The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-08-21
COUNCIL HELD ,
BUSY SESSION
WreStled With License Tax Ordi-
nance For Several
i
Hours. j.
MAYOR CLARK TAKES A STAND
Objects to Alleged High Tax on Ger
tain Businesses--COuncil Turns
Down Some Bills.

The city council held late session
last night, the merchants tax ordi-
nance consuming much of the time.
Councilman Carbon read the ordi-
nance, section by section, and the
council commented upon the various
parts of the proposed law, in many
instances making changes.
Mayor Clark took the position that
the amount of the licenses as fixed
by the council in many cases was too
high. He objected to fixing the quar-
terly tax of drug stores at SIS.
II am not speaking for lower
rate because | am in the drug store
business" he said, but by being in
that business | know that the tax is
too heavy. 1t is a mistaken idea that
drug stores make 999 1-2 per cent
on everything that is sold. put up
a prescription tonight that cost me
so cents and yet l had to sell it for
rs cents. | tell you gentlemen, we
don't want to discourage business
here by raising the licenses to such
a figure that the merchants can't af-
ford to pay them"
"Mr. Mayor" said Councilman
Carbon, do you think it would be
right for us four business men here
to reduce the licenses on our busi-
nesses when other people will have
to pay in proportion higher tax?
Personally I'd rather stand a higher
tax even if | thought it little too
steep"
II think you are wrong, Mr.. Car
don," said the mayor. "It's a matter
of business and that is the way look
at it."
'Well, we'll fix it at s15,' said
Councilman Root.
Cali right" remarked the mayor.
do as you think fit. Ptell you, gen.
tlemen, that I'll not pay that tax. I'll
veto it and fifht it in the courts if
necessary. | do not think 1t is
right"
The council fixed the license at
$12. OF course, this action is not
final and it may take several meet
ings before they finally decide upon
the amounts of the tax.
Figures had been fixed at recent
meeting, but many of these were
changed. The businesses they fixed
the quarterly licenses for were as
follows:
Dealer in spirituOus liquors, from
$3.50 to SIS; wholesale liquor deal
er, 800; wholesale brewer, from
$3.50 to $75; wholesale distiller,
800; billiard and pool tables, SO
for each table; bowling alleys from
SIS an alley to $40; assay office,
from 81 to $5; attorney at law, SIS
to $40; auctioneer, $40; barber shop,
each chair, So; each tub, from SO to
81; bank, $25; brewery agent, $40;
blacksmith, each forge, SO; bakery,
from SIS to $S; butcher shop from
$40 to So; bootblack, from $3.50 to
Sc; clothes cleaner, from $12 to Sc;
cigar store, from $40 to Sc; coal
dealer, from SIS to $40; confection-
cry store, from SIS to $12; dentist,
from SIS to $40; drug store, from
to $12; expressman, from $3.50 to
$5; fortune teller, from $25 to SIS;
hotel, SIS; harness shop, from $25
manufacturer, SIS; insurance agent,
jewelry store, from SIS to So; lodg-
laundry, from SIS to $40; hand
to $40; lumber dealer, from SIS to
$12; lunch wagon, Sc; merry-go-
round, $12; milliner, Sc; merchants
dealing in dry goods, notions, gro
ceries and the like, 500; daily news
paper, Sc; weekly newspaper, SO;
job printer, SO; physician, $40; paint
store, 50; photographer, $S; pawn
broker, $25; plumber, $15; restau-
rant that accommodates 80 at time,
$12; less than 80, $S; 10, IS, and
less than 10, SO; real estate agent,
Sc; stock broker, $6 brick dealer,
$12; shooting gallery, So; skating
rink, $40; sewing machine agent, $5;
stationery store, $40; soda water
manufacturer, Sc; second hand store
or dealer, Sc; tailor, SO; tin shop,
etc, SO; undertaken, SIS; fuel dealer,
So; water company, $25.
The first bills to be passed by the
council came up last night. Quite a
discussion resulted over the election
expense bills and certain bills in con-
nection with the incorporation of the
city. City Attorney Walker stated
that it would be necessary to have
District Judge Browns o. K. to the
bills. The clerk found the papers,
which read that the bills were passed
by the court, but the document was
not signed by Judge Brown. Mr..
Oldfield stated that in his opinion the
court had not signed the paper, but
had signed court order in the min
ute book authorizing the council to
pay the bills. ne council was du-
bious about the matter, so postponed
passing upon the bills.
The bills in question were as fol-
lows:
Five election officers, 800; JUS
tice Cartwright for registering voters,
$146; Judge Crump for legal SER
vices in connection with the incorpo-
ration, $500; clerk fees, $3.50; city
plat furnished by Watson & Nyce,
$3.50; stenographer fees, $3.50,
and other expenses, $3.50.
BILLS that were passed were as fol-
lows:
A. A. Marshall, $6.25 for lumber;
James A. McCreary, SIS and $25;