Report on the Condition of the South Part 21

SAMUEL THOMAS,

_Colonel, a.s.sistant Commissioner Freedmen's Bureau, State of Mississippi_.

Major General C. SCHURZ.

_Proceedings of the City Council_.

At a regular meeting of the board of mayor and council of the city of Vicksburg, held at the City Hall, on Monday, August 7, 1865: Present--T.J.

Randolph, mayor; Messrs. St.i.tes, Royall, Johnson, Bender, Spengler, Manlove, and Porterfield, councilmen.

Mr. St.i.tes introduced the following ordinance, which was read; and, on motion of Mr. Bender, the rules were suspended, the ordinance read a second time; and, on motion of Mr. Manlove, the rules were again suspended, the ordinance read a third time by its t.i.tle, and pa.s.sed.

Mr. Johnson called for the ayes and noes on the pa.s.sage of the ordinance, which were taken:

Ayes--St.i.tes, Royall, Bender, Spengler, Manlove, and Porterfield--6.

Nay--Johnson--1.

AN ORDINANCE to raise revenue for the city of Vicksburg.

SEC. 1. That there shall be a.s.sessed, levied, and collected upon the landholders, freeholders, and householders of the city of Vicksburg, for the year commencing July 9, 1865, upon the _ad valorem_ worth of all houses, lots and parts of lots, and lands, and on all goods, wares, and merchandise, on all moneys loaned at interest in said city, whether by a resident or nonresident or a corporation, a general tax of fifty cents on every one hundred dollars' value thereof; that said valuation or a.s.sessment shall be a.s.sessed from the 9th day of July, A.D. 1865, and shall be for one year, but the tax so a.s.sessed shall be payable in advance.

SEC. 2. That on all goods, wares, and merchandise, produce, &c., contained or sold on board any flatboat, or other water craft, there shall be a.s.sessed, levied, and collected upon the _ad valorem_ worth a general tax of fifty cents on every one hundred dollars' value thereof.

SEC. 3. That there shall be a.s.sessed, levied, and collected a poll tax of two dollars upon every male inhabitant of said city over the age of twenty-one years.

SEC. 4. That the rate for license for the houses, business, &c., be a.s.sessed as follows, payable as set forth in section 1: On all family groceries, porter-houses, eating-houses, oyster houses, and restaurants, per year $40; on all auction stores, per year, $200; on all public auctioneers, $50; on all banks, brokers, and exchange offices, $500; on all insurance companies having agents in this city, $100; on all express companies, $200; on all wholesale and retail stores and commission houses, $50; on all drays and carts, $20; on all hacks, $25; on all private boarding-houses having ten or more boarders, $20; on all hotels, $100; on all rooms where billiard tables are kept for playing, $200; on all rooms where bagatelle or pigeonhole tables are kept for playing, $25; on all alleys known as ten-pin or nine-pin alleys, $200; on all livery stables, $50; on all wagon yards, $40; on all barber shops, for each chair, $40; on all manufactories of ale, porter, or soda-water per year, $75; on all bakeries, $25; on all theatres, circuses, animal shows, or any public performance or exhibition where compensation is paid in money, each day, $25; on all bar-rooms, or other places where vinous or spirituous liquors are sold in less quant.i.ties than one gallon, per year, $500; on all confectionary, fruit or ice cream, soda water or vegetable stores, $50; on all cigar stores, $50; on all shops where fresh meat is sold, $50; on all street peddlers of goods, wares, or merchandise, fruit &c., except from market carts from the country, per month, $10; on all live stock sold in this city, one-half of one per cent, _ad valorem_.

SEC. 5. That all ordinances in any way conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

SEC. 6. That this ordinance take effect from and after its pa.s.sage.

Vicksburg, Mississippi, _August_ 7, 1865.

Mr. St.i.tes introduced the following ordinance, which was read; and, on motion of Mr. Bender, the rules were suspended and the ordinance read a second time; and, on motion of Mr. Manlove, the rules were again suspended, the ordinance read a third time by its t.i.tle, and pa.s.sed.

AN ORDINANCE to regulate the mode of obtaining licenses within the city of Vicksburg.

SEC. 1. That, before license shall be granted to any one to keep a family grocery, porter-house, oyster-house, eating-house, or restaurant in this city, the person or persons so applying shall execute a bond in the penal sum of $500, with one or more securities, payable to the mayor of the city of Vicksburg and his successors in office, conditioned that he, she, or they will keep an orderly and well-conducted house, and will not permit any riotous or disorderly conduct, or any gaming in or about the same, and will not sell any vinous or spirituous liquors to any one in less quant.i.ty than one gallon during the continuance of his or her license.

