Knox County TN Archives History - Books .....Municipal Affairs - Chapter IX 1900
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Book Title: Standard History Of Knoxville

CHAPTER IX.

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.



First White Settlement—Original Capital of Tennessee—Incorporated in

1815—Looking for Railroads—Gas Lights Introduced—Extension of Corporate

Limits—First Steam Fire Engine—Market Established —Fire Department Created—Water

Works—System of Sewers— Names of Mayors—Paving Streets and Building Bridges—List

of Postmasters—Three Municipalities Consolidated.



IN 1790 North Carolina ceded to the national government, which cession was

finally accepted, the territory which now composes the state of Tennessee. In

May following congress passed a law- for the government of the territory

southwest of the River Ohio, which law or ordinance followed the general lines

of the famous ordinance of 1787, with this difference that North Carolina made

the cession conditional upon the non-passage of any law tending to emancipate

the slaves, which doomed the great Southwest to suffer from negro slavery, and

as one of its remote results brougrht on the war of 1861-65.



  William Blount of North Carolina was appointed governor of the new territory

and at once proceeded to his new home. The town of Knoxville was soon afterwards

selected as the capital, where Governor Blount built a good house, which had a

lawn in front. The two districts into which the territory was then divided were

named Washington and Miro (Mero). John Sevier being appointed brigadier-general

of the former, or Eastern district, and James Robertson of the latter or Western

district.



  Early in 1791 Governor Blount entered into a treaty with the Cherokee Indians

or with their principal chiefs and hundreds of their principal warriors, meeting

on the Holston, and there in consideration of an annuity of $1,000, afterwards

increased to $1,500, these Cherokees surrendered all their claims to the various

tracts of land for which they had claimed Tinder former treaties. This treaty

with the Cherokees in connection with a treaty made with the Creek Indians the

previous year, extinguished the Indian title to all the lands in Tennessee, with

the exception to some lands in the western part of the state, still held by the

Chickasaws, and thus the whole of East Tennessee came into possession of the
whites.



  One of the taverns of those early days in Knoxville advertised its rates as

follows: One shilling for breakfast, one shilling for supper, and one shilling

and sixpence for dinner. Board and lodging by the week was two dollars, and

board alone, nine shillings.



  White's Fort, as this place was called before it was named Knoxville, was the

center of the settlement here. The treaty ground was at the foot of Water

street. Knoxville was laid off in February, 1792, by Col. James White, the town

consisting of the necessary streets and sixteen squares, four squares each way,

and each square containing four lots. These sixteen squares were bounded by the

following streets, as they are to-day: Church street on the north. Front street

along the Holston river on the south; Crooked or Walnut street on the west, and

Water street running along First creek on the east. A portion of the lots within

these boundaries was sold in 1791, and after the laying off of the town in 1792

small buildings were erected, and lots were designated by the proprietor for

county purposes. Temporary buildings for a court house and jail were erected,

the court house being on the lot adjoining and west of the residence of S. R.

Rogers. The jail was constructed of logs one foot square laid down close

together, and the floor and loft were of similar materials. It was inclosed with

long palisades driven deeply into the ground and sharpened at the top. The

building was about sixteen feet square and stood near the spot formerly occupied

by the Bank of East Tennessee at the corner of Gay and Main streets.



  Barracks were erected and extended from Gay to Prince street and embraced the

entire front of that square on Main street. This building was made of logs

notched closely together, and though an extensive was not an expensive

structure. Being constructed as it was it was secure as a defense against small

arms. The second story projected two feet beyond the first on every side, so as

to prevent the application of fire in case of a siege. Portholes were left in

both stories at suitable distances, and the entire area around the building was

cleared of trees as far as a rifle would carry a ball, not even a stump being

left large enough to protect the body of an enemy. In 1793 the first government

troops were stationed in Knoxville. The barracks referred to above stood where

now the court house stands.



  The first lots improved were those nearest the river in the southeast corner

of the town, but it was not until 1794 that the trees were cut down from the

lots afterward owned by Capt. Crozier east of Gay and north of Cumberland

street. Crozier's corner was then considered out of town. The cabin of Gov.

Blount was on the knoll between the university and the river. Afterward a more

suitable residence location was selected by him, on the lot afterward owned by

Judge Boyd. The mansion stood near the center of the lot, the grounds being

quite extensively improved. The governor's office was immediately between his

own residence and Chisolm's tavern, the pioneer tavern of the place. Col.

McClung's clerk's office was on the corner afterward known as Craighead's.

Nathaniel Cowan's house was on the corner of Water and River streets. Stone's

tavern was on the property known as Park's corner, and Joseph Greer resided on

the lot afterward owned by S. R. Rogers.



  The approach to Knoxville was at first along the deep hollow or ravine which

reached Cumberland street before its junction with Main, in front of where stood

the residence of Major Swan.



  When the legislature adjourned in 1794 the two houses concurred in a

resolution allowing James White five dollars for the use of the court house

during the session of the assembly. The following quotation is from Ramsey,

pages 638-9: "Among other acts of a local character (passed at the session of

October, 1795), was one for establishing Knoxville. It was at that time the seat

of the territorial government, and so continued to be during the existence of

that organization. It became the seat of government of the state of Tennessee

and so continued to be for many years after. Kingston, Murfreesborough and

Nashville were its successors for several years, when in 1817 Knoxville again

became the seat of government, but for the last time. The sudden flood of

emigration toward the West had carried with it the center of population beyond

the Cumberland mountains, and with it the seat of government. The scepter had

departed from her; but time and change and progress cannot deprive her of her

ancient honors, nor make her less venerable for the proud associations that

cluster around her early history. Here Squollecuttah, Kunokeskie, Nemtooyah,

Chuquilatague, Enolchi, Talohtuski and other chieftains of the Cherokee nation

met Governor Blount for council, smoked the pipe of peace and formed the treaty

of Holston; here the pious White was joined in the wilderness, lived his life in

patriarchal simplicity and unostentatious usefulness ; here died the founder of

Knoxville and his memory is here embalmed in the affectionate remembrance of a

succeeding generation. Here the infant government of the territory was cradled

and afterward in its youth was nurtured by the paternal care of Blount, Anderson

and Campbell. Here, too, the sages and patriots of 1794 met and deliberated and

made laws. Here, too, was born the infant Hercules, since become the giant

Tennessee. Tennessee looks back to Knoxville and recognizes her as the home of

her youth and the fond center of her heart's recollections."



  On November 28, 1/95, Governor Blount certified to the legislature a schedule

of the inhabitants of the territory, the enumeration having been taken with a

view of ascertaining whether there were people enough within the territory for

the formation of a state. Knox county in that schedule is credited with

inhabitants as follows: Free white males sixteen years and upward, including

heads of families, 2,721; free white males under sixteen, 2,723 ; free white

females, including heads of families, 3,664; all other free persons, 100;

slaves, 2,365; total number of inhabitants. 11,573: voting for the formation of

a state government, 1,100: against it. 128.



  On the same day the governor issued a proclamation providing for elections to

be held in each county, at which five delegates to a constitutional convention

were to be elected from each of the eleven counties of the state, to convene at

Knoxville January 11, 1796. The delegates from Knox county were William Blount.

James White, Charles McClung, John Adair, and John Crawford. The session began

next day with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Carrick, and on the committee to draft the

constitution were William Blount and Charles McClung, the latter being chairman

of the committee. The draft of the constitution was read at the secretary's

table January 27, and passed unanimously February 6, 1796. This year Knoxville

contained forty houses and a population of 1,200. The next year the place was

selected as the county seat.



  Knoxville remained the capital of the state until 1811. and was again for a

short time the capital in 1817, in which year the last session of the

legislature was held within its limits. In the early days of its history,

Knoxville was the home of many of the prominent men of the young state, such as

William Blount. James White, John Sevier, Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett. To

the pioneers of the state this city was the distributing point for all kinds of

goods and supplies, and it has since remained the recognized center of trade for

not only the greater part of East Tennessee, but also for territory beyond the

limits of the state, and it is now also the educational and religious center of

a territory far larger than East Tennessee.



  "The original block house was situated on the square on which the present

court house stands, but a little further to the north. The second story overhung

the first, and there were projecting abutments at each corner.



  "It was in the second story of this block house that the first legislature met

while Knoxville was the capital of the territory. The senate met in the upper

story of a log house, afterward weatherboarded, belonging to Charles McClung,

and standing immediately south of the old Webb brick house on the corner of

Wrater and Cumberland streets. Water street having since borne the name of

Crozier street and now Central avenue. This old house of Mr. Webb's was the

first brick house built in Tennessee, and the pioneers had much amusement in

witnessing the efforts to make a house out of 'daubs of mud.' The second brick

structure in Tennessee was the house used by Joseph L. King as a dining room

immediately beneath the present opera house. The next brick house in Knoxville

was built by James Park, and is now the residence of Judge Temple. On this house

was employed William Morgan, of Masonic notoriety, Morgan being discharged

because of alleged unsatisfactory work. He then went to Madisonville, where he

published his original exposition of Masonry, but later went to New York state

and ultimately disappeared, some say in the waters of Lake Ontario.



  "The first United States troops that came to Knoxville were under the command

of Lieut. Edmund P. Gaines of the United States army, and camped at Cantonment

Springs, a few miles east of Knoxville, where Dr. Fayette Rogers had some years

ago a fish hatching establishment. Lieut. Gaines married Barbara Blount, the

red-headed daughter of Governor Blount."*



*   W. A. Henderson.



  On October 17. 1797, the legislature passed an act for the regulation of

Knoxville, and John Adair, Paul Cunningham and George McNutt were elected

commissioners. These same commissioners had been in their respective offices for

several years, and were in all probability the first commissioners of the town.

On August 1. 1794, they leased to Samuel Cowan a piece of land "lying and being

as follows: adjoining Water street and exactly opposite lot No. 1 and lot No.

16, between them and the river, the property of said commissioners, given to

them by James White, agreeable to a copy of an obligation inserted in the 4th

number of the Knoxville Gazette, December 17, 1791, and leased for ninety years

from August 1, 1794, for and in consideration of one cent to said commissioners

in hand paid, and to their successors yearly every year on the first day of

January each year throughout the entire period of ninety years."



  This land or lot lay on the side of the hill and was bounded as follows:

"Beginning at a cedar post, and running thence south 35 degrees east six and a

half poles to a locust stake: thence south 55 degrees west fourteen poles to a

locust stake: thence north 35 degrees west six and a half poles to a locust

stake, and thence north 55 degrees east to the beginning."



  The curious minute is then recorded in the council proceedings that "The lease

says 93 roods, as well as the plat instead of 2 roods and 13 poles, an error of

22 acres, 2 roods and 27 poles." As it is clear that the plat of ground leased,

being 6 1/2 rods one way and 14 rods the other, contains just 91 roods, or

square rods, or 11 square rods more than half an acre; how the error above

mentioned, of 22 acres, 2 roods and 27 poles, was made would seem extremely

difficult of explanation.



  Under an act of the legislature passed October 29, 1801, the following persons

were appointed commissioners of the town, the appointment being made January 2,

1802: Jenkins Whiteside, Pleasant M. Miller, John Crozier, Francis May and

Patrick Campbell. On January 4, all being present except Mr. Whiteside, they

were sworn into office by Robert Craighead, justice of the peace for Knox

county. Pleasant M. Miller was chosen chairman and George Roulstone, clerk. In

1803 town lots were taxed $2 each, and parts of lots in proportion. Each white

poll was taxed seventy-five cents and each black poll $1.50.



  In 1809 the Knoxviile water works were incorporated and pure spring water from

McCampbell's springs was brought to the city by means of logs bored through the

center and laid along Tazewell pike.



  On October 27, 1815, an act was passed by the legislature incorporating the

inhabitants of the town of Knoxville, and on January 13, 1816, the first meeting

of the board of aldermen was held in the court house of the county. The members

of this first board under this act were Thomas Emmerson, Thomas McCorry, Rufus

Morgan, James Park, Thomas Humes, James Dardis and John M. Cullen. James Park,

being a justice of the peace, swore in the other members, and then James Dardis

swore in Mr. Park. Thomas Emmerson was elected mayor; Anderson Hutchinson,

recorder, and David Nelson, high constable, and John M. Cullen was appointed

treasurer. William Park, John Crozier and Calvin Morgan were appointed

assessors, and the tax on real property was fixed at one-fourth of one per cent.

Each white and slave poll was taxed $1; retail merchants were required to pay

$5; retail licenses were $5; tippling shops had to pay $5 and billiard tables $20.



  On February 20, 1816, Rufus Morgan, James Dardis and Thomas Humes were

appointed to contract for and superintend the erection of a market house, which

was to be 26 feet long and 18 feet wide. This market house was finished in the

following December, and Thursdays and Saturdays were designated as market days.

