El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-02-21
A CITY HALL.
Like BanquO's Gentle SpOok, 1t Will
Not Down.

Like BanquO's Gentle SpO"k, it Viii
Not Down.
The city council met Saturday nigh
4 to talk over the tax levy for the
schools, but somehow or other when
the patres cODscripti were about to ad
|journ the ghost of that city hall show.
ed up, and the cud of reflection had to
undergo the usual process of dental
friction; but without definite action.
Mr.. Clifford for the finance commit
tee recommended for payment 1877 a
i for work by the street and grade de-
partment, and 81 20 due Mr.. Tiptoo
0 ~dered paid.
Mr.. Whitmore called. the councils
ate ntioa to the fact that the town on
the north side of the track was grow
Jog so rapidly t. at traffic across the S.
P. tracks was increasing in notice
ahle manner. He therefore recon-
| mended that the CITY esk. the Southern
Pacific c>mpAny to erect su OmAti''
gates at the Oregon St., Mess avenue,
Stanton, Kansas and North Campbell
street crossings He thought the rail-
way company would do this willingly
if asked to do so. Mr.. Whitmore said
| Mesa avenue crossing, but he WAS no
good. and when really needed WAS
found TO be ia king to scme OF his COM
padres and not attending to his bust
ness. The matter was left with the
mayor who will see Supt. Martin.
Mr.. Del Buono brought up the mat
ter of the sewer sinking fund bonds.
and three Of these, of $50 each, were
ordered taken up and cancelled. Mr..
Del Buono thought the number might
bs five. But the council did not think
there vas enough money on hand for
| hat purpose.
council decided to retire five 81 600
artesian water bonds Officially known
as the Ell Paso city water works bonds
held by the water WORKS fund. 1t was
Pfipally decided that six of these ponds
should bs redeemed andicsncelled.
The council ordered the transfer of
81, 700 from the street improvement
fund to the street maintenance fund.
The tax levy matter was'nOw brought
up and Judge Coldwell said that in q
conference with Judge Kemp, the two
had agreed not to advise levyinR 6
cents for the school bind tax bst ause
of legal complications that might re-
suit in consequence of the DECISIONS of
the appellate courts, and which might
be the means of daming up the whole
current of tag returns,
The tax ordinance as prepared by
the city attorney, was then read by
Judge ColdwelI as follows:
Sec. l. There is hereby levied aud
shall be collected Ga the assessed
value OF all property, real and per-
sonal, not exempt from taxation by
the constitution and the laws Of the
state, situated and being in the cor
porate limits of the said city of Ell
Paso on the LIST day of March, A. D.
1897, direct ad valOrem municipal
taxes, as follows, to wit:
For general purposes, to wit: For
tho general fund and for the purposes
of defraying the current municipal
expenses of said city, 89-1OO of one
per cent of the cash value of said pro-
perty.
For special purposes, as follows, to
wit: for the maintenance of the public
streets of said city 1900 of one per
cent of the cash value of said property;
FOR the extension of the public sewers
7-1OO OF ore per cent of the cash value
of said property, to pay.the INTEREST," nd
provide sinking fund to redeem the
Ell Paso city sewer bonds. 44-1OO of one
per cent of the cash value of said prop
erty, to pay the interest aud provide q
sinking fund to redeem the Ell Paso
city funded indebtedness bonds, 34-1OO
of one per cent of the cash value of
said property; to pay the interest aud
provide q sinking fund to redeem the
El Paso city (arteeisn) water works
bonds, 3-lOO Ut one per cent Of the cash
value of said property; for the support,
and maintenance of the public free
schools, of the city of Ell Psso, $1,000 of
one per cent of the cash value of said
Sec 2. There Is hereby levied and
shall be collected from every inhabi-
tant of the said city between the ages
of 81 and 80 years, who was q resident
thereof on the said fret day of March,
A. D. 1897, aud not exempt by law
from such tax, q poll tax of one dollar.
Sec. 3. There is hereby levied snd
shall be collected from every person,
firm, company or association of persons
pursuing within the corporate limits of
the city of FL Paso, during the afOre-
said fiscal year, commencing on the
first day of March. A. D. 1897, any of
the occupa'io taxed by the state of
Texas and occupation tax equal to one
half Of the occupation tax levied by
the state of Texas on such person, firm,
company, or association of persons ex-
empt by law from paying occupation
tax to the city of Ell Paso.
The ordinance was adopted.
Tho mayor presented tabu O led g ate
ment OF the city's bonded inGebtedr ess,
showing the same to be S92, 900, which
however, will be reduced by the bonds
ordered cancelled.
At tits juucture the venerable city
fathers began to bethink them
Of tn ir little beds, but sort of SUBJ
marine mine was suddenly sprung in
the matter of new quarters for tie fire
department, and this, by the rule of as
snciation of ide as led to the subject of
the much proposed new cty ball
Judge H.rper's remark that the city
must nay its rAnta' for the county
court house premises in cash or move
out had not been forgotten, and it was
also borne in min, that the city is now
at an expe S of 800 more per month
for rentals than i. was when occupyirg
the old city hall b Ill ing. Toe CITY
fathers have been roostipg on t,cks.
fgurativel Speaking, since Judge
Harper's cheerful remark, and the
mayors pet plan of having new city
hall building has received a new and
vigorous impe tus.
Mr.. Del Buono reported the fra de-
partmenf quarters were being erlarg-
ed and improved, so the boys could
+ AID the racket a lt.la while longer.