The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-06
THE TAX LEVY MADE.
Wilcox Votes Against Tt But a
Majority is Secured.
LONG PARLIAMENTARY sNARL.
The Aldermen Finally straighteu Mat
tiers Out and the Ordinance
Passes Both Houses.

When the board Of aldermen met yesterday
there were present President Miller and Alder
men korn, sweeney, Pontius, snyder aud VIII
cox. Mr.. Wilcox was perfectly good humored,
and when he was asked about his conduct the
day before appeared to be quite ignorant OF any
unusual conditions. You got OF pretty lghsiy
In the newspapers" lie was told.
"Why," he answered, 81 don't understand
this. was quite surprised when / saw in the
papers that anybody was mad. didn't see
anything OF 1t. 1t must have happened after |
went away
Immediately after recess was declared on
Thursday President Miller teiegraphed TO Alder
man koru, who was attending his SICK wiie al
the Hot springs. He responded, and MS pres
euce insured the passage OF the bill As soon
as the board had convened, Alderman Pontius
moved 10 amend the tax levy ordinance so
that the item q x mill for the salary iund DC
stricken out and the amount added to the
road fund, and that it read as follows:
Fire, Il mills police. q mill; street, mill;
public health "a mill; general, ia miIls; III
terest, l12 mills
The amendment was made in accordance with
suggestion by correspondent OF Acting
Mayor Hall, who had written him as follows:
Pardon me for calling your attention TO the
fact that the city council has made n levy OF a
mil for the salary fund. think as the
validity of the ordinance should be free from
the least doubt. it VIII be well for you to LOOK
into the matter Immediately.
Article w. section D. subdivision second,
declares what taxes shall be levied, and there
is no mention made of salary fund II is not
oversight, because article lA., section a.
rst subdivision, directs how the salary fund is
to be derived namely, % per cent OF All the
gross receipts from all licenses, 81 per cent OF
the street fund, and the remainder from the
general fund.
The question was put. and all the aldermen
voted yea except Wilcox.
no ont OTdin-
ance was put, and all again voted yea. but Will
cox asked to be excused from voting.
Mr. Snyder objected TO that, and moved that
he be compelled TO vote.
Mr. Wilcox said he had already voted on the
bill.
Two or three motions were put, and the board
got into such parliamentary tangle that it was
finally resolved to kill the old bill and introduce
one entirely new.
Delegate Shipley, who was present, advised
that the adjournment yesterday was illegal as
no motion to adjourn could be had while vote
was being taken. 1t replied that the adj
iournment was not had while the vote was pend
ing. The vote had been taken and although
the chairman had failed to announce the result
the clerk had, and the records showed the con-
ditiol of the vote.
Mr.. Wilcox sat looking while the aldermen
debated how to unravel the tange he had
caused. The delegates stood IN the back ground
interested spectators OF the 0dd scene.
After long debate upon parliamentary prac-
tice. President Miller declared that the minutes
OF Friday showed that the bill was lost, and that
the board had taken a recess until o'clock
Saturday.
The roll then called, and Mr.. Wilcox
raised another question ms to whether il was
recess or q new meeting. He told that it
was call of the roll ordered by the chair alt
is to find out Miller added, "whether you are
present or not" Mr.. Wilcox then responded.
IL was concluded after consultation with
authorities parliamentary law that the bill
was lost on Friday and recess taken.
The finance committee then introduced the
amended tax levy bill as new bill. It.was
read, and after suspension of the rules, placed
on the final passage.
Mr.. Wilcox said he wanted TO make motion
10 make the assessment mills. 1t was not sec
onded, and the chair announced the final pas
sage. The roll was called, and ali voted ave ex-
cept Wilcox, who voted no. The chair declared
the bill passed.
1t then went to the house of delegates. the
rules were suspended upon motion and the bill
as introduced in the board was passed and
signed by the president. The clerk Immediately
transmitted il to the board again for the sigma
ture OF the president of that house, which being
done, Acting Mayor Hall also signed il and the
snarl was Strengthened out.