The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-16
INCREASES MADE
IN TAX ORDINANCE
SOME LICENSES DOUBLED.
GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANIES
WILL PAY 81 900 EACH.

Cotton Congresses Raised from $3.50
to 5000 and Dredging Companies
from $50 to SIOO-s'FIying Horses"
Made $25 "A Week Instead of 500
acknowledgements Wagons
Won Out in Fight for Reduction.
Many changes. most of them pro-
viding for an increased revenue for
the city. were decided upon at the
secret caucus of Council last night. 1t
| had been announced repeatedly that
few changes would be made and the
action of the aldermen came as a to-
tai surprise.
The tax on both gas and electric
companies is to be raised from $500
to $1,000. This is the largest increase
decided on in any one item. and will
bring the city an additional revenue
of $1,000, as there is only one gas and
one electric company. Taxes on 9TH
er businesses were also increased, how
ever.
Cotton congresses, which have here
tofore paid a license of $3.50, will next
year have to pay $500 and dredging
companies, that formerly paid $50, will
be made to pay 500. Junk dealers
have heretofore paid a license of 5000,
but it was proposed to raise this
amount to $500. There was quite a
discussion about the matter, but it
could not be learned whether the
change was made or not. 1t is be-
lieved, however, that the increase will
be made.
New Liquor License Plan.
The licenses for cut rate ticket offices
was cut out of the tax ordinance en-
tirely, as there is now a special city
ordinance in existence on this ques-
tion. The ordinance was passed some
time ago and created a great deal of
discussion and interest 1t caused the
closing of the only cut rate office then
in the CITY.
The tax on flying horses" which has
heretofore been $25 a month, was rails
ed to SIS a week The liquor license
tax was agreed upon, as had been an
nounced in the Morning News. The
license is made 1925, but 10 per cent.
If all paid when the license is taken
out it will cost only $202.50, but if pay
ment is delayed, the full 1925 will have
to be paid. The liquor license this
year was 5000 even
The only reduction agreed upon was
on wagons for the sale of watermelons.
This year the tax on wagons selling
watermelons or fruit of any kind was
500. The tax remains the same for
fruit or vegetable wagons, except the
wagons that are used for the sale of
watermelons alone. A special license
of only $40 was made for the water
melon wagons.
WatermeIOns Won Out.
This change was the result of quite
an argument. Some of the aldermen
took the position that the dealers in
watermellons should be protected and
that the license should not be re-
duced. The majority, however, argued
that as the watermelon season is a
short one, and as the melons easily
perished a reduction should be made.
owing to their weight they cannot
be bought at the markets and carried
home conveniently. as other fruit can.
the aldermen said, and a reduction
should be made for the convenience of
the housewives of the city and to give
the people cheaper melons. The cheap
er melon contingent finally won out,
and next summer there will probably
be more watermelon wagons travel
ing about the city than there are street
cars.
The budget was not discussed at the
meeting, and no authorized statement
of what was done at the secret ses-
sion was made.