SEC. 2. That before any person or persons shall be licensed to retail vinous or spirituous liquors within this city, he, she, or they shall produce before the board of mayor and council of said city the written recommendation of five freeholders of his or her neighborhood, setting forth that he or she is of good reputation and a suitable person to receive such license.

SEC. 3. That no license to sell vinous or spirituous liquors as aforesaid shall be delivered to any person until he or she shall have first produced the receipt of the treasurer of the city for the amount of tax a.s.sessed for such license, and shall also have executed a bond in the penal sum of $1,000, with one or more good and sufficient sureties, payable to the mayor of the city of Vicksburg and his successor in office, conditioned that he, she, or they will keep an orderly and well-conducted house, and will not permit any riotous or disorderly conduct, or any gaming, in or about the same.

SEC. 4. That the bonds provided for in this ordinance shall be submitted to, and approved by, the board of mayor and council before said license shall be issued.

SEC. 5. That if any person shall retail any vinous or spirituous liquors within this city in less quant.i.ty than one gallon without first having procured license to do so, pursuant to the provisions of this ordinance, or in any way violate the provisions of this ordinance, he shall, upon conviction before the mayor of the city, be fined in a sum not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars.

SEC. 6. That before issuing license to any person or persons for the privilege of running a public dray, cart, or hack in this city, the party so applying shall first file with the mayor of the city a bond, with good and sufficient security, to be approved by the mayor, in the penal sum of $500, conditioned for the faithful performance of their duties as public carriers.

SEC. 7. That all ordinances in any way conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

SEC. 8. That this ordinance take effect from and after its pa.s.sage.

Vicksburg, Mississippi, _August_ 7, 1865

Mr. Johnson introduced the following ordinance, which was read; and on motion of Mr. Manlove, the rules were suspended and the ordinance read a second time; and on motion of Mr. Bender, the rules were again suspended, the ordinance read a third time by its t.i.tle, and pa.s.sed:

AN ORDINANCE to amend the market ordinance.

SEC. 1. That from and after the pa.s.sage of this ordinance it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to sell or expose for sale in the market-house of Vicksburg, after the hour of 9 o'clock a.m., any lemonade, ice-cream, cakes, pies, fruit, or vegetables, or other articles usually sold in market, under the penalty of $10 for each and every offence.

SEC. 2. That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons trading in the market to buy or bargain for, during market hours, or receive from any person or persons not renting a stall in the market, any meat, fish, poultry, b.u.t.ter, eggs, vegetables, or fruits, and offer the same for sale in the market again within ten days, under a penalty of $10 for each and every offence.

SEC. 3. That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to buy from any person on their way to market, within the city, during market hours, any of the articles named in the second section, or prevent such person from going to market with aforesaid articles, under a penalty of $10 for each and every offence.

SEC. 4. That it shall be the duty of the day police of each ward to arrest and bring before the mayor all persons found violating any section of the above ordinance.

SEC. 5. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances conflicting with this ordinance be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

Mr. Porterfield introduced the following ordinance, which was read; and on motion of Mr. Manlove, the rules were suspended and the ordinance read a second time; and on further motion of Mr. Manlove, the rules were again suspended, the ordinance read a third time by its t.i.tle, and pa.s.sed:

AN ORDINANCE regulating ferry-boats, &c.

SEC. 1. That all ferry-boats crossing the Mississippi river and landing in the city limits shall pay the sum of $25 per week.

SEC. 2. That this ordinance shall be in force from and after its pa.s.sage.

On motion of Mr. Manlove, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That hereafter it shall be lawful for the city marshal to charge for prisoners committed to workhouse for board, per day, sixty cents.

On motion of Mr. Spangler, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That the city marshal notify the owners of property to have their side-walks and gutters repaired on Was.h.i.+ngton street, between second corner of East to Depot street, in thirty days; and if not done, the city marshal have it done, at the expense of the property.

On motion of Mr. Manlove, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That the mayor be authorized to pay the policemen the amounts due them respectively to date, according to the report by the city marshal.

On motion of Mr. Spangler, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That the overseers of street hands' pay shall be $100 per month.

On motion of Mr. Manlove, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That the salary of the city marshal shall be $1,200 per annum, the salary of the deputy marshal be $900 per annum, and the salary of the policemen $60 per month, all of which shall be paid monthly.

On motion of Mr. Manlove, the following resolution was adopted: _Resolved_, That a committee of two be appointed to receive proposals to publish the proceedings of the city council to the third Monday in March next, and also inquire on what terms the city printing can be done, and report to next meeting of this council.

The mayor appointed Messrs. Manlove and Bender on said committee.

On motion of Mr. Bender, the board adjourned till Thursday evening, August 10, at six o'clock.