Year: 1879

Inc cltlzens committee OF ttteen,
the members of the taxing district
government and members of the state
legislature met at the cotton exchange
last evening, and after discussing the
subject of sanitation, the necessities Of
Memphis and the plan of action agreed
upon the previous night by the com
mittee, came to full understanding.
All differences Of opinion have been
merged in desire to adopt and set
in motion plan for the improve
ment of our sanitary condition and if
possible to avert future epidemics. 1t
was argued very forcibly that the peo-
pie can better afford to pay 100000
for sanitation than to spend three mil
lions year in running from the yellow
fever. The world expects US to do
something, and we owe it to our self
respect and to our fresides which we
can scarcely call our own, to make
an intelligent, well-directed effort.
The following was unanimously
adopted


Resolved. That it is the sense of
this meeting that the members of the
Taxing District government and the
members Of the Committee of Fifteen
appointed by the mass-meeting, be and
are hereby instructed to petition the
Governor to call the legislature to-
gether in extra session to pass such
such legislation as will carry out the
recommendations of the committee.


A committee consisting of General
Cotton Greene, Harvey Mathes, Judge
John Nj. Lea and Dir. D. 7. Porter to
prepare the petition to the Governor
to call the legislature. This, when
approved by the committee of fifteen,
will be carried to Nashville and pre-
sented to Governor Marks by Judge
Lea, in person. A committee consist
ing of Hon. J. w. Clapp, DIR. D. T.
Porter, Judge H. 7. Ellet, Mr.. VIII
liam r. Moore, Hon. John johnson.
General i, L. Wright, Judge Il.
S. Hammond and the members Of
the legislature from Shelby county
was appointed to draft such bill as it
is desired the legislature should pass.
Both these committees will meet to-
day and report back to the committee
Of fifteen at the cotton exchange this
evening at seven o'clock. The petit
tion to the Governor will be taken to
Nashville tomorrow and we presume
will be acted upon without much
delay Governor Marks is keeply
alive to our misfortunes and necessi-
ties, but has very properly declined
to call an extra session until We
could agree upon a well defined plan
of faction. We now go before him with
single proposition, which is embraced
III the following resolution adopted by
the committee of fifteen on the lst
inst.


Resolved, That for the purpose Of
building sewers and subsOil drains.
and carrying out the other sanitary
measures recommended by the com.
mission Of sanitarians, that tax of
TWO per cent, or two dollars on the
one hundred dollars, "of valuation be
levied on all the property Of the taxing
district as valued for taxable property
in 1879. payable one-half on the first
day Of February, 1885, and the first
day Of December, 1880, respectively,
and that the governor be requested to
convene the legislature Immediately
20 provide the necessary legislation,


We republish this from yesterdays
paper, that the action taken thus far
may be stated clearly and connectedly.
The comluittee appointed by the
mass meeting reflects as we
believe the intelligent mind
and the chrystalizad sentiment of the
great majority of the thinking people
of Memphis, We are as near united
upon this as we could be upon any
positive measure. The people will
pay this tax to the extent of their
ability, promptly and cheerfully Some
have already signifed that they will
come forward and pay the tax as soon
as it is levied. Others who are able
will advance money 20 promote
the great sanitary reform which
it is hoped to inaugurato.
We can do more in four or five months
to free Memphis of plague spots
and disease feeding nuisances than
was ever accomplished before in the
whole history of Memphis. All we
ask is that the Governor and the Leg
islature give us a chapce to help our
selves