The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-16
MADE A RUSH TO PAY TAXES.
CITY TREASURER TOOK IN ABOUT
$4,000 YEsTARDAY.

Was the Last Day to Pay Taxes and
Get the Ten Per Cent. Discount, So
the Taxpayers ThOught-Delin-
quents May Get in To-day, How
ever-The Receipts Since Jan. L
About $I3O,OOO, of Which About
100000 Is Real Estate and Per-
sOnaI Property Taxes.
About $25, 900 in cash was taken in at the
city treasurer's office yesterday and prob
ably as much more in checks and other
forms of currency which was handed in
in envelopes and which Treasurer FLardee
and his assistants had not had time to
sum up when seen late in the afternoon.
The treasurers Office was crowded all
day long with people anxious to pay their
real estate and personal property taxes,
license taxes. water rents and other
charges from which the city derives it's
revenue.
The rush was due to the fact that yes
terday was generally considered the last
day upon which taxpayers could pay their
first quarters taxes and get the benefit
of the ten per cent. reduction which the
city allows for prompt payment. Had the
tax payers been aware that they were
allowed another day it is safe to say the
rush would not have been so great. Ow
ing to the peculiar wording of the ordi-
nance there is some doubt as to whether
this time of grace expires on Jan. Is, or
Jan. 16. within fifteen days after the
first of January" is the wording of the
Il
that Jan. 10 should be the last day of
grace. and is generally understood to this
effect. However, to avoid any legal COM
plications because of the wording Of the
ordinance property owners who come in
Jan. &c. are also given the benefit of the
discount. Consequently those who did not
have the opportunity to pay their taxes
yesterday will lose nothing by doing so
to-day
The tax payers were of all classes. Bus
mess men and large real estate owners,
who were mostly aware of the exact
amount of their taxes, chiefly sent in en-
velopes containing checks for the
amounts. The miscellaneous tax payers
who thronged the Office during the morn
ing, varied from those who only paid
few dollars up to the few whose contribu-
tons ran up into the hundreds. Many
small dealers of all classes were among
those who paid and these mostly made
one bite of the tax cherry, paying per-
sonal and property taxes, business license
and water rent all at the same time.
1t was a hard days work for the treas
urer and his staff but there were good
results. Mr.. Alvin Bell took in 5000 for
real estate and personal property taxes,
Mr.. H. S. Dreese received $5.400 for Ii,
cense taxes and badges, while Capt G.
B. Pritchard took in $500 for water rents,
while there were miscellaneous receipts
from other sources. The receipts per
checks and envelopes which had not been
footed up were estimated to be fully as
much again, making about $4,000 in round
figures taken in during the day. There
were twenty people still waiting at the
windows when the door was closed at 2
busy that he did not even have time to
make his bank deposit. This was looked
after later in the day, however.
Maj. Hardee estimates that the receipts
for the first quarter of 1899 will compare
very favorably with those of previous
years, about $150000 having been paid in
since Jan. l. OF this amount about 500, 900
was in real estate and personal property
taxes, $27, 900 wa ter rents and about $25, 900
, license taxes. The real estate and per-
sonal property taxes paid yesterday We're
| for the fourth quarter of 1899. Mr. Alvin
Bell, who has charge of this department.
estimates that the receipts from this
source for 1899 will exceed those for 1898
by about $1,000.
During the day the city marshals Of
flee was converted into an annex to the
treasurers office. and checks and currency
We're received there amounting to a good
many thousands of dollars.