moved that the report be
not adopted and that the tax be reInitted,
said Miss Hassett was woman unfami-
liar with the Jaw and had bought the
property from Commissioner of the
Court who had gone to the City Treasur-
er, and being informed by him there were
no taxes due. had so informed her. 1t was
clear that Miss II. had used due diligence
in complying with the law as far as she
knew it. The State had relieved her Of
the State delinquent tax, and she now
asked the city to be as just.
Mr. Tams.-There are hundreds of other
similar cases where, like Miss III the par
ties did not take the proper step of con-
sulting the record, the only authority on
tie subject.
Mr.. Butts said it would be unjust to
other taxpayers to collect tisgsss ssoney
from them and make 81 4 Of
her deliuquenJ taxes It was, he said.
simply taking the city's money and max
ing gift of it to the petitioner.
On taking the vote the council decided
by the following vote to remit the tax:
Ayes-Messrs. Bargamin, Berkeley, Coch-
ran, Craig, CroWle, McQuaide, Mcmahon,
Uberdorfer, Summerson, and Teabo;
. n oes-Messrs. Butts and Tams.
, Mr. McQaalde offered resolution post
poning the sale of property purchased by
Thos. Wholey, against which delinquent
| taxes were charged. until the Common
wealth's Attorney could investigate the
m after. Adopted; Messrs. Butts and
Tams, dissenting.
| RENTING RENT.
| Resolutions were adopted abating $40
from the rent of the Opera House on the
occasions of the Centennial of Stauntorr
Lodge A. F. & A. M, and the Concert.
for the benefit of the Stonewall Brigade
| Band.
STREETS.
| The sum of $500 was transferred from
| the contingent fund to the Street Com
mittee Fund. Mr.. Crowle, Chairman of
the Street Committee, said it had only
$50 at its command. Of the appropriation
| for streets made by the former city coun-
! Gil, he said, the Street Committee of that
council had expended 81 635 in two months
and left the Street Committee of the new
| council about ST. 300 to run ten months
| on.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
| A resolution offered by Mr.. Berkeley
was adopted putting the electric light
under the supervision OF the present Elec-
| trio Light Committee until the Coun-
| Gil shall finally accept it. which will be,
when the last pay ment is made, one year
| from now. Mr.. Tams offered an amend
ment to the water ordinance, which was
adopted. by which amendment the Super
intendent of the Water Works is also
made Superintendent of the Electric
Light.
Petitions were read and referred, for
electric street lights at the corner of Main
and Lewis streets, and ON Green street
near the trestle of the G. & o. road.
A DECENT ALMsHoUsE AT LAST.
Bids for the erection of an almsh0use
| were opened and read. The bidders were
W. T. Mari, A3ram Coffma8 &. John F.
Rowe, b. T. Bagby, PeacoJ& Mahoney.
| W. T. Foster & Baylor, Staples & Stod-
dard, Plunkett Il Co., and Jas. Nj. Wilson.
| The contract was awarded to the firm Of
Coffman s. ttowe at So 2S9. with interest,".
building is to be of brick and erected near
the Water Works.
MISCELLANEOUS.
| The Water Policeman was directed to
report what owners of sunken closets ON
squares bounded by Augusta, New Court
| House, New, and Frederick streets, for
merly (Aug. 17sh) ordered to be removed,
have not complied with the ordinance 10
! that effect.
a petition of King Hiram Lodge of
Colored Odd Fellows asking that nuts.
| ance be removed. was referred.
Petition of j. r. Taylor, asking that
| he be relieved from payment of taxes on
| National Valley Bank stock and Staunton
| Gas Go. stock. on the ground that the tax
| was already paid, was referred.
| Mayor Yost reported $14S1 Is of fines
| imposed and collected during the last three
! mouths.
Petition for fire plug near Thornbure,s
new stable was granted. and one ordered