The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-10
A RUSH OF ORDINANCES.

Legislation-The Paving Question.
The city council spent an hour IN caucus
last night and two hours in regular meeting
discussing routine matters
Several ordinances were passed, including
one to have Jefferson street from Charlton
to Henry paved with shell and cinder. and
TO put down stone curbing. The ordinances
was read second time and passed, as Alder
| man Harmon, chairman Of the streets and
lanes committee. desires 70 begin work al
! once.
1t was $3.50 o'clock when the council
| emerged from the mayors office. where II
had been in caucus discussing assessments
| and tax matters for the coming year.
There were present Mayor McDonough,
| Aldermen Bailey, Harmon, Mcclure, Reid,
Mills. Harris, Cam, Charlton. O'Brien and
Carson.
Alderman Myers was present at the eau
| Gus, but left before the council met in regu-
lar session.
The committee on streets and lanes re-
| ported unfavorably on the citizens petition
| for sewer to be laid on Price street from
Bay to Gwinnett, on account of the budget
appropriation being nearly exhausted.
The petition of s. L. Brown. offering to
clean the monuments on Bull street at GER
tain price, was referred to the streets and
lanes committee.
A petition from citizens to have Drayton
street paved was referred to the committee
of the whole. The petition is an old one
presented some time ago and revived
Alderman O'Brien offered an interest,"
ing ordinance, which is neither more nor
less than TO require all male residents Of
the city above 81 years of age to perform
street and road duty, or In lieu
to pay tax not exceeding 50 per
annum, to be expended upon the roads and
streets OF the city. The time of work re-
quired is not to be greater than three DAYS
Executions may be levied upon the prop
erty Of persons refusing to pay the tax, ard
and in case Of the inability to collect the
amount the delinquent may be imprisoned
for not exceeding five days. The ordinance
will come up for discussion at the next
meeting.
An ordinance was introduced by Alder
man Harmon to reduce the tax upon the
propretors of flying horses from 500 a
| a week to $40 a week. There was some dis
| cussion of the ordinance and it was amended
to give the mayor discretion in issuing
| licenses with power to revoke the same il he
sees fit. The ordinance was passed as
| amended.
An ordinance by Alderman Charlton TO
| provide for the assessment and valuation of
the real estate of the city for next year
upon the same basis as for the present year,
with the exception of where objections had
| been filed, was introduced, read q second
time and passed.
The mayor announced the special com
| mittee on opening streets as follows; Alder
men Charlton, Cam, Haiues and O'Brien.
Alderman Cam introduced an ordinance
to stir up the Middle Georgia and Atlantic
railroad. 1t is TO the effect that as no &C
ton has been taken by the Middle Georgia
and Atlantic to fulfill its contract with
the city conditional upon its owner
ship of Hutchison's Island that the
mayor be requested to investigate
and ascertain if the Middle Georgia and
| Atlantic intended to fulfill its contract. In
case it does not, il seventy-five miles Of rail
road and bridge over the Savannah river
are not built within the time specified, the
island reverts to the city.
The only relief to the dizziness of the
meeting was little tilt between Aldermen
| Cam and Carson. Alderman Carson offered a
letter in explanation Of his vote upon the ap-
preparation to further the work OF obtaining
deeper water in the Savannah river chan
| mel, at which time he was the only menu
| Der OF council to vote no. The letter tated
that his vote was based upon an opinion ex-
pressed by the city attorney in converse
ton with him to the effect that appropria-
tious by the city to entertain visiting
parties were illegal, and that he had voted
conscientiously upon this ground.
Alderman Cam opposed the incorpora-
ton of Alderman Carson's letter In the min
utes, on the ground that it was not pertinent
to the subject. He said the tax ordinance
stated that taxes were levied for the safety,
benefit. convenience and advantage of the
city. He said that certainly the work for
deep water was for the benefit and advau-
tage Of the city, ana money could hardly be
appropriated for better purpose.
In response to direct inquiry City At
torney Adams stated that the option ex-
pressed and still held by him was that
money could not be legally expended by
the city for the entertainment of guests.
Alderman Carson in defense said it was
well known that at the time the appropria-
ton was made 1t was the intention to IN
vite certain parties from Washington, and
entertain them at the expense of the city.
The discussion threatened to become some
what acrimonious, but was ended by the
acceptance Of Alderman Carson's communi-
cation in a modified form.
The Warren-Scharf Asphalt Compauy's
bid for paving Bull street from the south
side of Bay to the north side Of Con
gress, and certain portions of Bryan and
st. Julian streets. was accepted. y The prict
is 81 35 por square yard, under the same
conditions under which Bull and other
streets were paved by the company. The
company is 20 keep the pavement in repair
for five years at its own expense.
AiueTHlou Daley look occasion 20 inquire
if the city had accepted the Broughtor
street pavement. and whether the city Of
the paving company was paying for the re-
pairs now being made
The mayor replied that tho time fol
which the paving company had contracted
to keep the pavement in repair had expired
last May, but that advantages had beef
taken of a clause in the contract providing
that the paving company would oontrac
to keep the pavement In repair for twenty
years or any less time at 10 cent
per square yard, or 81, 100 annually. Under
this agreement the company will continue
to take care of the Broughton street pave
meut
Some of the aldermen seemed to regart
81, 100 year high figure for keepin,
Broughton street in repair.
The tax ordinance for next year was run
through with rapidity by Clerk Rebarer
teing merely skeleton OF the ordinance
that will be passed in January. The bud
get is not yet made up
The appealed case of J. ]. Somers, fneC