The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-31

BY 3 o'cloch this afternoon the amount
Of money owed by the Taxing District
government, as debts proper for the year
1888. will be comparatively insignificant.
For a month or six weeks past the cler-
ical force at the city hall have been work
inp like beavers on the various accounts,
and urging those having bills against tho
CITY to have them in at tie earliest con-
yenient moment. In addition to ths in
telligcnt stir, the respective department
heads have been given instructions to cut
down their purchases to the minimum, as
money did not grow on the Court square
trees during the year Just closing. by this
system OF pruning all along the line, the
threatened financial embarrassment that
sprung upon the community last lall was
held down TO insignificant proportions.
The only institutions that received par
tial immersion in the soup were, rs RUE,
those that could afford to carry the small
balance without collapsing-n Tact, re-
tarded II as a privilege TO be the ,proprie-
tors OF q debt against the local govern
mcnt. To bolster them up in the iaith,
pleasing information was impaired to them
that. for q total shortage all around OF
something like 10000 there were ovor
500. 900 OF back taxes, the occumulatlons
OF the last ten years, by which their claims
were firmly secured. 80 :,
The Legislative Council will hold i's
final meeting Of this year this afternoon NJ
9 o'clock. At that meeting comprehen'
siye abatement Of the city's actual condi-
tion for 1855 will be submitted. IL is
known that in the salary, printing aud
expense and streets and bridges accounts
some surplus remains. They will be for
mally declared and transferred TO the
needy arms of Government at today's
meeting. When this il done the balance
will be struck, and II is hardly likely that
much will be left in the cold TO wait ioi
the arrival OF back taxes.
Aside from the police, fire aud hospital
department shortages, which VIII be th'
first wiped out by u transfer OF surpluse'
In the two named. the city owes something
like 81 900 To the Electric Light and Water
Companies. Tho former Is purely mora
debt growing out Of the liberality and i'm
plicit confidence Of the company, an,
amounts TO near 5000. Away back II
September IL became apparent 10 tn
council that II would be impractical 4
further maintain electric lights for the city
A plea was made by the company 10 max
q division of the lighting fund between
and the Gas Company, but an existing con
tract with the latter for the year provcnte'
ANYTHING OF the kind The Electric l.igh
Company then proposed 10 continue II
city lights aud take chances on reimburse
ment out OF the back taxes. This th
Council agreed 90, aud this Is how III
public has received the benefits OF thes
lights, while the confident company waited
and still waits for the money.
The largest surplus 10 be Transferred thi
afternoon is from the salary, printing an
expense account During the past yea
the revenue from thc Police Court alon'
al OF which goes 10 that account, agpr,
rAtsd fully $4,000. Out OF this Is pal
salaries al the administration office
proper--Prcsidcnt, Commissioners an
clerical hclp-priniing and purcha'
money for Whatever properly has Dee
bought Zoe the city. That vs. all the use
can be put 10 until the close Of the yea
when whatever remains aztec OIL clait
against il have been settled may ho d
voted 10 other debts Of the present year.
About the only debt hanging over u
city nov, beyond the city debt proper,
that of something near s3O,OOO, inhcriu
by the present administration. II viii th
be observed that things have been u
pretty near shorc line for the past sew
years, and II N given ont that this poll
will prevail for at least another year.
the lcyy is only - i1r all purposes, fore
will be- cut down to como within a.
The meeting this afternoon will bo
interesting one.