This market house stood on what was then called Market street, now Main street,

midway between Prince and Walnut streets, the latter being then known as Crooked

street. The house stood until 1823, when it was sold and removed.



  In June, 1817, $340 was appropriated for the improvement of the streets: $120

to be expended on Cumberland streetm $80 on State street. $6o on Water street,

and the rest on other less important streets. In February, 1822, a fire company

was organized with Calvin Morgan as captain and John Boyd, Carey Thatcher, David

Campbell and William Park, lieutenants. An ordinance passed at this time

required every owner of a dwelling, office or store to provide a leather bucket.

At the next meeting Thomas Aiken and James Hickey were appointed night watchmen,

whose duty it was made to patrol the streets and to call the hour and the state

of the weather at the end of each hour.



  In 1826 a systematic effort was made for the first time to improve the streets

of Knoxville. All free inhabitants and slaves of the description subject by the

laws of Tennessee to work on the public roads (except students in East Tennessee

university) were required to work on the streets four days during each year, or

pay seventy-five cents forfeiture for each day's failure. The city was at this

time divided into three wards; the first ward being that portion of the city

east of State street and extending north to the boundary street of the town,

which is now Clinch street; the second ward included that portion of the town

lying between the first ward and Prince street, extending north to College

street, and the third ward embraced the remainder of the town west of the second

ward. Overseers of the streets for each ward were appointed, their duties being

the same as those of overseers of highways. An ad valorem tax on real estate was

levied and the moneys thus raised on any street were to be expended on that

particular street; moneys raised on corner lots to be expended equally on the

contiguous streets. Street commissioners were appointed to disburse the moneys

appropriated for the respective streets. The property owners on Main street

petitioned the board of aldermen to double their taxes for street improvement!



  In January. 1839. the citizens of Knoxville for the first time elected their

mayor, that officer having previously been chosen by the aldermen from their

o-wn number. At this election W. B. A. Ramsey was elected, receiving forty-nine

votes to forty-eight cast for James Park.



  About this time it was thought that Prince street would be the principal

thoroughfare of the city, and that State street would be a very important one:

but by 1852 Gay street had captured about three-fourths of the trade, and it was

then determined to permanently improve this street.



  In 1837 and 1838 the subject of water works occupied a great deal of attention

in the board of mayor and aldermen. Messrs. Oldham and Moseley offered the site

of their factory for a site for such works for $1,500, the board offering the

bonds of the city for $1,000 bearing interest, and the bonds then held by Mr.

Kennedy as they stood. In March, 1838, correspondence was opened with Albert

Stein looking to his engagement as engineer to superintend the erection of the

contemplated works, and he was thus engaged. On November 24 the proposition of

Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Morgan was accepted, and the mayor ordered to have the

premises surveyed, and was authorized to execute the bonds of the city for the

payment to Mr. Kennedy, to the amount of $6.500. due six months after date, and

to execute a bond of the city for $1,000 to Calvin Morgan, payable twelve months

after date, and also an obligation to furnish a hydrant within fifty feet of the

reservoir to be used by Mr. Morgan exclusively for domestic purposes, in payment

for a piece of land two hundred feet square, for a site for the proposed

reservoir. December 31 Capt. S. S. Thatcher was appointed to superintend the

removal of Mr. Kennedy's dams on First creek. On January 26, 1839, sealed

proposals were called for for furnishing 160 tons of cast iron pipe for the

water works. On March 30, 1839, the mayor was authorized to execute the bonds of

the corporation for $6,500 to the trustees of the East Tennessee college to run

fifteen years, with interest payable semi-annually, for the purpose of taking up

the bonds previously issued to Mr. Kennedy in payment for a site for the water

works.



  In the early days, when Knoxville had no fire engine, the method of

extinguishing fires was exceedingly primitive, and interesting to the present

age. The fires were put out as best the people could manage with buckets and

single-handed means. About 1821 every head of a family in town was required to

procure a leathern bucket, holding two gallons, which was so prepared as to be

water-tight, and afterward each family was required to own two such buckets. In

1822 the entire male population between the ages of fifteen and fifty was

organized into one grand fire company, with suitable officers. The first fire

engine brought to town was very small, and had no hose, but had a nozzle about

eight feet long. Through this nozzle the water was thrown up from a reservoir,

which the owners of the buckets had to keep full. When an alarm of fire was

given every owner of a bucket rushed to the scene, together with the women and

children of his family, and the men formed themselves in a line on one side of

the streets from the creek to the fire, the women and children forming another

line on the other side of the street. Buckets full of water were then passed up

from the creek on the side lined up with men and down the other side to the

creek through the hands of the women and children. This old engine thus supplied

with water lasted until the war, when it was destroyed together with many other

things and institutions peculiar to this section of the country. Two hand fire

engines were purchased in the year 1859, and volunteer fire companies were

organized.



  On January 13, 1846, an ordinance was passed providing for the election of a

tax collector and treasurer, whose duty it should be to collect the taxes due to

the corporation and to disburse the funds that might be in the treasury, and

that said tax collector and treasurer should also act as recorder, and that for

his services as recorder he should receive $20. On the same day Hiram Barry was

elected tax collector, but Mr. Barry resigned on the 27th of the same month,

David A. Deaderick being elected in his place. It was also ordained at this time

that license to sell spirituous or vinous liquors within the corporation should

be the same sum that was then payable to the state, as per the act of January

23, 1846.



  May 13, 1846, the recorder was ordered to make out a list of property within

the corporation subject to pay tax to the state, and that an ad valorem tax of

one-half of one per cent upon all real property be levied, and that the tax on

each free poll should be $1 and that licenses be issued to merchants and others

upon their payment of the taxes imposed by ordinance of April 14, 1838.



  July 16, 1846, the mayor of the town and I. P. N. Craighead were appointed a

committee to secure the construction of a suitable house for the fire engine.



  In 1850 it became necessary to exercise control over market wagons coming into

town from the country, and an ordinance was therefore passed requiring the town

constable to arrange these wagons on the west side of Gay street, extending from

the corner of Main as far west as the wagons thus arranged would extend.



  The board of health for 1850 was appointed March 22, as follows: William J.

Baker, B. R. Strong, John W. Paxton, William Palmer, J. M. Welcker, George

McFarlane and R. D. Jourolmon. On April 19 the board required all persons who

had not been vaccinated to be vaccinated.



  July 5, 1850, the mayor and the board of aldermen passed a resolution to the

effect that the recorder call the citizens of each ward together in a meeting at

the courthouse in order that another effort might be made to organize a fire

company in the town, and on the 10th of the same month it was ordained that in

case of the failure to raise sufficient means by taxation to complete the

improvements on the streets then in progress, bonds of the corporation of the

denomination of $500, payable in twenty-five -years, be issued to the extent

that such improvements might require, provided that not more than $10,000 in the

aggregate should be issued, and that the bonds issued should bear interest at

the rate of 6 per cent per annum.



  August 7, 1850, the people were notified that on the 17th of that month an

election would be held for the purpose of ascertaining whether the mayor and the

board of aldermen should go into the erection of waterworks for the town.



  October 3, 1850, the engineer of the city was instructed to ascertain by

survey the corporation boundaries, beginning at the junction of Main street with

Second creek, and ending at the north boundary of said corporation, and also to

ascertain whether Mrs. J. H. Kennedy's kitchen was within the limits of the

corporation. On the 5th of that month the engineer, Albert Miller Lea, reported

that in accordance with the above resolution he had examined the limits of the

corporation on the southwest and northwest, and had to report: 1. That all the

houses along and near Second creek from the bridge on Main street to the head of

Bosworth's dam, were clearly within the limits of the city. 2. That the

northwestern line of the city, assuming the width of the street on the northwest

side of the Second Presbyterian church lot at the minimum width of even

thirty-three feet, runs near the mouth of the ravine which passes through what

is called "William's Grove," passes very near to the front wall of the residence

of the Rev. Mr. Myers, cutting off his front yard, and thence crossing the field

of Calvin Morgan, cuts Gay street near the south edge of a clump of plum, trees,

and passing on leaves off G. M. Hazen's lot to the south, and passes through an

apple tree some thirty feet to the north of the extreme northern corner of the

kitchen belonging to the residence of Mrs. Jane H. Kennedy, and strikes Water

street near an oak which is said to be the corner of a lot belonging to the

corporation.



  On February 21, 1851, the mayor and board of aldermen passed the following

preambles and resolution:



  "Whereas, The East Tennessee and Virginia railroad and the East Tennessee and

Georgia railroad are each under contract for a considerable portion of their

respective lines and at no distant day will be united at Knoxville, thereby

affording one great line of railroad from the northeast to the southwest, and



  "Whereas. It is desirable that the precise localities of their respective

depots at Knoxville be fixed upon and known at as early a day as may be. Therefore



  "Resolved, by the mayor and aldermen of the city of Knoxville, that the

respective presidents of said railroads be and they are hereby requested to take

the necessary measures to fix and establish permanently and definitely the

locations of their said depots at Knoxville at as early a day as they may deem

practicable."



  Following up this question of the railroads coming into Knoxville it will be

interesting to note the course of the mayor and board of aldermen and the people

themselves with reference to the issue of bonds, to aid in the construction of

the roads. On March 24, 1852, a resolution was adopted to1 the effect that a

committee of two be appointed to inquire whether or not it would be expedient to

submit to the voters within the corporation a proposition made on the part of

the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad company to the corporate authorities of

the town to subscribe for stock in said railroad company, and to issue coupon

bonds in payment of said stock, etc. Aldermen Rodgers and Coffin were appointed

the committee.



  On April 3 a town meeting was held to consider the question of subscribing to

the capital stock of the aforesaid company it was determined to hold an election

at the court house to determine the question, $50,000 worth of bonds being the

amount under consideration, and at this election there were cast in all 85

votes, of which 59 were for the bond issue and 26 against it. These bonds were

to run not less than thirty nor more than forty years, and the railroad company

was to pay the interest on them semi-annually until the completion of the road,

and if on the completion of the road the company had not used the bonds it was

to have the privilege of returning those unused. These conditions were not

satisfactory to the company, and it therefore declined to accept the bonds. The

corporation thereupon considered itself released from any further obligation

with reference to the bonds.



  On March 26, 1853, an election was held for the purpose of ascertaining the

sense of the voters upon the proposition to subscribe $50,000 to the bonds of

the Knoxville and Lexington railroad company, the result being that ninety-two

out of ninety-three votes were cast in favor of the bonds. This railroad is now

the Knoxville and Ohio. On October 4, 1856, it was voted to increase the amount

taken in the stock of this company to $100,000. This increase was effected by

diverting the amount, $50,000, from the amount voted on April 26, previous,

namely, $100,000, toward or for the erection of waterworks for the city. The

vote on April 26 was 58 in favor of the waterworks bonds, and on October 4, on

the diversion of $50,000 to the railroad, was 144 in favor and 26 against. This

railroad was then called the Knoxville and Kentucky railroad.



  On January 16, 1852. it was resolved by the mayor and board of aldermen that a

number of negro slaves, not to exceed fifteen, should be hired to work on the

streets of the town until December 25, next ensuing, on the conditions that the

white employer of the slaves should clothe, board and lodge them, pay their

doctors' bills and take care of them in sickness, losing the time any slave

should be sick.



  On February 20. 1852. it was resolved by the mayor and board of aldermen that

if a slave should within the limits of the town empty any slop or other pot

liquor upon the guttering or upon the streets of said town, or should empty such

slop or other filth so that the same should run into the gutter or streets, such

slave should for every such offense receive not less than five nor more than

fifteen stripes on his or her back by one of the town constables, unless the

white person in whose employ such slave might be should pay a forfeit of one

dollar in lieu of said stripes.



  In 1851 an ordinance was passed requiring the sidewalks on Main and Gay

streets to be eleven feet wide, while those on other streets were required to be

four and a half feet wide. In 1852 Gay street had become the principal street of

the town and it was resolved that this street should be macadamized and

permanently improved as soon as Main street was completed to the east side of

Gay street, and beginning on the south side of Main street, extending the

permanent improvement on Gay street at least as far as the north side of

Cumberland street, a suitable number of hands to be kept employed in the

extension of the Main street improvement to its western terminus.



  In 1853 William G. Swan and Joseph A. Mabry presented to the town the lot on

Market square on which the market house now stands, on the condition that the

city would erect a suitable market house by the first of January, 1854. This

liberal proposition was accepted and a contract made with Newman & Maxwell to

build the house. This new market house was opened for the first time on January

31 (Tuesday), 1854. Upon the institution of this market house the city council

passed an ordinance inflicting a fine of $5 in case any two or more persons

should combine to raise the price of any article in the market, or to prevent

any article being sold below any particular price.



