The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-21
AND READY FOR THE BOARD
A Meeting to be Held Tonight to Con
slider Them.
TAXES FIXED ACCORDING TO CHARTER
Such Ordinances as Are Unconstitutional or in
Conflict With the State Law Have Been
Stricken Out. Others Have Been
Combired or Modified.

The board of aldermen will meet
tonight in special session to consider
the city ordinances as revised and
codified by the city attorney.
~ great number OF changes have
been made in them said Mr.. Watson
yesterday some of them trivial, con
sisting of the striking out, Oh adding,
a word or two.
Fifteen or more ordinances pre-
scribed penalties for offenses that are
punishable under the State law. These
were stricken out There were also
some ordinances that the Supreme
court has declared unconstitutional
These were stricken out in their en-
tirety or rewritten so us to be good
law.
Among these latter is the sign or
dinance, which has been rewritten ac-
cording to the Supreme courts decis-
ion in the Higgs case.
"a great many ordinances were
found touching the same subject
scattered about in different parts OF
the book, often in different chapters.
These have been combined under APP
proprate headings Often we found
two ordinances, and sometimes three.
all prescribing different penalties for
the Same offense. Of course these
were combined into one. I'm the case
of contradictory ordinances-for there
were such-the best and most reason
able one was adopted and the other
was stricken out"
I'm the work of revision the chapters
most cut up were those in regard to
streets. taxes and licenses, nuisances,
drunkenness, disOrderlv houses and
gambling tables No less than four
separate and distinct ordinances were
found in regard to property owners
keeping the sidewalk in front of their
premises clean. These were made
one. The two sections in regard to
loud or disorderly language on the
streets were combined. The ord-
nances in regard to keeping gambling
houses. giving indecent shows or pub
fishing obscene pictures OF. literature
and disturbing public worship were
stricken out because these offenses
are punishable under the State law
as are also Sunday selling. either of
merchandise or liquor, and the UNI
lawful sale of whiskey by druggists.
There are at least dozen different
sections in the ordinances touching
these matters-all of them useless and
and of no effect.
The health ordinances have been re-
written. and a change is made in the
form of the vital statistics to be gath
cred. so as to correspond with the
blanks now being sent out from
Washington. and which have been
adopted by most of the cities of the
Union. This also makes necessary
change in the form Of the burial
permit.
\ new ordinance is added. in accord
ance with resolution of the board,
providing for a purchasing agent. The
ordinance creates the office and fixes
the duties.
Also it is provided that no warrant
shall be paid bv the city unless it has
stamped on ii the words ''Taxes Paid. >
This is in accordance with the provis-
ions of the new charter and a resolu-
ton of the board of aldermen.
Perhaps the part of the revised or
dinances of most public interest Just
now is that in regard to license and
other taxes, as allowed under the new
charter. For in liking these the city
attorney has followed the charter
strictly. The charter simply grants
the taxing power: whether it will be
exercised or not is for the board OF
aldermen to say.
The tax on whiskey dealers to re
main the same as at present. A IL
cense to deal in beer exclusively is
to be given at 500 a year.
Bar regulations are to remain as
they now are.
License taxes on drays, hacks and
the like are the same as now.
On billiard and pool tables kept for
hire in houses where liquor is sold,
$25 per year.
No change in the dog license.
No change in health ordinance IL
cense
Stock or bond brokers, cotton bro<-