San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-10-21
CITY DADS
IN CONCLAvE ON MUNICIPAL BUsI.
NESS.
Money to Run the City's Business
Granted-Milkmen Fall Into Line
Finance and Ordinances
Mackey and the Re-
corder Etc


! afternoon. There was full complement of
! aldermen and spectators present, and the
! session was very interesting. The following
petitions and memorials were read and dis
| posed of:
Steves rms company offered 800 for a
! piece of land east of the city, for the estab-
! lishment of a powder magazine 10 was de-
! cided to lease the property to the company,
! but not 10 sell IL.
Louis Walter petition for II meat stall was
| referred to market committee. George White
! fO- permit to raise roof of building. Referred
to the fire committee. WIN. Maitaum petit
toned for remission of fine in recorders court
| resulting from the Turner hall peoples con-
| ycntiOn fight Gallagher thought the fine was
| not severe enough and opposed its remission
! 1t was referred to the police committee.
The recorder sent communication IN Tor
| the purpose of ''squaring" himself with the
| council in regard 80 charges made orally by
! Alderman Mackey that he was wOrkingfOr po
| Htical influence and had failed to fine persons
| who deserved punishment He wanted an
| official investigation. This brought the old
| man to his feet and he turned
| forth torrent of language on
the subject He denied the right of the coun;
| Gil TO act upon the communication, and said
| he could be found on the street or at home
| any time TO answer personally for any charges
he had brought againsC this party. He grew
very excited mt times and the mayors gaVel
worked necessarily for few moments with
out any effect The communication was
finally not received. Il resolution being intro
duCcd by French and passed, which declared
that no charges had been made against the
recorder, and none were intended. The mat
ter arose from an assertion III debate.
Mr. H. Parr petitiOned for II meat stall. Mar
ket committee; and citizens pettiOned for gas
lamps on Belvin street Committee on gas and
water, took this in charge.
Simon Fest offered to sell the property on
ACeuuia street. which stands too far out of
line of the street The matter was laid over
for action.
JE Mueggc u Co, grain dealers, complain
ed that City Wcigher Sanchez had over
charged them, and the police committee was
ordered to investigate It.
Mr.. Leck petitiOned for the opening of River
avenue. This was referred to the public i'm
DrOyement committee and streets and bridges,
engineer and city attorney.
John Fest and others asked that water
mains be laid on north Flores street and as far
as San Marcos street; referred to gas and
water committee.
Residents on King William street asked that
the street be paved with TelfOrd instead of
gravel. Laid over for action.
The council appropriated 500 for the relief
of the Sabine Pass sufferers.
The report of the board of engineers,
Messrs. c. p. Matlack. city engineer. and
Eugene GiTaud and W NJ Locke, in regard TO
the property at the head of the river, was
presented, accompanied by map of the local
Ity. The report was very technical and elab-
crate, and showed beyond doubt that the lines
of lots at the point surveyed did not nearly
run to the river. The space between and the
islands in the river undoubtedly belonged to
the city. Alderman MaCkey made strong
speech of triumph on this report and offered
resolution, which was passed, that the
city attorney be required to bring
suit for the recovery of the property. A
resolution was also passed author
izing the mayor to appoint an assistant city
attorney.
The mayor said the bids for the new street
work had been opened and johnson Franklin
were the lowest bidders for TelOrd paving and
Ed Brsden for the gravel rOadways. The bid
for sewers was tie. The estimates for all the
work amounted to more than the $4,000 APP
propristed and the matter was given over to
special committee.
A petition from number of dairy
men was submitted, asking that milk
vendors be licensed per annum at S25.
and that a mix inspector be appointed; pen
atty to be fixed for any one selling impure
milk. Referred to petition and ordinance
committee.