  In 1853-54 Gay and Prince streets were paved with river rock, or boulders, or,

in other words, with cobblestones, and these cobblestones are now the foundation

upon which rests the macadam afterward placed upon Gay street.



  July 2, 1852, upon receipt of the tidings that Henry Clay was dead, a full

meeting of citizens responded to the call of the mayor, George M. White, of

which meeting Hon. William B. Reese was chairman. A committee of nine was

appointed, consisting of Col. John H. Crozier, Samuel B. Boyd, George M. White,

John M. Welcker, William J. Baker, Dr. F. A. Ramsey, W. G. McAdoo, W. C. Kain,

and James W. Campbell, which committee reported a series of resolutions

expressive of the sense of the meeting upon the loss of so great a man.

Following is a portion of the language used: "As the melancholy tidings have

sped from point to point, from man to man. that Henry Clay is dead, every heart

has bowed in sadness at the thought. All have ceased for a while in the toils

and cares of life, to pay a moment's adoration to the virtues of the dead; the

hammer of the artisan, the shuttle of the weaver, the axe of the woodsman, have

stopped suddenly in their course, paying instinctive homage to the American

statesman. A nation mourns the loss of its greatest orator, and one of its most

profound and sagacious statesmen and purest patriots. Let the people's tears

bedew his grave: a nation's affection cherish his memory. The name and fame of

Henry Clay belongs now, not to parties of the day, but to the memory of his

country; they are blazoned on its proudest pages and are linked with the most

important epochs of his country's greatness and renown."



  On February 9, 1854, it was resolved that State street be opened to the

northern boundary of the corporation.



  February 16, William M. Churchwell and William G. Swan were granted the

exclusive right to light the city with gas and supply it with water or either,

the gas works being required to be in operation within eighteen months, the

mayor and aldermen of Knoxville as a corporate body to be supplied with as much

gas as they might require at no greater price per cubic foot than was then being

paid by the city of Nashville. On April i it was ordained that when the

above-named gentlemen had expended twenty per cent of the cost of the waterworks

the city would issue ten per cent of the cost in bonds, and so on, until the

works were completed, the parties erecting the waterworks to mortgage them to

the city and after their completion these parties should invest ten per cent of

the profits therefrom in the bonds of the city or of the county or state, to be

used as a sinking fund for the payment of the bonds issued to them on the

construction of the works.



  On the 19th of April, 1855, the board of health called the attention of the

authorities to the Flag Pond on the northern limits of the city as a fruitful

source of disease, suggesting that it be drained and its marshy bed be covered

over with a stratum of clay two feet thick; that the drain leading from Gay

street down Cumberland street east to First creek be abated, and that the drain

from the Coleman House be also abated as a nuisance.



  On July 27, 1855, a most curious regulation of the liquor traffic was adopted,

it being deemed necessary to the good order and quiet of the town to require the

sale of spirituous and vinous liquors to be regulated by the recorder, he being

given authority to close all saloons whenever he might deem it necessary to so

close them, notice being given to each saloonkeeper in writing by the marshals

of the town. The recorder was authorized to keep the saloons closed so long as

he might deem it necessary. This same regulation was again adopted in 1858.



  The corporate limits of the city have been several times extended. In 1856

they were extended and there were then four wards. In 1858 there were five

wards, and in 1868 East Knoxville, which had previously existed as a separate

corporation, was taken in.



  On February 19, 1859, two fire engines were purchased from William Wilson of

Baltimore for $1,200 each, these engines reaching the city about March 18. On

January 7, 1860, an election was held for mayor of the city at large, and two

aldermen from each of the five wards, resulting in the election of James C.

Luttrell as mayor. The vote cast in the five wards for Mr. Luttrell was 155, and

for the other two candidates, 126.



  The rates of taxation for the last two years before the breaking out of the

war of the rebellion, 1859 and 1860, as established by the board of aldermen,

were as follows: On each $100 worth of real estate, or less, $1; on persons

engaged in speculating and dealing in slaves, by purchase or sale, for the

license, $20, and at the end of the year fifteen cents on each $100 in excess of

an aggregate capital of $13,333.33, provided that the entire tax should not

exceed $100; wholesale and retail merchants paid the same for license and the

same aggregate amount of tax, as slave dealers; and also commission merchants;

receiving and forwarding merchants paid a license fee of $25; auctioneers paid a

license of $20, and a tax of fifteen cents on each $100 worth of goods sold, but

not to exceed $100; confectioners paid a license of $20 and their tax was the

same as that of wholesale and retail merchants: brokers paid a license of $200;

note-shavers paid a license of $30; the owner of a four horse omnibus paid $50;

of a two horse omnibus, $25 ; of a four horse hack, $30; of a three horse hack,

$25: of a two horse hack. $20: theater license was $50 per year, and every

keeper of a Jenny Lind table or billiard table paid $50 per year. Other kinds of

licenses were imposed, but these will serve to indicate the range of prices.



  On April 3, 1860, it was ordered that two large cisterns be built, one at the

corner of Gay and Cumberland streets and the other at the corner of Gay and Main

streets.



  On May 11, 1860, $25,000 of the $50,000 subscribed to the Knoxville and

Kentucky railroad was paid over to the proper officers of that company, security

being taken for the proper disbursement of the money for the construction of the

road. On June 21, 1861, the remaining $25,000 was paid over to the president of

the company. Joseph A. Mabry.



  April 12, 1861, Williamsburg was opened up to travel and traffic, the

boundaries of this portion of Knoxville being West Boundary street and Second

creek, and Main street and the Tennessee river.



  April 13, 1866, a committee consisting of Aldermen Powell, Hudiburg and Newman

was appointed to confer with a similar committee appointed by the county court

at its last previous quarterly session, with reference to the establishment of a

workhouse, for the joint use of the city and county. This committee reported on

the 28th of September, 1866, that the joint committee had unanimously decided in

favor of the workhouse, but that they had not agreed upon who should control the

labor of the convicts. A committee was therefore appointed by the mayor to act

for six months in conjunction with a similar committee to be appointed by the

county, the joint committee to have control of the labor of convicts for that

length of time. The committee on the part of the city consisted of Messrs.

Hudiburg, Wilson and Newman.



  The proceedings of the mayor and board of aldermen with reference to the

purchase of the first steam fire engine ever bought by the city are interesting.

On September 27, 1867, a number of citizens agreed in writing to take a certain

amount of scrip of the city of Knoxville. payable July 1, 1868, and drawing six

per cent interest, and receivable for taxes for the year 1868, the money to be

used by the city in the purchase of a steam fire engine, twelve hundred feet of

hose and a hose carriage, the entire amount to be raised to be $8,250, the scrip

to be delivered December 1, 1867. The engine had already been purchased by the

city council, provided the necessary funds could be raised by the issue of

scrip, the company furnishing the engine to take half its pay in scrip, and the

citizens to take the other half. Following are the names of the firms and

individuals that subscribed for the city scrip. Cowan, McClung & Co., $1,000;

Barry & McDaniel, $500: John S. Van Gilder, $100: Peter Kern, $150; C. M.

McGhee, $500; William Rule, $100; Coffin, Wilson & Martin. $200: W. W. Woodruff,

$100: Henry Ault, $100; James R. Cocke, $100; Rayl & Boyd, $300: M. D. Bearden,

$100; Staub & Co., $400: Victor Burger & Son, $100; George M. White, $200; John

R. Beaman, $200, and George M. Beaman, $200; total amount, $4,250.



  November 8, 1866. Alderman Kennedy suggested that a name should be selected

for this new steam fire engine before it left the factory of Silsby & Co., and

the name selected be engraved upon it. This suggestion meeting with favor, the

name "J. C. Luttrell" was chosen by the city council, and it was engraved on the

engine, which arrived in Knoxville on or perhaps a day or two previous to

January 10, 1868. Between this date and January 13 the engine was tested, found

satisfactory, and on this latter date was paid for by the council.



  On June 7, 1867. a committee was appointed, consisting of A. S. Hudiburg. S.

B. Newman and L. C. Shepard, to draft a plan for a building to be erected at the

north end of the market place that would answer for the meetings of the city

council, recorder's office, etc. June 21 this committee reported that they had

"pretty much agreed upon a plan for a building," and they were then authorized

to contract with some responsible person to erect it on the plan they had

adopted. This building was erected during that and the succeeding year. It was a

two-story brick, about forty feet square, and had suitable rooms in it for the

purposes for which it was designed, and a room below for the fire engine.



  The erection of a United States building was begun in 1869 under the

superintendency of J. H. Holman, with A. B. Mullett as supervising architect and

George W. Ross as disbursing agent. The building is entirely of marble, and

though not large, is yet one of the most substantially constructed buildings

anywhere to be found. It was completed in 1873 at a cost of $392,000. It is

three stories high, the lower floor being occupied by the postoffice, the second

floor by the office of the pension agent, district attorney and clerks of the

circuit and district court, and the third by the courtroom and rooms for judges

and juries.



  On March 30, 1868, a committee appointed to assess taxable property for the

year reported a very considerable increase over 1867, the increase in real

estate being from $1,565,868 to $1,952,775. There were on the tax list 150 dogs

and 147 pianos. On this same day the track of the East Tennessee and Virginia

railroad was made the dividing line between the fourth and fifth wards.



  January 4, 1869, an appropriation was made by the city council of $15,000 for

the establishment of a library in the agricultural college, the first $5,000 to

be paid when the college should be permanently established in Knoxville, and the

remaining $10,000 in two equal annual payments immediately afterward. An attempt

to secure the diversion of this donation from the library to general purposes

did not succeed.



  January 9, 1869. the legal debts of East Knoxville were adopted by the city of

Knoxville and on November 19 following the streets and alleys then laid out

through what was called the McMullin property were adopted.



  March 25, 1870, the council ordained that inasmuch as the floating debt of the

city amounted to about $40,000, and had become troublesome, the bonds of the

city should be issued to the amount of $13,300 and that scrip should be issued

to the amount of $20,000, payable in one, two, three, four and five years, the

bonds and scrip each to bear six per cent interest. On the same day the city was

divided into eight wards, as follows:



  First Ward.—Beginning at the southeast corner of Gay and Cumberland streets,

thence with Cumberland street and Rutledge pike to the corporation line; thence

with the corporation to the river; thence with the river to where the line of

Gay street extended would strike it, and thence with Gay street to the place of

beginning.



  Second Ward.—Beginning at the southwest corner of Gay and Cumberland streets;

thence with Cumberland street to Second creek; thence with Second creek to>

Holston river; thence with Holston river to where the line of Gay street

extended would strike it, and thence with Gay street to the beginning.



  Third Ward.—Beginning at the northeast corner of Gay and Cumberland streets;

thence up Gay street to Clinch street; thence with Clinch street to the

corporation line; thence with said corporation line to Rutledge pike; and thence

with Clinch street to^ the beginning.



  Fourth Ward.—Beginning at the northwest corner of Gay and Cumberland streets;

thence up Gay to Clinch street; thence with Clinch street to Second creek;

thence with Second creek to Cumberland street: and thence with Cumberland street

to the beginning.



  Fifth Ward.—Beginning at the northeast corner of Gay and Clinch streets;

thence with Gay street to Vine and Mabry street to< the corporation line; thence

with the corporation line to Clinch street; and thence with Clinch street to the

beginning.



  Sixth Ward.—Beginning at the northeast corner of Gay and Clinch streets;

thence on Gay street to Vine and Academy streets to the East Tennessee and

Georgia railroad: thence with the railroad to Second creek; thence down Second

creek to Clinch street, and thence with Clinch street to the beginning.



  Seventh Ward.—Beginning at the northeast corner of Water and Mabry streets;

thence with Water street to Crozier street; thence with Crozier street to the

corporation line; thence with the corporation line to First creek; thence down

First creek to the corporation line at the bend of First creek; thence with the

corporation line to Mabry street, and thence with Mabry street to the beginning.



  Eighth Ward.—Beginning at the northwest corner of Vine and Water streets;

thence with Water to Crozier street: thence with Crozier street to the

corporation line; thence with the corporation line to Second creek; thence with

Second creek to the East Tennessee and Georgia railroad to Academy street;

thence with Academy street to Vine street, and thence with Vine street to the

beginning.



  It was also ordained on the same day that there should be elected two aldermen

from each ward.



  April 3, 1870, Alderman Howell moved that the compensation which had been paid

the aldermen for some years past be paid to them for 1870, this resolution or

ordinance being adopted by the following vote: Lewis. Bearden, Shepard,

McLemore, Glass, Sullivan, Howell and Payne, eight for it, and the following six

against it: Atkin, Mitchell, Swan, McCampbell, Munson, and Stephenson.



