Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-04
lnaugurated by Mayor Evans in
 His Department.
INFRINGEMENT THE WORD
Important Business Transacted by the City Daddes- Marked Decrease in Merchants
 Taxes-An Ordinance on Fruit Stands.

 ing members present: Aldermen Ward, Wheeler Ashford, Rainbow, Kerr, Will Hams. Hamilton and Henschel. This con- stituted a bare quorum.
 The minutes of last meeting were read and approved.
 The minutes of the special called meet ing to accept the Gamewell police and fire alarm system, were also read and approved.
 Mayor Evans reported that MT. F. E.. Gardner, who had been employed to assess merchant tax, had finished his duties and had been relieved from fur then work The stenographer in the mayors office had also been done away with. The mayor also reported other avenues of retrenchment that were under consideration.
 Upon motion the rules were suspended and all visitors allowed to present peti- sions who desired to do So.
 Petition from the junk dealers in which ahe definition of the word junk" played a prominent part was received.
 Spirc & Long again presented thelr Dill for work done on the public schools and asked for settlement.
 Alderman Graham came in at this point and was marked as present.
 Complaint was made by MT. Terry Tor assessment against his property for pave ment put in by the city. It was claimed that brick pavement was formerly there and that the amount claimed by the city had been paid. Also, by the same party, a complaint against the license required of dealers in scrip around the United States court house. The alleged amount of the license was given as $50. It was referred to the committee of tax and accounts.
 Reports of officers were called for and the street and poll tax collector reported inc ar1ourtG collected follows. Street tax collected ..............$2,46 ,460. % Poll tax, white ....s............. 34O50 Poll tax, colored ................, 66.00 Fees .......... ....a..... ........ Zo5OO
 Total for month of Feb ..... .$3 121 50
 The treasurer's report was: Amount of tax collected. ........S 7,495.42 Amount in treasury ............ 47,431 91 Warrants cancelled .............. 15,196.44 Interest paid on bonds.. 2,010.00 Cash on hand in local banks.... 24.041.S7
 Alderman Mcknight here appeared and was entered as present on the roll.
 The report of the finance committee was received and concurred in. The budget was ordered paid.
 A petition from Revs. J. l.. Ferguson, of Center, and J. s. Glasgow. of Blounts- vile, was read asking reimbursement for expenses of a trip to Birmingham. It was referred to the finance committee.
 Citations were made final
 Alderman Hamilton, of the miscellanle- ous committee, presented a petition that the dealers in bags be placed under the head of junk dealers. An ordinance concerning changes and additions to the license schedule was recommended as far as railroad iron and brass were con- cerned. It was referred to the judiciary committee with instructions to draft the ordinance.
 A petition from A. J. Kline to be re- lieyed from merchant tax of 1892 was read and referred to the miscellaneous committee.
 One from E. Wall was recommended allowed on the prompt payment of li-
 Drs. Davis & Davis and Wilson & Brown asked for a reduction of license from S100.
 Recommended that real estate agents be licensed at $20.
 Several other petitions were received and read including one from Wilmington & Lynch for refunding of license paid on slot machines, the same having been pro- hibited by the late legislature.
 The report of the miscellaneous com nfttee was considered separately and concurred in after a motion was lost not to concur in that section referring to the reduction of the licenses of infirmaries.
 The report of the fire committee was made that 1,500 feet of rubber hose were purchased from New York concern alt S1 per foot delivered and terms of pay ment at l. 2 and hmrdl mfW taoi hrdl ment at one, two, and three years at 5 per cent. interest. The hose was guarail- teed for a term of thres years and a test pressure of 400 pounds ito the square inch.
 D. R. Brennans petition to be allowed to operate beer saloon at Eighteenth street and Avenue F was referred to the aldermen of the Eighth ward
 One from the Alabama National bank and from J. l.. Grady regarding taxes and license was referred to their proper committees.
 One from Mrs. Hattie Brown asking th- refunding of overpaid tax was re- ferred to the finance committee with power to act.
 One from Prince Robinson was referred to the mayor with power to act.
 Justice C. J. Martin sent in a petition concerning court costs to the amounk of s1250 and it was referred to the finance committed.
 An amendment to the ordinance on the license schedule which had passed one reading was called up for its second read ing and final passage. It relatsd to placing license on dealers in railroad iron and brass of $500 and causing for feNure of license if dealer be convicted of dispoSing of stolen goods. It was finally passed with Aldermen Williams, Kerr and Hentschsl voting in the negative.
 The amount of merchant tax assessed was reported to be $4,S51.75 The valua- tion, of the merchandise was s970. 250. Many new names were added to the old list or last year, put the tax was some $500 or S400 less
 An ordinance was introduced and fin ally adopted regarding the erection and maintaining of fruit stands on the side walks in certain limits of the city as fol- lows:
 Be it ordained by the mayor and board of aldermen. That no stands for the sale of fruits and confectioneries shall be erected upon the sidewalks of the city of Birmingham without the permit of the building commission be had and obtained in writing.
 Be it further ordained, That no such stand shall extend over or upon the side walks beyond three feet; but the same shall be securely fastened to the building abutting thereon; provided, however, that no such stand shall be erected or maintained without the consent of the owner nr lessee of such building