The Penn's Grove record., 1920-05-14
Mercantile Tax
Argued At Length
Everybody Paying Up, But Many
Claim The Rates Are Too
High. Ordinance May
Be Revised

The Mayor and Council held a pro-
longed adjourned session on Tuesday
night, the time being mainly taken up
with a discussion of the Mercantile
Tax.
Harry H. Smith, who conducts the
Marine Sea Food Market on South
Broad Street, was given the privilege
OF the floor. He wanted to know
whether the ordinance providing for
the assessment and collection of Mer-
camille taxes was purely for revenue
only or was intended as a matter of
protection for the merchants. He had
paid his tax and was willing to con-
tinue paying it if he got what he sup
posed he had paid Tor. He under
stood before the measure became a
law that its purpose was to protect
merchants in the different lines of
business and he considered it a good
thing, payin his tax promptly. But
he found out later on that merchants
were selling fish in connection with
ether lines of goods and paying no
tax for the privilege. Also that fish
was peddled from house to house by
persons who paid no tax. He did not
object to immunity for local fisher
men who sold the fish they caught, but
even some of these bought consider
able quantities in addition to what
they caught and sold them. He was
not talking at random on mere hear
say. He said he could prove all his
statements. If the Ordinance was not
framed for the purpose of protection
against such methods and to prevent
outside dealers coming into town and
doing business unmolested then he had
been misinformed as to its purpose.
He objected to paying the tax for the
period when the protection he expect
ed was not given him.
Walter j. Conine, a merchant on
West Main Street cited instances of
outside business concerns selling goods
to residents of Penns Grove and pay
ing no tax for the privilege. He cited
specific instances, some OF the parties
being from Swedesboro-
The Mayor and Council listened to
the arguments and even INDUCED in a
bit of talk themselves.
Harry Dress of Dress & Son and
Matthew Mitchell also spoke upon the
subject.
Chief of Police Houseworth who is
supposed to spot out pedlars and
others violating the ordinance wanted
it understood that he couldn't be
everywhere at once. He had done a
big lot of work in whipping the matter
into shape, but the small force of men
at his command could not v the
territory so effectively as to prevent
such selling entirely. Some were
bound to slip thru.
There is also a feeling that there
are many inequalities in tho measure
Its assessment were based on those OF
a much larger town and where there Is
a much greater variety of business and
much of it of a transient or u
ment nature during the summer sea-
son. There is no doubt that Council
will eventually reconstruct the ordl-
nance and fix a more equitable basis
of assessments H. Linsk & Co., who
are erecting a factory on Harmony
Street asked for a water supply thru
that thoroughfare as now they had no
means of securing it. Council is anx-
ious in any way possible to aid these
new enterprises and will take the mat
ter up at once with the Water Com
pany and probably with the Public
Utilities Commission.
A communication was received from
the Public Utilities Commission con-
corning the Borough's inability to have
the Water Company place a main / n
Walnut Street, stating that the mater
would be investigated.
The complaint sent to the Insurance
Commission relative to the high hre
insurance rates in Penns Grove was
also replied to, and will receive atten-
lion. They intimated, however, that
the many vacant buildings in the Bor-
OUCH might cause an increase In rates
instead of any deductions being made.
Recorder Edgar turned over to
Council S1,O18.86 collected for mercan-
tile taxes due August LIST, 1919.
Other receipts from jitney licenses,
dog tax and 1920 taxes
amounted to $658.7H
The Mayor reported that the first
floor of the building on Penn Street,
formerly occupied as a restaurant had
been rented by the borough for the
nse of the Community Welfare Nurse.
The Woman's Club have volunteered to
clean the place up and put 1T IN shape
for immediate occupancy. The Free
Library will also have quarters in the
building.
The matter of dogs running at large,
unregistered and apparently without
owners was discussed. While no def
mite action was taken it is probable
that a dog catcher will be employed
end a pound provided. They are con-
s;dero{ a menace to the community
ond Ike worthless ours without owners
vii he humanely dispatched.
w. C.. T. u. Meeting