  On the 22d of the same month the mayor, John S. Van Gilder, in a somewhat

elaborate message vetoed the ordinance upon the principle that the mayor and

board of aldermen were dedicated to "retrenchment and reform," and to administer

the affairs of the city without compensation, fear or favor, making the offices

which they held offices of honor instead of profit, and that owing to the

embarrassed condition of the treasury of the city they were to endeavor to serve

the public faithfully and use every effort to improve the condition of the

finances of the corporation. He said:



  "At our first meeting it was unanimously agreed to cut off all perquisites of

office and to let all fees go into the treasury, which has produced a good

effect in a just observance of the law of equity and impartiality. In former

times a public office was a place of honor as well as profit; but in later times

they have become places of profit and speculation; hence the reckless

extravagance of public funds, the utter disregard of the private rights of the

tax-paying community. I find that by the records since the city was incorporated

until the last three years no alderman was allowed compensation- unless for

extraordinary services rendered, and, as a chief principle, excepting large

cities, where their entire time is necessary, is it customary for the office to

be one of public trust and confidence. At a regular meeting in January, 16

members present, 2 absent, a tie vote was made, creating the casting vote upon

me. I then decided no> compensation. At the last meeting it was brought up for

repeal. The two absent members being present, voted 011 each side, making the

whole board a tie on the record; but by the absence of some without notice it

was carried, and being a personal matter entirely of the members, justice

requires this explanation on my part."



  On April 23, 1838, an interesting ordinance was passed for regulating business

matters on the Sabbath day. It was to the effect that no steamboat or other boat

should load or unload at the wharves on the river; that wagons should not load

or unload merchandise on the streets: that no person should disturb any

religious congregation; that no person should keep open a grocery,

confectionery, or other place of business; that no one should give away or sell

spirituous liquors; that no one should cut any timber either with ax or saw, nor

should any laborer or merchant exercise his ordinary functions on that day. But

masters of steamboats might, in case of necessity, obtain permission from the

mayor or any two aldermen to load or unload their boats. Any slave violating

this ordinance was subject to a punishment of from five to twenty-five stripes

on the back, unless his or her master, owner or overseer should promptly pay the

fine, which might be imposed in any amount not to exceed fifty dollars.



  On June 17, 1870, a petition signed by a number of the citizens of Knoxville

was presented to the mayor and board of aldermen, asking that the above

ordinance be so modified as to permit the selling of cakes, confectioneries, ice

cream, soda water, fruits and tobacco, which petition was referred to a

committee consisting of B. J. Stephenson and S. D. J. Lewis, for investigation

and report, and they reported that "in their judgment it is a first-rate

document, and one which every good citizen should cheerfully obey. We would not

dot an 'I' nor cross a 't' in the law." This report was adopted by the board.

But on July 15, 1870, an ordinance was adopted by the mayor and board of

aldermen repealing a portion of the above so-called Sunday law,. this repealing

ordinance being to the effect that all laws prohibiting the delivery of ice and

milk, or prohibiting butchers from conveying their meat to their stalls on

Sunday for Monday morning's market, provided the same were done, in a quiet and

orderly manner, at reasonable hours, were repealed.



  The fire department was created November 18, 1870, not that there had been no

fire companies before that time, for therehadbeen several companies that had

rendered the people of the city excellent service. The advent of the first steam

fire engine has already been referred to. By this ordinance of November 18.

1870, the entire fire department of the city was brought under one head and thus

made more effective in case of large fires. By it the office of chief of the

fire department was created, the chief being allowed two assistants, named first

and second assistants. These three officers were to be elected annually by the

mayor and aldermen, and they were to serve without compensation. The chief and

his assistants were to be and to be recognized as the head of the fire

department during the time of any fire, and the captains and foremen of any

companies or hook and ladder companies should defer to the chief and his

assistants: afterward no fire company was to consist of more than fifty persons,

and the engineer of the steam fire engine was to be elected by the board of

mayor and aldermen, and should continue in office during their pleasure.



  On August 25, 1871, when the sale of the Knoxville and Kentucky railroad was

imminent, the mayor and the members of the finance committee were appointed a

committee to confer with the officials of Knox and Anderson counties, and if

possible prevent the loss of the stock in said railroad being lost. The sale

occurred at Nashville a short time afterward, and the mayor received the thanks

of the board of aldermen for the prompt action he had taken, which resulted so

favorably to the city.



  On May 30, 1873, the board of mayor and aldermen ordained that bonds should be

issued to the amount of $125,000 for the purpose of establishing a system of

waterworks, provided the citizens at an election to be held should approve. This

election came off on June 12, and resulted in a vote being cast in favor of the

works of 205 and against them of 191.



  Early in 1873 Mayor Rule caused the erection ofi a house in a retired spot

outside the (limits of the city, to be used as a smallpox hospital, and ordered

the removal of all persons afflicted with that disease to be removed thereto,

appointing Dr. Swan M. Burnett to take charge of the hospital. He also appointed

a board of health, with Dr. F. K. Bailey as health officer.



  On December 15, 1873, a proposition was made to the "United States" to unite

in the construction of a sewer along Prince street from the custom house or

government building down to the river, the sewer to be 14x21 inches in diameter,

to be egg-shaped, and about 1,900 feet long, except that a sewer previously

built by the city from the north side of Front street south to the wharf should

be connected with the proposed sewer and made a part thereof, the city to pay

$772 toward the construction of the new sewer. On the next day this proposition

was accepted on the part of the United States by Gen. J. H. Holman,

superintendent of construction.



  On February 6, 1874, an ordinance provided for the election of a city

physician, at an annual salary of 5300, and on the same day the board elected

Dr. A. B. Tadlock to that position. On March 6, 1874, an ordinance providing

that the mayor should receive for his services $1,000 for the year 1874 was

passed, which also provided that each alderman should receive $75 per annum. Dr.

Tadlock resigned as city physician May 5, 1876, and was succeeded by Dr. S. B.

Boyd, on the 19th of the same month. John M. Brooks was elected chief of the

fire department February 19, 1875, and resigned that position January 23, 1876,

being succeeded by William Coffman.



  July 31, 1875, the board of mayor and aldermen took appropriate action

regarding the death of Andrew Johnson, eulogizing him as a man of the people, as

against being a partisan.



  After repeated attempts to secure the construction of a bridge across the

railroad tracks at the foot of Gay street, an effort was made in 1876 which was

a success. Then the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad company

offered to pay $5,000 toward the construction of such a bridge, and a contract

was made with the Louisville Bridge and Iron Co,. on September 25, to build such

a bridge as was needed for $13,030, the bridge to consist of four spans, each 42

1/2 feet, two spans, each 80 feet, and two spans 56 1/2 feet in length. On the

west side was to be a foot-walk six feet in the clear, and the carriageway was

to be twenty feet in the clear. The city set the masonry pedestals on which rest

trusses and iron piers, and the entire structure was completed by January 1, 1877.



  The proceedings of the board of mayor and aldermen in securing the

construction of a reservoir and establishing a system of waterworks is of more

than passing interest, hence some considerable space is devoted thereto. On

April 11, 1879, a proposition was received by J. J. Fitzpatrick and W. B.

McDonough to establish such a system in Knoxville, this proposition being

submitted to a special committee of four aldermen and eight citizens, afterward,

however, the mayor was added to the committee so as to make the number thirteen.

The aldermen appointed on this committee were Scales, Allison, Lyon and

Sullivan, and the private citizens, Samuel McKinney, Joseph Jaques, J. B.

Hoxsie, John S. Van Gilder, W. W. Woodruff, E. J. Sanford, Charles J. McClung,

and George W. Albers.



  On June 6 this committee reported through Alderman Scales, chairman of a

sub-committee, that the Tennessee river was a good, unfailing and healthful

source of supply, all that was necessary being a reservoir of sufficient

capacity to allow the water to settle after being pumped into it. Two sites were

under consideration—Mabry hill and Fahnestock hill, the former being 132 feet

above the junction of Gay and Clinch streets, and the latter 97 feet above said

junction. Fahnestock hill, 300x220 feet, could be obtained together with a right

of way to the river and a station on the river bank for $3,100, while Mabry

hill, 300x100 feet, together with right of way and station for pumping station

on the bluff, would cost about $8,000. Mabry hill was 263 feet above the

Tennessee, while Fahnestock hill was only 228 feet above it. Mabry hill would

allow the tapping of the river above White Spring branch, the other site below

that branch, and it was thought that on the whole Mabry hill would effect a

saving to the city through the greater effectiveness of the fire department

because of the greater pressure it would give.



  The result of the discussions and reflections on the whole subject was that

the board of mayor and aldermen would, provided a two-thirds vote of the

qualified voters would give their consent thereto at a special election to be

held for the purpose, issue $75,000 in city bonds, for the purpose of

constructing the works. This decision was arrived at on June 6, 1879, by a vote

of eleven for the bonds to four against them, but even these four were in favor

of the works, only preferring some other means of securing their erection. On

the same day a standing committee on waterworks was appointed, consisting of

Aldermen Scales, Sullivan. Allison and Lyon, and Citizens Col. A. Terry, Charles

J. McClung and Peter Kern, and on the 20th of the same month a board of

waterworks trustees consisting of five citizens was provided for and appointed

to have full control of the erection of said works, the members of the committee

being Peter Kern. Charles J. McClung, S. B. Boyd, Peter Staub and Adrian Terry.

Afterward Mr. McClung and S. B. Boyd declined to serve, and their places were

filled by the appointment of Samuel McKinney and John S. Van Gilder.



  The election to determine the sense of the voters was held on June 28, 1879,

resulting in a vote for the bonds of 387 and against them of 170, more than a

two-thirds vote in the affirmative.



  August 7 the board of waterworks trustees, named above, reported that they had

made an agreement with Moses Lane of Milwaukee, and were awaiting his report on

the comparative advantages of the two sites. Mabry hill and Fahnestock hill,

before making a final selection of a site for the reservoir and route to the

river, etc. Moses Lane soon afterward made an elaborate report, which it is not

deemed necessary to present here in full, showing to the trustees all the

elements of advantage possessed by the Fahnestock hill over the Mabry hill, and

favored the construction of a reservoir on the former, together with a standpipe

thirty feet above the water level in the reservoir thus constructed. The

elevation of the two hills, according to Mr. Lane was: Mabry hill. 263 feet

above the Tennessee at low water, and of Fahnestock hill, 228 feet, the

difference in the height to which the water would have to be pumped if Mabry

hill were selected tending largely to determine him in favor of the lower hill.

Fahnestock hill was therefore unanimously selected by the board.



  It had already been determined that the income from the waterworks should be

divided into three parts—one part to be devoted to the running expenses of the

works themselves: a second part to be devoted to paying the interest on the

bonds, and the third part to be set aside as a sinking fund to pay off the

bonds. On September 12, 1879, a waterworks sinking-fund board of trustees was

appointed, consisting of Peter Staub for three years, Peter Kern for two years.

and H. B Branner for one year. On September 26 John S. Van Gilder resigned from

the construction trustees and was succeeded by H. B. Branner. And on this same

day the committee reported that they had made a contract with Messrs. McDonough

& Co. for the erection of the waterworks, the price to be paid being $64,000,

either in money or bonds of the city.



  But notwithstanding the making of this contract there was difficulty ahead not

then foreseen. On April 9, 1880, Samuel McKinney, chairman of the waterworks

commission, stated that in accordance with instructions received from the

council the commissioners had employed eminent counsel in the persons of Judge

George Andrews, Judge H. H. Ingersoll, and Judge J. B. Cook, the latter of

Chattanooga, to pass upon the validity of the waterworks bonds, the issue of

which had been provided for, and that these gentlemen had made an exhaustive

investigation of the whole matter. The conclusion to which they had arrived was

as follows:



  "We are of the opinion that the statute under which the bonds are to be issued

is valid under the constitution of the state, and that the two-thirds vote given

for the issuance of the bonds is sufficient if the election had been held upon

sufficient notice to authorize their issue. We think, however, that by reason of

the failure to give the full notice of ten days as required by the statute, the

election as actually held was void, and that the bonds would be void in the

hands of any person taking them from the city with notice of that fact, and that

while the bonds would be valid in the hands of an innocent purchaser without

notice, any tax-payer might upon promptly filing a bill for that purpose, have

the issuance of the bonds enjoined by the courts."



  On June 3, 1881, it was ordered that the $75,000 worth of bonds which the

board had on hand, but which had not been filled out, were ordered burned, and

they were afterward thus destroyed.