The ditch commissioner was ordered to shut
OFF the water of the ditch on Dallas street
while the street work is in progress
The report of the finance committee was
presented rs follows:
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
ON behalf of the finance committee, Belk-
nap read the following financial statement:
The assessment list of property valuation
for 1856 did not come into the hands of the
finance committee until Monday October, Is,
1886
The valuation, as made by city assessor, is
Sl629 49,, and increase over 1888 of 81, l5i IS3.
The poll tax Will amount to S2,l12. The rev.
enue to be raised this year is for the purpose
of meeting the appropriations as made in
March, for the fiscal year of 1886, but amounts
to the total of $40: 42, as follows for the fol-
lowing purposes:
General fund. ........................S lSIjo2
Special fund. .......... 2S,IbO
Bexar county fund. Observation-Disclosures. 1900
School tund. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l5,IO
Total. ...........................S 246,}42
tax divided as follows this year, viz: IS
cents per SlC1, for general purposes; 20 cents
per $780, for special sinking fund; 10 cents per
500. for BeXar county hospital fund; 10 cents
per 500, for school fund; making total of
81 p per $780, and is in keeping with the usual
rates of the past three or four years.
We recommend the same rate this year,
which will result as follows: S2O2, S7i.GO rev.
enue from other sources, estimated, $40, l2439;
making total revenue for 1886, of S2i7, 1888,
and due March |, 1887
The council will notice that the amount of
appropriations, and the amount to be collect
ed,are very close, too close within tSl5CO when
the delays and inability to pay are considered.
At first glance il looks as If (the revenue)
might be sufficient.
The mayor and finance committee of them.
selves do not approve of the policy of increas-
ing the tax rate this ear for the purpose of
greater revenue; for they believe that If the
council, in the nextf five months, will run the
different departments at a reduced rate, with
care, cutting down and OFF all expenses not
absolutely required, that the rate of Sl25 per
SlCJ will be ample for the purpose, and result
in margin or surplus TO allow for short cOm-
ings and delays in collection of the general
revenue.
The finance committee. in March of this year,
submitted estimates for the year 1886, which,
after due delbcratiOn with the mayor and
other officers of the city government, was by
them considered liberal and sufficient We
figured for a surplus of from S'J,OOJ to S30,UO.
At that time the council saw tit to increase
the list offered by the finance committee with
some $4,000 additional expenditures, and il
was that action which has made the demands
on this years revenue so much greater than
former years. You may say to the extreme
limit of what can be collected at the rate of
Sl.25 per 500.
with these facts before them, the finance
committee offer the usual special ordinance
governing taxes, with the rates already
named, for the purposes therein stated.
A. BELKNAP,
Chairman Finance Committee.
The following new ordinance, relating o ad
yalOrem and occupation taxes were also sub
mitted by the finance committee:
AN ORDINANCE TO levy poll and ad vnlOrem
for the support of the ity government, for
the fiscal year ending February ~, 1887:
Be it ordained by the city counc OF the city
of San Antonio, that
SECTION l. There be and is hereby levied for
the municipal year beginning March l. 1886,
and ending February ~, 1887, on every male in
habItant of this city, who has resided in this
city six months prior to March l, 1926, between
the ages OF 81 and 60 years.. not otherwise ex.
empted by the laws of this State, poll tax of
one (SlCJ dollar.
Sec. 2 That there be and is hereby levied
for general purposes, for the municipal or fls-
cal year, ending February %, 1887, on all prop
erty. real or personal, within the limits OF this
city, not otherwise exempt by the constitution
and laws of this state and ordinances of the
city, an ad.valorem tax of, and at the rate of
eighty-1ye cents upon every one hundred dol
lars valuation.
Sec. g. That to provide for the paym ent of
the interest on the bonded debt of the city and
to create sinking fund for the ultimate pay
ment thereof, there be and Is hereby levied a
special tax Of twenty cents on every one hun
dred dollars valuation, on all the property
mentioned in the second section hereof.
Sec. 4. That 10 provide for the payment of
tipn and fur nj he Y hogDital. there