The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-07
WISHES TO Be FREE
FROM CITY TAXES
The Water Company's Bland
Proposition.
AND HOW 1T HUNG FIRE
Board Prepares to Oily Daily With
the Question Again.
TELEPHONE wRts 10 Be UNDERGROUND
The Bell Company Notifies the Beard That i
Will Remove lis Poles From the Street.
Alderman Andrews is Chosen
Mayor Pro Fem.

ana again lnaI august UOuy MANIFESTED d
total inability to deal with it. With one
accord, barring TWO or three shining ex-
ceptions, the city fathers plead dense ig-
norance and showed the matter off on a
special committee that it may rise up
and plague them again.
IL all came up on beautiful suggestion
from Mr.. A. b. Andrews, Jr., to the eff
feet that the city relieve the water COM
pany from taxes. This mellow ox-eyed
proposition was flung forth by Mr.. An
drews for the boards consideration in
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the resolution of the
board heretofore passed putting the Raj
eigh Water Company@On the tax books
and the city pay for water for sprinkling
streets, etc., like other individual con-
sumers be repealed"
The cause of the introduction of the
resolution was an innocent looking in
quiry from Alderman Croker as to wheth-
err the city had provided any way to
measure the water it was using. OF
course everybody knew, or ought to have
known it was the water companys bust
ness and not the city's to furnish me-
tres; but Mr.. Croker asked the ques-
tion and Mr. Andrews thereupon blandly
stated his reiieve-u -from-tax PROPOSE
tion. He said that the old arrangement
was better than the present one-let the
water used by the city in sprinkling the
streets count for taxes.
At first nobody seemed to favor such
a proposal and Alderman Jones attacked
~ holt
the water used in sprinkling the streets
would amount to fourth of the water
c0mpanS,s taxes. He believed individuals
ought to- pay taxes and corporations
ought to do the same. And no matter
on which side the balance was, this Off
setting one account with another when
neither was known was bad business.
Alderman Arthur was of the same opin-
ion He declared that if the water COM
pany would pay what it's stuff was worth
the city could afford to pay for it's wa
ter and pay we'll and still have money
coming to it.
Alderman Wilder didn't seem to know
where he was at. The board had dilly-
dallied over the water question a year
ago until he was sick of it.
Now and then Alderman Croker would
put in another one of his leading" ques
tons, and Alderman Hicks announced
himself in favor of relieving the water
company from tax, because he wanted
more water" He seconded Alderman
Andrews motion
There was considerable discussion after
which the board decided to refer the mat
ter to special committee for investiga-
tion and report back to the board. This
committee is composed of Aldermen Will
der, Andrews and Jones.
Alderman Andrews was then, on nomi-
nation of Alderman Wilder, elected
mayor pro TEN.
An official communication from the
Bell Telephone Company was read stat
ing that the company would, in accordance
with an ordinance adopted at the June
meeting of the board, place its wires in
this city underground
The Finance committee in its report
recommended a change in the ordinances
regarding the making up of the city pay
roll. The report says: "As it is at pres
ent, the pay rolls of some departments
are net handed in until Saturday morn
ing or else SO late Friday afternoon that
they are not checked over by the Audi
tor until after they are paid. This should
not be so. We therefore recommend that
the pay week end with Thursday night
instead of Friday as at present, that the
heads of departments be required to
give in the time of their departments by
Friday noon, and that the clerk be re-
guired to make up the pay roofs by Sat-
urday noon. which we think will be much
better than the present system. The first
week, like all changes, may cause lit
tie confusion as the employees will then
be paid for only five days instead of the
usual six. which will be caused by chang
ing the week end from Friday to Thurs
day
ed.
The same special and privilege taxes
were levied for this year as have hear
in force heretofore This was omitted IN
the tax levy passed on at the June meet
ing.
The Fire committee reported the en-
tire Fire department as giving entire
and complete satisfaction, ranking second
to none in the Southern States The
committee believed that "any disarrange-
ment of the system might prove harmful, =
therefore the committee recommended
that the superintendent of the fire alarm
telegraph perform the duties of such SUI
pesvision of the chief of the Fire de-
partment, as heretofore"
A petition from number of taxpayers
asking the location of fire .hydrant at
the corner of Watson and Cabarrus
streets, which had been referred to the
Water committee, was granted and the
hydrant ordered put in.
A petition signed by property owners
and residents on East street asking that
IA sewer pipe be run on that street, was
referred to the Sewer committee.
The board granted the application of
L. j. Walker for license to sell liquor at
the store on Fayetteville street formerly
occupied by the Acme Wine Company.
The report Of the city physician showed
the following charity practice done during
the month Of June: White patients, rs;
colored patients, 81; visits made, l47; Of