  Captain John M. Brooks, a member of the waterworks commission, then reminded

the council that his commission were without funds and without authority, and

said he thought the people should have another opportunity of voting on the

question. Alderman McCroskey thereupon offered a series of preambles and

resolution to the effect that inasmuch as the preceding proceedings had failed

because of their irregularity, therefore there should be issued $100,000 in

bonds for the object sought, provided the people at an election held for the

purpose, should approve, and April 24, 1880, was chosen as the day on which the

people should again express their will and pleasure on the subject.



  On February 13, 1880, a resolution was introduced to the effect that for the

year 1880 the salary of the mayor should be $300, and that of each of the

aldermen $50. This resolution was vetoed by the mayor, who was in favor of the

mayor of the city and the councilmen serving without any compensation for that

vear. A resolution was almost immediately introduced by Alderman Atkin

protesting against the vetoing of the resolution granting compensation, which

was as follows: "That it is the sense of this board of mayor and aldermen that

the mayor of this city is devoid of the power to veto any of the proceedings of

this council, and we hereby protest against the assumption of the power by H. B.

Branner, mayor, and it is further resolved that the recorder is hereby required

to obey the instructions of this board at its last meeting in reference to the

payment of any bills or salaries at that meeting."



  This resolution was declared by the mayor to be out of order, and upon an

appeal from the mayor's decision. Aldermen Atkin, Burger, Boyd, Caldwell,

Dickson, Irwin, Hudiburg, McAfrry, McCroskey and Michaels voted in favor of the

appeal, while Aldermen Allison, Hockenjos, McLemore, Murphy, O'Connor and

Sullivan voted nay. Not having received a two-thirds vote the appeal was lost.



  On September 10 following this same matter came up again, and a resolution was

adopted allowing the mayor $1,000 for the year and each alderman $75, no protest

being made, except that four of the aldermen voted against the resolution, seven

voting for it.



  The subject of waterworks still occupied the attention of the people and of

the board of mayor and aldermen, notwithstanding the bad luck and failures to

which the cause had been doomed in the past, and on May 6, 1881, the mayor,

Peter Staub, delivered an address to the council in which he stated that

inasmuch as it was not desirable for the city to undertake the building of a

system of waterworks, he thought the privilege of constructing such a system

should be granted to some private company, and suggested that he be authorized

to appoint a committee to receive bids and to report from time to time. A

special committee was therefore authorized and appointed, consisting of Messrs.

Nelson and McLemore, but Mr. McLemore, not wishing to serve. Alderman Brooks was

appointed, the two members thus appointed to act in conjunction with the mayor;

but at length, on June 20, the committee consisted of Peter Staub, the mayor,

and Thomas A. R. Nelson and John M. Brooks. They reported bids from Charles E.

Robinson of New York and from R. D. Woods & Co. of Philadelphia, the latter firm

agreeing to erect waterworks according to the specifications of Moses Lane for

$95,000. Then a proposition made by Charles E. Robinson and H. A. Church was

read and an agreement made between these parties and the city attorney was

approved by the board by a vote of 11 to 4, and the mayor and recorder were

authorized to sign the contract by a vote of 13 to< 2. Next, on October 1, 1881,

still another contract was submitted by F. M. Lawrence of Red Bank. N. J., and

William Runkle of New York, which the committee recommended for adoption, the

citizen members of the committee, J. A. Ravi and J. W. Gaut, being satisfied

with it, and thereupon the following resolution was adopted:



  "Whereas, The special committee on waterworks have received a proposition from

F. M. Lawrence and William Runkle: therefore be it resolved that the mayor and

recorder be and they are hereby authorized to execute a contract as soon as the

said contractors shall have signed the same."



  Then on December 30, 1881, came a suggestion which resulted in the successful

construction of a system of waterworks which had so long and so persistently

been sought, this suggestion being in the form of an application to the board of

mayor and aldermen by several of the citizens for a charter for the Knoxville

Water Company, who stated that neither Mayor Staub nor any of the applicants,

except Mr. Lawrence, the contractor, had a particle of interest financially in

the matter. The mayor and the recorder were then required to sign the charter of

this company and to affix the official seal of the corporation. The Knoxville

Water Company, on July 1, 1882, gave bond in the sum of $25,000 to construct a

system of waterworks in accordance with the plans and specifications of Moses

Lane, to be completed within twelve months, this plan contemplating the use of

eight and a half miles of pipes to weigh 1,221 tons, and the system to supply

2,000,000 gallons of water each twenty-four hours. The president of the

Knoxville Water Company at that time was S. E. Cooke, and the secretary, A.

Barton. The city agreed to pay at the rate of fifty dollars per year for each

hydrant that it used.



  August 8, 1884, a board of health was established by ordinance to consist of

one lawyer, one commercial man and three physicians, regular graduates in

medicine. The members were to be selected by the city council, and to serve one

for one year, one for two years, one for three, one for four and one for five

years, afterward one member to be appointed each year.



  Among other things this board was required to keep an accurate record of the

births, including color, sex, date of birth, etc., and the same particulars in

regard to deaths.



  March 6, 1885, an ordinance was adopted establishing a paid fire department,

which was to consist of one engineer, one stoker, one foreman, and two pipeman,

who were to be elected immediately and afterward annually forever. The wages of

these different members were then fixed as follows: Engineer, $75 per month;

foreman, $50 per month; stoker, $40 per month, and pipemen, $40 each per month.

D. Newman was elected engineer; William Newman, stoker, D. A. Smith, foreman,

and Alexander Flennikin and John Moxley, pipemen.



  January 26, 1886, it was ordained that in addition to the officers prescribed

by the new charter there should be a chief of police, one first and one second

lieutenant, and eighteen patrolmen, to be elected by the board of public works,

as prescribed by the charter, they to hold office during the pleasure of the

board appointing them. Under this new charter the board of public works also had

the authority to appoint n market master, and a watchman and janitor. The

volunteer fire department was to receive such compensation for their services as

they and the board of public works could agree upon.



  On July, 6, 1888, it was determined to erect a new city hall, to cost $14,000,

including the heating apparatus, and on July 19, there was appropriated toward

the cost of this new- building, $14,117. This new city hall was erected at the

north end of the market house, and the first meeting of the board of mayor and

aldermen was held therein on March 29, 1889.



  The necessity for a system of sewers in Knoxville was apparent long before the

establishment of such a. system was practicable. Sewers are useless without

water, and hence before water works were established it would have been useless

to build sewers. But at length, after many attempts and many failures, water

works were constructed in 1882 and the year following, and in 1884 it became

possible to look forward to a thorough sewer system with a reasonable hope of

success in the near future.



  A few of the steps leading up to this success may be of historic interest.

April 18, 1884, the board of health urged upon the board of mayor and aldermen

the construction of such a system of sewers as the city needed, which they said

the coming use of water from the water works would soon demand. On September 18,

1885, Judge H. H. Ingersoll called the attention of the board of mayor and

aldermen to the fact that every day increased the necessity for the

establishment of a system of sewers, a portion of which he thought should be

constructed at the earliest practicable moment from the railroad down Crozier

street to the river and from the railroad down Second creek to the river. Judge

Ingersoll suggested the use of pipes or mains twenty inches in diameter, while

Dr. S. G. Brown thought these mains should be at least thirty inches in diameter.



  On January 21, 1887, Col. J. W. Gaut urgently advised the council to build the

sewers required, and on the same day the passage of an act by the legislature

permitting the issuance of bonds for the purpose was recommended, subject to the

will of the people of Knoxville, to be determined at an election to be held for

that purpose.



  On July 5, 1889, M. E. Thompson was granted the right to lay a sewer main at

his own expense from the corner of Crozier street and Fifth avenue to the river,

along Crozier street said main not to be less than twenty-four inches in

diameter, and to be laid under the direction and supervision of the board of

public works and a competent sanitary engineer, who was to be selected by the

board, this sanitary engineer being required to make a complete survey and plan

of sewerage for the entire city, of which the above-mentioned line permitted to

be laid by Mr. Thompson to be a part of the city's system.



  On February 14, 1890, a committee consisting of John S. Van Gilder, W. W.

Woodruff, J. L. Cooley, L. H. Middleton, J. C. White, John Dempster and Matthew

McClung was appointed to supervise the engineering and other work necessary to

commence the work of establishing such a system of sewers as should be adopted.

On March 8, 1890, the board of public works was requested to correspond with

sanitary engineers of high reputation with the view of ascertaining the

approximate cost of making a thorough and complete survey of the entire locality

and of preparing plans for the best system, of sewers for the whole city.



  January 30, 1891, the mayor informed the board that the bill providing for an

election at which the qualified voters of Knoxville might express their desires

on the question of sewers had passed both branches of the legislature. This bill

was approved by the governor on the 31st, and the election was held under the

provisions of this bill on July 16, 1891, resulting in the casting of 1,220

votes, 1,000 of which were in favor of issuing bonds for sewers and 220 against

such issue. The amount of bonds voted was $500,000, of which $250,000 were to be

used in constructing sewers, $125,000 for the building of bridges and $125,000

for the improvements of the streets.



  On July 8, 1892, the office of sewer engineer was created by the board of

mayor and aldermen, the ordinance creating the office being vetoed by Mayor

Thompson on the ground of economy, and passed over the veto. The salary of this

officer was at first fixed at $1,200, but was afterward raised to $1,500, which

increase was likewise vetoed by Mayor Thompson for the same reason, and was

likewise passed over the veto. W. B. Crenshaw was elected to the office of sewer

engineer. On July 20, 1892, there was appropriated for the construction of

sewers $208,455.02, as follows: For first section sewer, $100,288.12: for second

section sewer, $89,403.65; for sewer in the tenth ward, $8,763.25; and for

preliminary survey, $10,000. In October, 1893, after the sewer system had been

constructed the following summary of the cost of the same was spread upon the

minutes of the council: First creek main sewer, $87,527.97; first creek lateral

sewer, $57,751.20; second creek main sewer, $54,864.20; second creek lateral

sewer, $31,298.00; engineering, $12,899.21; total cost, $244,340.69, from which

was to be deducted for not plastering the main sewer, $750, making the net cost,

$243,590.69.



  Comparisons were made of cost of sewer systems with Memphis and Louisville, as

follows: Memphis system, 53.74 miles, cost $8,132.92 per mile: Louisville,

23,096 lineal feet of brick sewer, the size corresponding as nearly as possible

with the size of the main sewers in Knoxville, cost $198,364.17, or $8.59 per

lineal foot; while 17.558 lineal feet of main sewer in Knoxville cost

$142,410.72, or $8.11 per lineal foot.



  On April 10, 1891, an act was passed extending the limits of the city of

Knoxville so as to include the following territory :



  Beginning at a point in the eastern boundary of the city in the center of the

culvert of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad where said railroad

crosses First creek: thence southwardly following said corporate line down the

course of First creek to a point in the bend of said creek where the present

corporation line leaves said creek; thence with said corporation line

southeastwardly to a point where it crosses the boundary line of the property of

Joseph W. Sneed and the McCammon tract; thence northwardly with the said line of

Sneed and McCammon and with the line between the Mabry tracts, known as the

Mount Isabella tract and Susan Nelson and Mabry's addition on the west and the

McCammon tract, known as Chilhowee park and the Saxton tract on the east: in a

general northerly course crossing the Dandridge pike to Nelson street: thence

eastwardly with the county road, which is the eastern extension of Nelson

street, parts of which are now known as Orange street and Cavalier street, to

the southeast corner of the State Fair Grounds, now known as the Thompson &

Strong addition; thence northwardly to the eastern boundary of the said Thompson

& Strong addition; thence northwardly with the eastern boundary of the said

Thompson & Strong addition to the eastern boundary of the street in said

addition down to the Corso; thence with the eastern boundary of the same

northwardly to Cherry street as laid off in the Cold Spring addition to

Knoxville: thence with said Cherry street still northwardly to the northern

boundary of the said Cold Spring addition to the County road, known as the

"Hardin Hill road;" thence with the said road eastwardly and then northwardly to

the center of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad, and then with

said railroad in a general westward direction to the place of beginning.



  The territory inclosed within the limits above mentioned became the tenth ward

of the city.



  Following is a list of the mayors of Knoxville, together with the periods

during which they severally served: Thomas Emmerson, January 1, 1816, to January

1, 1818; James Park, January 1, 1818, to January 1, 1822; W. C. Mynatt, January

1, 1822, to January 1, 1824: James Park, January 1, 1824, to January 1, 1827: W.

C. Mynatt, Joseph C. Strong, January 1, 1828, to January 1, 1832; Donald

McIntosh, January 1, 1832, to January 1, 1834; Solomon D. Jacobs, 1834 to 1835:

W. C. Mynatt, 1835-36: James King, 1837: W. B. A. Ramsey. January 1, 1838, to

January 1, 1840: Samuel Bell, January 1, 1840, to January 1, 1842: Gideon M.

