The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-03-23
The Furnace Bill.

The question as to whether the cor
porate limits of johnson City shall be
so changed as to exclude the iron furn-
ace prosperity, with about one hundred
acres of land. has been settled by the
legislature. The furnace was built in
side the corporate limits, about ninety
thousand dollars being spent thereon,
but it was not completed, owing to the
financial troubles of the country. On
pledge that the furnace would be
completed and put in operation by
given timeif the property put out
side of the corporation, to save city
taxation, the corporate limits were so
changed so as to exclude it. The fur
nece was not completed, and the legis-
lecture of 1897 restored the corporate
limits, and the property was again in
the corporation.
About May, 1898, the Embreeville
company began negotiations for the
property, with an avowed purpose to
remove the furnace to Embreeyille, I'M
less the property was put outside the
corporate limits Of the city. The board
of mayor and aldermen became pan
icky and pledged its influence to have
the present legislature change the cor
porate limits so as to exclude the prop
erty, and the board Of trade with prac-
teal unanimity did likewise. The
property was purchased by the Embree-
vile company at the price of $40. 900,
the furnace was completed and put in
blast. The present board of mayor
and aldermen by a majority vote, rati-
fed the action of the former board.
Next a citizens, meeting was called,
and the opera house was filled. The
matter was discussed at great length
pro and con, and resolutions in opposi-
ton to the exclusion of the furnace
were adopted By an overwhelming ma
| JOllIys n plil was luIIOuuC6u III DObu
branches of the legislature to so change
the corporate limits as to exclude about
one hundred acres of land, including
the furnace property, and passed two
readings, and was referred to the COM
mittee on municipal affairs. Mr.. s. @.
Williams, representing the board OF
mayor and aldermen, Capt. A. S.
Deaderick, attorney for the company,
and ex-Representative j. T. Browning,
and Representative o. M. Brabson, all
favoring the bill, and Mr.. L. @. Reeves,
opposing, on behalf of the taxpayers,
appeared before the House committee
on last Saturday, in Nashville, and
made arguments before the committee.
Those favoring the bill argued, that
the furnace was completed at great ex-
pense on the pledge that the property
was to be excluded, and now it would
be bad faith to refuse to do SO; and that
a majority of the taxpayers, before the
furnace was completed, and while there
was danger Of its being removed, were
in favor of it's being excluded.
Mr.. Reeves for the taxpayers, urged
that the board of mayor and alder
men had no power to act in an official
! capacity, and the members Of said
board and also the members of the
board of trade had no authority OIL
power to bind anybody but themselves
personally; that the taxpayers at large
were never consulted, and had never
made any pledge of any kind, and bad
faith could not be Justly charged
against them; that the furnace proper.
ty was in the corporation when the
towns indebtedness was created, and
ought not to be relieved of its part Of
the burden of the debt; but like other
property, and other manufactures in
the city, should pay its part of the
debt, and that its part of the burden
should not be shifted on to others. II
was further argued, that the town was
not now able to pay current expenses,
and interest on bonds, and to cut of
about one-twelfth of the taxable assets
of the town, would be ruinous.
The committee reported the bill for
rejection, and on Monday the bill was
rejected by the House; thus the con
troversy ended, and the furnace prop
erty remains inside the corporate limits
of johnson City, and must bear its
propotionate part of the bonded indebt.
edness, and current expenses.