The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-08
NEW LAW FOR TAX ASSESSORS
COUNCIL WILL GET ONE TONIGHT
FROM ASSESSMENT Committee.

An Ordinance Governing the New
BOARD Fenture of the Meeting.
Under the Law a. Interpreted by
city Attorney Adams, Alderman
Schyvarz VIII Have to Retire.
Long-Standing Paving Claim
VIII Also BE Considered by Com
mittec Of the WhOIe-Anti-spitting
Ordinance Way BE Filed by Alder
man Graham.
The city Council meeting tonight prom
ises The introduction OF some important
measures. which viii include the ordin-
ance 10 govern the board OF tax assessors
and receivers after April /, when the pres
ent board will have been dissolved by OPP
Grafton of law. While the assessment COM
notice has agreed on the ordinance which
will be drawn by CRY Attorney Adams, il
viii lie subjected TO thorough analysis
by the committee OF the whole, and will
have 20 be changed to meet its approval
before its passage.
For seIe rai reasons the members of the
assessment committee did not care 10 give
their opinions about the draft they will
submit as there is a possibility Of Il,
change II has been stated that the pres
ent arrangement of three assessors VIII be
retained at reduced salaries. while on the
Other hand il is said al but one can be
dispensed with, and provisions made by
which ne can get assistance in performing
his more arduous duties, such the as
eessmen, Of property Whatever change
is recommended the Council will probably
look first to It's practicability. and then TO
the amount .the city VIII save Judging
from the general sentiment, the cost the
board OF tax assessors and receivers has
been to the city is considered much too
high, and the changes to be made will
doubtless bring about a material reduc-
ton. The three assessors now receive 800
month each, and Mr. Osborne as clerk
and assessor receives $50 month, a cost
of $500 a year to the city.
Alderman Schwarz is concerned in the
ordinance from more than one standpoint.
He is interested in ii as a city official, and
also as an assessor, which his friends say
he would not be averse TO retaining.
Whether he may do so is a question how
ever, as there is said to be some doubt
whether he can legally hold office under
the city while serving as an alderman.
MS INhiA was OtOuBul out JuliN UN AIlN
Attorney Adams recently, when an alder
man contemplated becoming a candidate
for commissioner of public works to be
filled by Council with which he was
serving as an alderman at the time Mr.
Adams gave il as his opinion that an act
of the legislature prevented Council from
electing one of its members to fill any city
office during the term for which he had
been elected. II would seem from this
INnt TtaraNr, ~
may have agreed upon, Alderman Schwarz
viii not be eligible to reelection
Are you eligible TO continue on the
board under the draft the committee has
agreed upon" Alderman Schwarz was
asked.
Il am not In position to say" he replied
When the assessment committee last met
IL discussed several plans on which TO or
ganize the new board of assessors and
the provisions of that agreed upon will be
drafted into an ordinance which will be
submitted to the committee of the whole
| do not care to say whether I may con-
tinue on the board or not"
Another matter the committee of tbA
whole will have before II is legacy from
its predecessors in the shape of pavino
claims, amounting 10 $2400, in favor of the
Warren-scharf Asphalt Paving Company.
The claims are disputed, and notwith
N'NAAiifo AAhCt Tune has DSen lost DV this
and other Councils in efforts to adjust the
matter, settlement sim seems a good
way off.
With view to settling the matter
joint meeting was held yesterday after
noon by the finance committee and the
committee on streets and lanes. Ex-Al-
derman T. j. Davis, who tried TO settle
the claim when a member of the City
council and also Mr. A. L. Alexander,
counsel for the paving company. were
summoned 10 explain the claims so that
the new board may wrangle with them
awhile. While the matter was gone over
thoroughly, the joint committee came to
no conclusion, but decided TO refer the
claims TO the committee of the whole
which will examine into them at to-nights
meeting.
The asphalt company, through its coun-
sci, has made repeated efforts TO have the
claims settled. II seems the company had
some trouble with X-Commissioner VIII
link, who took exceptions to the claims,
and since then the claimants have been
unable to collect them. Ii is stated the
city does not admit that the work was
done. which is the reason for not setting.
A desire TO get the claim off hands may
prompt Council to dispose of Il in some
way tonight
There is talk of Alderman Graham filing
J.
save disappointment 10 several aldermen
who not only intend, but are anxious 10
vote for IT, 1t seems considerable domestic
influence has been brought TO bear on
the board, as the ordinance is one in which
the ladies feel themselves interested. par
tcuiarly when riding in cars where thew
may be compelled TO sit near spitters.
IT'S a good thing said Alderman
James NJ. Dixon yesterday, "and l shall
vote for It. The practice of habituaI spit
ting, with no regard for the sidewalks.
the cars or public buildings. should be
prohibited by the city An ordinance
such as that proposed will have good
effect whether it is strictly enforced or
not. While, fortunately. not addicted TO
chronic expectorating, still the agitation
of this proposed ordinance has already
impressed me so that l think twice be-
fore splitting, lest 1 violate the ordinance.
The ordinance will have an effect on the
community"
There will probably be no further
changes in city officers, at least for the
present. On the advice of City Attorney
Adams, the board abandoned It's intention
a rpruoVa a few offipe boldare x.,,c ho.1