Hazen, 1842; Matthew M. Gaines, 1843: Samuel Bell, January 1, 1844., to January

1, 1846; Joseph L. King, 1846 to 1847: Samuel B. Boyd, January 1, 1847, to

January 1, 1852: George M. White, January 1, 1852, to January 1, 1854: James C.

Luttrell, January 1, 1854, to January 1, 1855; William G. Swan, January 1, 1855,

to November 1, 1856; James H. Cowan, November 1, 1856, to January 1, 1857;

Samuel A. White, January 1, 1857, to August 1, 1857: Thomas J. Powell, August 1,

1857, to January 1, 1858: James M. White, January 1, 1858, to May 1, 1858; A. M.

Piper, August 1, 1858, to January 1, 1859; James C. Luttrell, 1859 to 1868; M.

D. Bearden, January 1, 1868, to January 1, 1870: John S. Van Gilder, January 1,

1870, to January 1, 1873: William Rule, January, 1873, to January 1874: Peter

Staub, January, 1874, to January, 1876; Daniel A. Carpenter, January, 1876, to

January, 1878; Joseph Jacques, 1878; Samuel B. Luttrell, January, 1879, to

January, 1880; H. B. Brainier, 1880; Peter Staub, 1881; Reuben S. Payne, 1882;

William C. Fulcher, January, 1883, to January, 1885: James C. Luttrell, Jr.,

January, 1885, to January, 1887: Martin J. Condon, January, 1888, to January,

1890; Peter Kern, January, 1890, to January, 1892; M. E. Thompson, January,

1892, to January, 1896: S. G. Heiskell, January, 1896, to January, 1898; William

Rule, January, 1898, to January, 1900.



  At the last election held for mayor and alderman in Knoxville in January,

1898, William Rule was elected by a vote of 1,554 votes over S. G. Heiskell.

then mayor of the city, who received 1,246 votes, and also over Edwin R. Wade,

who received 747 votes, the total vote for mayor being 3.547.



  The successful candidates for aldermen in the several wards were as follows:

First ward, Robert E. McMillan; second ward, H. M. Aiken; third ward: George W.

Brown, fourth ward, W. H. Gass: fifth ward, Joseph M. Trigg; sixth ward, Samuel

E. Cleage; seventh ward, O. T. Smith: eighth ward, Charlton Karnes; ninth ward.

A. D. Waltz: tenth ward, J. C. Sterchi, and eleventh ward, J. W. Saylor.



  Sanford N. Littleton was elected chairman of the board of public works. The

associate members are John L. Hudiburg and Thomas Munsey.



  C. C. Nelson, who had served the city as recorder and treasurer since 1880 was

elected again by the board of aldermen, and is now the incumbent of the two

offices, and is under the city charter ex officio justice of the peace.



  The city attorney is T. L. Carty: city engineer, W. A. Gage since March 23,

1898, and the city physician. Dr. H. P. Coile.



  The present status of the board of health is as follows: On September 16,

1898, there was appointed a board of health of the city of Knoxville, which has

for its object the protection of life and the care, promotion, preservation of

the health of the people, and has advisory sanitary jurisdiction of the city and

for one mile beyond the city limits; and during the prevalence of pestilential,

contagious, infectious or epidemic diseases it may extend its jurisdiction, to a

distance of ten miles beyond the limits of the corporation. The board consists

of six members, one of whom must be a lawyer, one a commercial man, three of

them physicians, and the other is the city physician. The three physicians are

required to be graduates of medicine and residents of Knoxville, and the city

physician is the secretary of the board of health, serving without extra salary

other than that received as city physician. The office of health officer was on

the same day abolished, the patrolmen of the city being required to act in that

capacity, each in his respective beat, and the associate members of the board of

public works were required to be present, one each week on alternate weeks, at

the office of the city physician during regular office hours to receive the

reports of the patrolmen. The members of the board of health appointed November

18, 1898, were as follows: Dr. J. M. Black, H. J. Kelso, J. H. Kincaid, H. W.

Hall and S. P. Fowler.



  The charter of the city of Knoxville, under which its government is now

conducted, was enacted by the legislature of the state June 10, 1885. The first

paragraph reads as follows: "The inhabitants of the city of Knoxville,

Tennessee, within the present boundaries of said city, embracing nine wards as

at present constituted, are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by

the name and the style of the board of mayor and aldermen of the city of
Knoxville."



  Section 3 of said charter provided that: "The corporate authorities of said

city of Knoxville shall be vested in the board of mayor and aldermen, a board of

public works and such officers as may be appointed or elected in pursuance of

law. The board of mayor and aldermen shall be composed of nine aldermen, who

shall be elected for a term of two years at a general election by the qualified

voters of the said city, each of the nine wards electing' by its qualified

voters one alderman, that person being elected who shall receive the largest

number of votes."



  The compensation for the services of the mayor was fixed at $1,000 per year,

and could not be changed during his term of office. By section 24 of this

charter the board of mayor and aldermen were prohibited from levying in any one

year "for any and all purposes, ordinary and extraordinary, a higher rate of tax

than 1 1-4 per cent of the assessed value of the taxable property within its

limits."



  Section 30 of the charter provided that there should be a board of public

works composed of three persons, one of whom should be elected by the people and

serve four years, the other two to be nominated by the mayor and confirmed by

the board of aldermen, one to serve two years and the other four years, and each

two years thereafter one member of the board should be similarly nominated and

confirmed. The salary of the chairman of the board was fixed at $1,800 and those

of the associate members at $600.



  Sections 63 and 64 provided that there should be a board of education to

consist of five members, not members of the board of mayor and aldermen, who-

should be elected by said board of mayor and aldermen from the citizens and

qualified voters of the town, by ballot, each member of the board of education

to serve five years.



  This charter also provided for the election of a board of public works, the

chairman of which was to be elected by the people, to hold office for the term

of four years, with two associate members to be appointed by the mayor, who

should also have a tenure of four years, except one of the first should hold

only two years, so that one associate member should thereafter be chosen every

two years. At the first election held under this charter, in 1886, Col. Isham

Young was elected chairman of the board and he held the office until August,

1889, when he lost his life in a railroad accident. The first associate members

were Peter Kern and Col. Adrian Terry. At the biennial election in 1890 John

Gleason was elected chairman; in 1894 Reps Jones and in 1898 the present

incumbent, Sanford N. Littleton, with whom the associate members are John L.

Hudiburg and Thomas Munsey.



  The original contract between the city of Knoxville and the Knoxville Gas

Light Company was made in 1855, and was to continue in force forty years. The

gas supplied to the city was to be as good as that furnished upon the streets

and to the citizens of Nashville by the Nashville Gas Company. This contract

remained in force until 1883, when on account of the many improvements made in

the methods of manufacturing gas the officials of the city of Knoxville demanded

that the Knoxville Gas Light Company should grant a reduction in the price of

gas. Gas could be made in 1883, these officials claimed, at least fifty per cent

cheaper than in 1855. In 1885 the city officials made an investigation, finding

that the price of gas was still too high and secured another reduction, a new

contract being entered into, but afterward the gas being manufactured by a

cheaper process was not of such great illuminating power.



  In 1886 a contract was entered into between the city and the electric light

company by which the latter agreed to light the city for $10,000 per annum, a

saving of $4,000 per annum, or of $36,000 for the remaining part of the gas

company's contract. This was not done, however, until the company had given

bonds to the city to guard against loss that the latter might sustain in

litigation over the breaking of the gas company's contract. Arrangements were,

however, made with the g-as company by which the company agreed to permit the

displacement of its gas lights on Gay street, the Market Square and the Custom

House Square with electric lights, and this displacement occurred only after

correspondence with various electric lighting companies in different cities of

the North.



  The officers of the Knoxville Gas Light Company at the present time are as

follows: R. R. Swepson, president; L. H. Spilman, vice-president, elected in

1898, succeeding Dr. A. D. Leach; E. H. Saunders, secretary and treasurer,

succeeding R. C. Jackson soon after Mr. Jackson's death; Robert Young,

superintendent since 1895. The works of this company from the time of its

organization in 1855 down to 1888 were on the bank of the Tennessee river near

the foot of Locust street: but in this latter year, on account of the

encroachments the city was making in its growth in the vicinity of the works,

new works were erected on Jacksboro street near Munson street. Here the company

has two gas holders, or reservoirs, only one of which is now in use, this one

having a capacity of 350,000 cubic feet. The price of gas to consumers has been

reduced at different times, beginning at $5 per 1,000 cubic feet, then being

reduced to $2.50. and in 1885 to $1.50, for lighting purposes, while for cooking

purposes the price is $1 per 1,000 cubic feet. Gas is now used for lighting

purposes by about 2,000 patrons of the company, and for cooking purposes by

about 600 patrons.



  The Knoxville Water company was organized December 26, 1881, and application

for a charter made by the following gentlemen as incorporators: Peter Staub, J.

M. Brooks, F. M. Loweree, Joseph T. McTeer, Hector Coffin, Alvin Barton and H.

H. Ingersoll.



  In June, 1882, the Knoxville City Water company, composed of F. H. McClung, W.

W. Woodruff, S. B. Luttrell, James D. Cowan, C. J. McClung, M. L. Ross, John S.

Van Gilder, C. M. McGhee and George W. Ross was organized, and this company, as

well as the Knoxville Water company and J. A. Cloud & Co., submitted bids for

the construction of water works for the city.



  On June 16, 1882, the proposition of the Knoxville Water company was accepted,

which was in part that the system of works should have a capacity and quality of

machinery and material equal to that contemplated by the specifications of Moses

Lane as supplemented by S. H. Lockett, the reservoir to contain, 3,200,000

gallons of water; the company to establish seventy-five hydrants, sixty-three of

which were to be located at points indicated in the Lane plan, and twelve on the

line of new mains and points designated by the city, twenty of them to have

double nozzles; the supply of water to be at least 2,000,000 gallons of water

every twenty-four hours. The city was to pay $50 as rental for each hydrant.



  In February, 1894, the Knoxville Water company began making important

improvements, then greatly needed, including the standpipe now on Reservoir

hill, which is eighty-five feet high and thirty-two feet in diameter, and the

large filtration plant. The filtration house is a brick structure 60x112 feet in

size, and contains a high service pumping engine and boilers, and also the

filters. This improvement was made because the company had agreed to furnish

North Knoxville with filtered water, and the intention was to give filtered

water to the entire city. The standpipe cost about $15,000; the filter plant

building about $18,000, and the machinery itself nearly $20,000, the entire cost

of the improved filter plant being nearly $100,000. It was finished in

September, 1894. In August, 1894, the company began making extensive

improvements at the pumping station on the river bank, increasing its size to

about double what it was before, and putting in a new 4,000,000 gallon pump and

a new intake. During this same year and 1895 the company also relaid a large

part of its pipes in the city, and added eight or ten miles of pipes. Since the

beginning of 1894 the entire system has been made new, except the reservoir.

There are now from forty-five to fifty miles of mains, ranging in size from

twenty inches down to three inches, this being the smallest pipe now used. The

company rents to the city at the present time (February, 1899) 214 hydrants at a

cost to the city of $10,128 per year. The president of the company is William

Wheeler of Boston, Mass.; secretary, E. T. Sanford of Knoxville; treasurer and

general manager, Elbert Wheeler of Boston, Mass.; and superintendent, Frank C.

Kimball of Knoxville.



  The Lonsdale-Beaumont Water company was incorporated in 1892, the charter

members being D. S. McIntyre, C. H. Hudson, W. M. Baxter, D. T. McIntyre and H.

P. Coile, and was organized with H. P. Coile, president; C. H. Hudson,

vice-president, and D. S. McIntyre, secretary and treasurer. Its authorized

capital stock was $100,000. The purpose of the organization was to supply water

to West Knoxville and other territory, and in furthering this purpose the

Tillery spring was purchased, located at the head of Third creek. Afterward the

company secured perpetual leases of other springs in the same locality and also

valuable springs at the head waters of Third creek, from which latter springs

alone the system has been supplied so far. The first to be used was the Griffin

spring, four miles from the city, and later the famous Blanc spring, 3,000 feet

above the Griffin spring, was added to the system. These two springs furnish the

water supply to West Knoxville, including such prominent institutions as the

University of Tennessee, and also the Southern car shops. Lonsdale, Knoxville

college, and the Knoxville woolen mills.



  The springs were at first thoroughly cleaned out and walled up by heavy stone

masonry and then capped over, so as to prevent the admission of any

contaminating substance. From these springs the water is piped four and a half

miles to an impounding reservoir situated on the Clinton pike and the K. C., G.

& L. railway, and excavated in solid rock. It is fifty-three feet in diameter

and twenty-two feet deep. The pumping station is located at the reservoir, the

pump being a Dean duplex capable of pumping 2,000.000 gallons every twenty-four

hours. The water is pumped three-fourths of a mile into a standpipe seventy feet

high and twenty-five feet in diameter located on Beaumont ridge, two miles north

of Fort Sanders. The system consists of seventeen miles of pipe ranging from two

to twelve inches in diameter, and has a pressure capable of throwing five fire

streams to an average height of 120 feet in West Knoxville, rendering the use of

fire engines unnecessary in that part of the city. The officers of this company

at this time are W. S. Shields, president; Alexander McMillan, vice-president;

and H. W. Lyman, secretary and treasurer.



  The first steam fire engine brought to Knoxville was the J. C. Luttrell, No.

1, in 1867, a brass Silsby engine, not now in use. While not the first in the

southern states, yet it was near the first. Augusta, Ga., Macon, Ga., and

Memphis, Tenn., having had steam fire engines of this make about one year

earlier. The next steam fire engine bought was the Alexander Allison, in 1876,

which is now at the Central Market station, and is known as engine No. 2. The

third was bought in 1893, and is named the M. E. Thompson, located at the

Central station on Commerce street, between Gay and State streets, at which

station, besides the engine company, there is also a hook and ladder company,

and a 65-foot extension ladder.



  The fire department is now officered as follows: V. F. Gossett. chief; Capt.

W. H. Salmon, assistant chief, and captain of the hook and ladder company, with

five men under him; A. G. Bayless, captain of engine company No. 3, at the

Central station, with seven men under him; John B. Hawkins, captain of engine

company No. 2, at Central Market station, with six men under him. Herman Schenk

is the city electrician.



  On March 16, 1888, a contract was made with the Gaynor company of Louisville.

Ky., for putting in a complete fire alarm system for the city. At first there

were to be forty-five stations and the price $7,500. At the same time a fire

brigade station was located in North Knoxville. The work of erecting the poles

for the fire alarm system began January 24, 1889. This system was in use until

1897, on August 27 of which year the board of mayor and aldermen accepted a new

and much improved system. This was the new Gaynor six-circuit repeater, and the

Gamewell six-circuit automatic standard combination repeater and storage battery

board, the apparatus consisting of one complete chloride accumulator storage

batterry plant of 100 cells with the necessary shelves or cabinet; one

six-circuit combination slate base switch board containing the necessary

rheostats, lamps, meters, galvanometers, switches, etc. The price for putting in

the entire system was $3,000, of which $2,200 was paid in cash and the old

system turned in for $800. Knoxville was the second city in the southern states

to adopt this system, Houston, Texas, being the first. The six-circuit automatic

switch board put in here was the first of that size in the United States. It has

given complete satisfaction and is as near perfection as such things can

possibly be.



  In 1891 the Fifth avenue bridge over the Knoxville & Ohio railroad was

constructed, the contract for its construction being let on January 8 to the

King Iron & Bridge company. The city appropriated $5,200 toward the payment for

the land condemned, the entire cost of the bridge being $14,835 outside of the

masonry. The span of the bridge is 480 feet, the first span being 117 1-4 feet:

the second 103, the third 80 feet. The first trestle is 110 feet, and the

trestle on the Branner street end 70 feet. The bridge is of the Pratt truss

pattern, the roadway is twenty feet wide and the foot-walk eight feet wide.



  The following bridges over First creek were built in 1892, the contracts for

them being let on April 29, that year: Oak street, Church street and Hill

street. The Oak street bridge was let to the Groton Bridge company for $21,000:

the Church street bridge to the King Iron & Bridge company for $13,450, and the

Hill street bridge to the same company for $19,150. For the Oak street bridge

the masonry cost $6,793 and the superstructure $530, making the total cost of

the bridge $28,323; for the Church street bridge the masonry cost $4,459 and the

superstructure $795, making the total cost of this bridge $18,704, and for the

Hill street bridge the masonry cost $5,451 and the superstructure $630, making

the whole cost of this bridge $25,231.



  Knoxville had no good streets prior to 1893, though some of them had been

macadamized for several years. After long consideration and investigation as to

the success met with in other cities with brick pavement, it was decided to put

down pavements of this kind on a portion of the streets. It is not to be denied

that so thoroughly had the city authorities become satisfied that great

expectations were entertained with respect to this kind of pavement, and on

August 25, 1893, Miss Mary Gaines, a granddaughter of the then oldest living

ex-mayor of the city, M. M. Gaines, laid the first brick in the sand on Gay

street near Main. Previous to the laying of this first brick, however, there

were interesting preliminary exercises. Mayor M. E. Thompson announced that

these exercises would begin with prayer, which prayer was delivered by Rev. Dr.

James Park. Then followed an oration by Walter M. Cocke, a prominent young

Knoxville lawyer. The oration having been delivered, Mr. Gillespie, general

manager of the paving company, handed the first brick to Miss Gaines, who laid

it in the sand. By night of that day about one-half the block on Gay street from

Main to Cumberland street had been laid.



  When this brick paving began the old stone pavement had to be taken up. It

consisted of cobble stone, and was put down in 1848 under the direction of

Albert Miller Lea, a professor of mathematics and a civil engineer. Mr. Lea

paved the wharves and Prince street up to Main. The work was continued on other

streets in the old city, and on Gay street up to 1852.



  On November 20, 1893, a contract was let to John Shea for paving Market

Square, which was completed by January, 1894, at a cost of $12,118.42, and at

that time Crozier street from the railroad north to Depot street was nearly

complete, and Commerce street from Gay street to the Palace. Hotel was under

contract.



  The following extract from the message of Hon. William Rule, mayor of

Knoxville, is of interest, as showing the financial condition of the city on

January 6, 1899, the day on which the message was read :



  "The bonded indebtedness of the city now amounts to $1,128,600. On $292,600 of

that amount the city is paying interest at the rate of six per cent. On $34,000

the rate is four per cent, and on the remainder, $962,000, the rate is five per

cent. The annual interest now being paid out of the city treasury on this bonded

indebtedness is $67,016.



  "The floating debt, including $10,000 recently appropriated for the

maintenance of the schools, and estimating some minor judgments rendered against

the city in the courts, is $86,566.06, the annual interest on which, at the rate

of six per cent would be, in round numbers, $5,200. This added to that on the

bonded debt will make the interest charge against the city to be provided for in

the budget of the next fiscal year $72,216.



  "Of the floating debt here mentioned, $56,766.06 was handed down to us as a

legacy from the old municipalities, as follows:



Old Knoxville           $43,124.11

West Knoxville            9,953.25

North Knoxville           3,688.70

                        __________

Total                   $56,766.06



  "In addition to this the floating debt has been increased during the fiscal

year by items over which the present board of mayor and aldermen had no control,

as follows:



The J. W. Sneed judgment        $15.500

Bill of Gaynor Fire Alarm Co      1,700

Sundry court judgments            1,700

Total                           $18,900



  "It thus appears and is a fact that outside the judgments rendered by the

courts for which this board is not responsible, and which were in a measure

unavoidable, and, excepting the loan for the public schools, the present city

council has increased the floating debt only about $500."



  Following is a list of postmasters at Knoxville with the dates of their

appointment, kindly furnished upon request by J. L. Bristow, fourth assistant

post-master general: George Roulstone, April 1, 1795; John Crozier, August 30,

1797; Lewis P. Roberts, December 3, 1838; James W. Campbell, March 26, 1841;

Samuel W. Bell, January 18, 1845; James C. Luttrell, June 26, 1849; John E.

Helms, April 5, 1853; Felix W. Earnest, February 21, 1856; George W. Harris,

July 27, 1857; J. F. J. Lewis, March 8, 1858; Charles W. Charlton, May 3. 1859;

James C. Luttrell, July 20, 1861; James Rodgers, April 9, 1869: William Rule,

March 14, 1873; Oliver P. Temple, October 21, 1881; James M. King, October 19,

1885; Jonn L. Hudiburg, April 9, 1889: J. W. Gaut, February 16, 1894, and

William L. Trent, February 23, 1898.



  The report of the Knoxville postoffice, as completed November 3, 1898, for the

fiscal year ending June 30, 1898, was as follows: Receipts for July, 1897,

$6,262.34; for August, $5,821.11; September, $5,964.23; October, $7,156.85;

November, $6,140.04; December, $6,755.26; January, 1898, $6,881.72; February,

$6,049.73; March, $6.716.27; April, $6,180.37; May. $6,301.37; and June,

$5,903.51; total amount received, $76,132.80, or an average monthly receipt of

$6,344.40.



  Up to near the beginning of the civil war the growth of the town was rather

slow, and its intercourse with the world outside of the mountain ranges plainly

in view in all directions was necessarily limited. But in 1856 the first

railroad reached the town from Georgia, and in 1857 railroad connections were

made with the state of Virginia. But the civil war for a time put an end to

progress in this direction, and during the war much of the town was destroyed by

fire. The battle of Fort Saunders, fought on Sunday morning, November 29, 1863,

in which nearly 1,000 lives were lost, was one of the most severe of the war,

when the time it lasted is taken into account. And during the period of

reconstruction the growth of the city was also necessarily slow, and yet many of

the soldiers of both Federal and Confederate armies, delighted with the climate

and other features of this region, settled down here and have since made it

their permanent homes. In 1865 there were but 4,000 inhabitants in the city; in

1870 there were 8,000; in 1880 there were 10,000: in 1890 there were 22,535

within the city proper, and when the population of the suburbs is added there

were over 40,000. In 1898 there are 50,000, of whom about one-fifth are negroes,

this being a smaller proportion than is found in any other southern city.



EAST KNOXVILLE



Was incorporated by an act of the legislature passed February 22, 1856, and was

bounded as follows:



  Beginning at the mouth of First creek in the Holston river; on the line of the

corporation of the city of Knoxville; thence up the meanders of said river to

the mouth of Samuel McCammon's spring branch: thence up said branch, including

his spring, and from thence in a direct line to the lower end of the Bell place

on First creek, the line of the corporation of Knoxville, and thence down said

creek with the corporation line to the place of beginning: provided that the

corporation of East Knoxville shall not be responsible for the keeping up of the

bridges, but the same shall continue county bridges as heretofore, unless the

said corporation shall otherwise agree with the county court to take charge of

said bridges.



  This act provided for the division of the corporation of East Knoxville into

three wards, and for the election by the qualified voters of a mayor and for two

aldermen from each ward. William Swan, William F. Seav and James Rodgers, or any

two of them, were authorized to make the division into wards, which they did.

According to this charter an election for mayor and six aldermen was held on the

second Saturday of March that year, and was to be so held each succeeding year.

In 1856 the mayor elected was William Swan, and the aldermen were as follows:

First ward, James Rodgers and Samuel Morrow; second ward, W. G. Brownlow and S.

S. Thompson, and third ward, James O. Patton and J. B. G. Kinsloe.



  William Swan was elected mayor in 1857 and also in 1858; James Rodgers in

1859, resigning in October of that year. William Craig being elected to fill out

the unexpired term; Mr. Craig was elected in 1860; W. G. Brownlow in 1861;

William Craig in 1862, 1863 and 1864; John S. Van Gilder in 1865 and 1866; M. L.

Hall in 1867 and S. H. Smith in 1868, serving until the annexation of East

Knoxville to Knoxville in January, 1869.



  William F. Seay was recorder and treasurer of East Knoxville during the

existence of that corporation.



  On October 29, 1868, a called meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen of

East Knoxville was held for the purpose of discussing the propriety of

annexation to the city of Knoxville, at which were present S. H. Smith, mayor,

and Aldermen Foster, Burger, Householder, Stephenson and Johnson. M. D. Bearden,

mayor of Knoxville, was present and made a speech on the subject in favor of the

annexation, and extending the boundary of Knoxville so as to include East

Knoxville. This step was finally approved and the two corporations merged into one.



  The last meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen of East Knoxville was held

January 5, 1869, at which there were present the mayor. S. H. Smith, and

Aldermen Childress, Stephenson, Burger, Dozier, Foster and Johnson. The mayor

stated that inasmuch as in a few days the corporation of East Knoxville would

cease to exist, he thought it best for the board to bring their business to a

close, and on motion it was ordered by the board that inasmuch as the property

of the corporation had been listed for twelve months on March 8, 1868, and that

only ten months in the year would expire before it would have to be listed

again, therefore



  Be it Resolved, That all uncollected taxes be reduced one-sixth, and that all

persons who had paid their taxes should have refunded to them one-sixth of what

they had paid.



  A contract made some time before with William Hays to excavate and macadamize

Water street from Main street near M. J. Childress's residence to the Holston

river was reported by the street committee by H. Foster, chairman, this contract

having been entered into October 28, 1868. This was the last entry made on the

records of East Knoxville.



  On October 19, 1894, a communication was received from each of the two

outlying corporations. North and West Knoxville, with reference to the

consolidation of the three corporations, and Knoxville, favoring such

consolidation, appointed as her two commissioners Judge Joseph W. Sneed and John

S. Van Gilder. The legislature of the state on April 2, 1897, passed an act

providing that the three cities might become one if they so desired, but this

act also provided that an election should be held within four months from the

time of its approval, at which the people should have the right to choose

between consolidation and remaining as they were, separate cities. This election

was held in all three cities on the same day. July 23, 1897, with the result

that there were cast in Knoxville 699 votes for consolidation, and 35 against

it; in North Knoxville. 154 votes for it to 87 against, and in West Knoxville

142 votes for it to 6 against it, making in all 995 votes for to 183 against

consolidation.



NORTH KNOXVILLE



Was incorporated under an act of the legislature of the state attested by John

Allison, secretary of state, January 16, 1889. A meeting was held February 4.

1889, of citizens in this portion of what is now Knoxville to effect the

organization of the government of North Knoxville, an election having been held,

at which the following officers were elected: L. A. Gratz, mayor; and A. W.

Anderson, S. A. Caldwell, W. E. Moses, O. T. Roberts, W. O. White and J. W.

Ward, aldermen, the number of votes cast at this election being 239. Following

is the act of incorporation referred to above, showing the boundaries of the

territory included in North Knoxville:



  "Be it known that the city of North Knoxville, Tennessee, situated in Knox

county, state of Tennessee, and beginning at the eastern side of the right of

way of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad where it intersects

with the corporate limits of the city of Knoxville, Term.; thence with said

eastern line of said right of way to its intersection with Ricker street; thence

with the center of said Ricker street to its intersection with Pearson avenue;

thence with the center of Pearson avenue to its intersection with the east line

of the right of way of the Knoxville, Tazewell and Jacksboro turnpike; thence in

a direct line north 83 degrees west to the center of Morse street; thence with

the center of Morse street in a southwesterly direction to the boundary line

between the Second and Twelfth Civil districts of Knox county; thence with the

said boundary line to the northern boundary line of the corporation of the city

of Knoxville, Tenn.: thence with said boundary line of the said city of

Knoxville, Tenn., to the beginning, is hereby duly and legally incorporated, and

as such is entitled to all the benefits and is subject to all the

responsibilities of the laws of the state applicable to municipal corporations."



  The offices of recorder and treasurer were combined, and Robert Irwin elected

thereto, and A. M. Burns was elected policeman, afterward called marshal, each

of these two officers to receive forty dollars per month. February 12, 1889, the

tax upon each $100 worth of taxable property for the unexpired portion of that

year was fixed at seventy-five cents and poll tax at $1 per year.



  As no modern corporation can carry on its improvements and conduct its

business without borrowing money, so North Knoxville, on April 13, 1889,

submitted the question to the legal voters at an election held that day as to

whether they would authorize the issuance of $100,000 in bonds for the

improvement of the streets, etc., the result of the election being that 159

votes were cast, 156 of which were in favor of the issuance of the bonds. On May

4 following an ordinance was passed providing for the issuance of the bonds,

which were to run thirty years and bear interest at the rate of five per cent.

On May 11, a contract was entered into with McDonald, Shea & Co. to grade the

streets at certain prices: for instance, solid rock excavation cost the

corporation 75 cents per cubic yard, loose rock 35 cents, and earth 17 cents per

cubic yard.



  In many instances corporations in issuing bonds meet with unforeseen

difficulties, and North Knoxville was no exception to the rule. The sale of its

bonds having been effected, the purchasers declined to take them for the reason

that although the assessment of property within the corporation had been fixed

by law on January 10, 1889, yet the assessment was not actually made until some

time in June, and the election authorizing the issue of the bonds was held in

April. In order therefore to enable North Knoxville to sell her bonds, another

election was necessary to be held after the actual assessment of the property.

This election was therefore held August 22, 1889, resulting in the casting of

199 votes, of which only three were cast against the issue of bonds. The

assessment made in June showed that there was in the corporation of taxable

property $1,020,550, and under the law they could borrow not over ten per cent

of this valuation, hence the issuance of $100,000 in bonds was clearly within

the law.



  A chemical fire-engine was purchased and paid for, after being submitted to a

severe test on September 21, 1889.



  On February 3, 1890, the city engineer submitted a report as to the amount of

work done on the streets and the cost for the previous nine months, which was in

substance as follows: That there had been graded 40,380 lineal feet of streets,

in doing which there had been excavated 126,861.1 cubic yards of stone and

earth, besides other work, all at a cost of $26,883.01.



  February 8, 1890, the finance committee reported that the receipts of the

corporation had been up to that time $126,804.78, and the disbursements $93,167.27.



  On February 1, 1890, L. A. Gratz was re-elected mayor, and the following

aldermen were elected: O. T. Roberts, A. W. Anderson., W. O. White, T. P.

Roberts, John Shea and W. E. Moses for the first, second, third, etc.,

districts, respectively. L. A. Gratz was again elected mayor in 1891 and 1892.

this year by 137 votes, as against 70 votes cast for W. A. Wray. In 1893 W. L.

Welcker was elected mayor, and served continuously in that office as long as

North Knoxville existed as a separate corporation. Robert Irwin continued to

serve as recorder and treasurer until his death in August, 1894, when he was

succeeded by W. E. Moses, who held that office until the consolidation of the

corporations. On February 20, 1892, the finance committee reported that for the

three years of the existence of the corporation the receipts had been $138,318.73.



  In 1892 by a vote of the people of North Knoxville the council was authorized

to issue $75,000 in bonds for street improvements, and for a sewer system, but

later, when the question of consolidation with Knoxville had been settled, the

mayor of North Knoxville. Hon. W. L. Welcker, in an address to the council,

advocated the repeal of the ordinance by which such issue had been authorized,

for the reason that the city of Knoxville would have no right to either issue

the bonds or expend the money, which recommendation was complied with.



  October 6, 1894, a resolution was adopted by the mayor and aldermen of

Knoxville inviting North Knoxville and West Knoxville to unite with Knoxville in

one corporation, and stating that as such consolidation could not be effected

without the consent of the legislature, a fair and just plan of union should be

prepared and submitted to the legislature for its approval; and also suggesting

a consolidation commission be appointed by each of the three corporations to

consist of seven members, two of them from each of the three corporations, and

one to be chosen by these six from the ex-tenth ward. North Knoxville agreed to'

this proposition, only modifying it in such a way as to require that one of the

two members from each city should be the city attorney of said corporation, in

order that the legal questions involved might be thoroughly understood by the

consolidation commission, and named the Hon. W. L. Welcker as one of her

commissioners. The city of Knoxville appointed Hon. Joseph W. Sneed and John S.

Van Gilder as her two commissioners. All of this matter, however, had to be

submitted to the people, and hence on July 23, 1897, an election was held in

North Knoxville as well as in the other corporations, to determine whether the

people were willing to consolidate their three cities in accordance with the

provisions of the act of the legislature providing therefor; the result being as

given on a preceding page.



  On July 26 the mayor and aldermen of North Knoxville resolved that inasmuch as

the act providing for consolidation had in every particular been complied with

that the said act had therefore become effective for the consolidation of the

three corporations at the time specified therein, viz.:



  On January 18, 1898, a statement was presented to the board of aldermen

showing that the cash receipts of the corporation from February 13, 1897, to

January 1, 1898, had been $26,255.54, and there was on hand $732.16. The

property of the corporation, according to the inventory presented, among other

things of less value, consisted of one steam road roller, worth $1,800; school

buildings and city hall, $15,000; lots, $6,000; school furniture, $2,750;

furniture in the large building, $1,000, and electrical and physical apparatus,

$150; total, $26,750.



  The last meeting of the board of aldermen of North Knoxville was held January

21, 1898, and consisted of two sessions. one in the afternoon, the other in the

evening. After receiving the finance committee's report, and adopting a

resolution approving of the official conduct of the recorder and treasurer. W.

E. Moses, and of the marshal, W. T. Farmer, as faithful, sober, energetic and

efficient officers, the council adjourned sine die. The minutes were then signed

by the following members, who were present: W. L. Welcker, mayor; W. R. Carter,

James A. Hensley, David T. McMallin and George W. Peters, aldermen.



WEST KNOXVILLE



Was incorporated March 8, 1888, the territory included being bounded as follows:

In the twenty-fourth civil district, beginning on the Tennessee river at the

mouth of Second creek; thence up said creek with the east bank thereof to Asylum

street; thence westward with Asylum street to the East Tennessee. Virginia and

Georgia railroad; thence westward with said railroad to where it crosses

Crawford's branch; thence south with said branch to Third creek; thence down

Third creek to the Tennessee river, and thence up said river to the place of

beginning.



  The incorporation was decided on by the people at an election held March 3,

1888, at which there were cast 231 votes, 165 of which, were in favor of the

incorporation. The movement for incorporation, however, began on January 21,

1888, when notice was given that application for a charter would be made, those

signing this notice being as follows: W. W. Woodruff, W. H. Simmonds, George

Andrews, J. M. Thornburg, John Marshall, M. L. Ross, W. P. Smith, James M. Meek,

A. G. Scott, R. F. Galyon, W. H. Collett, W. H. Salmon, S. R. Ogden, W. B.

Henderson, S. H. Johnson, G. W. Searle, and G. L. Maloney. At the election held

on March 3, the following gentlemen were chosen as mayor and aldermen: J. W.

Yoe, mayor; F. K. Huger, M. L. Ross, E. H. Flenniken, Frank Barker, W. P. Smith

and R. Z. Roberts. The first meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen was held

at the school house on Altavia street, March 28, 1888. At this meeting an

organization was effected, and on April 9, A. G. Scott was elected recorder and

treasurer, and John M. Luttrell, marshal. April 26, the name of Kingston Pike

was changed to Cumberland avenue. August 3, J. G. McClannahan made a report to

the board that the number of inhabitants in West Knoxville was 1,520, and that

the number of school children was 532, of which number there were 481 white

children and 51 colored.



  In December, 1888, "Payne Circle" was offered to the corporation as a public

park, and after some preliminary matter had been satisfactorily arranged the

"Circle" became the property of the city of West Knoxville, January 4, 1889.



  The first movement looking toward the improvement of the streets, alleys,

etc., was made March 23, 1889, when an election was ordered to determine whether

the voters would authorize a bond issue of $75.000 for such purpose, the

election being held April 5 following, with the result that there were cast 200

votes for the issue of the bonds and none against such issue. On April 4, 1890,

a contract was entered into with Thomas P. Wells for such excavation as might be

necessary in the work of grading the streets, the several prices being as

follows: For earth excavations, 17 cents per cubic yard; for loose rock, 35

cents, and for solid rock 65 cents. For hauling more than 500 feet Mr. Wells was

allowed 1 1-2 cents per cubic yard for each additional 100 feet. On the same day

the finance committee reported that the receipts of the city for the year ending

March 15, 1890, had been $93,290.30, and that the expenses had been $68,035.50.

leaving a balance on hand of $25,254.80. The indebtedness of the city was

$75.000, less $500 in the hands of the sinking fund commission.



  The work of giving West Knoxville a sewerage system was one of the most

important undertaken by the board of mayor and aldermen during the existence of

the corporation. It was begun in 1893, and on October 5, 1894, the sewer

commission made a report to the board that there had been laid in the streets of

the corporation 20,328 feet of sewers. On November 5, 1894, there had been laid

33,372 feet, twenty-eight siphons had been put in, eighty-eight manholes built

and 212 house connections made. December 7, 1894, the city engineer, J. C.

Wright, reported that in West Knoxville there had been laid pipe of all sizes

the following lengths: Of 12-inch sewer pipe, 855.5 feet; of 10-inch sewer pipe,

1,581.6 feet; of 8-inch sewer pipe, 16,528.8 feet; of 6-inch sewer pipe,

15,493.3 feet; of 12-inch iron pipe, 204 feet, and of 8-inch iron pipe, 96 feet;

total feet, 34,755.2, or 6.58 miles. He said that the sewer system was

sufficient for a city of 40,000 people.



  On October 11, 1894, an agreement was made between Knoxville and West

Knoxville that the latter corporation might make connections with the Second

Creek main sewer at Asylum street, at Clinch street and at Main street, on the

condition that West Knoxville pay to Knoxville $3,000, which should become the

property of the city of Knoxville in case the two corporations should be

consolidated on or before January 1, 1896, otherwise the money should be

expended in the improvement of the streets of West Knoxville.



  The votes cast in the several divisions of the present city, Knoxville, North

Knoxville and West Knoxville, have been given in other connections, and the date

upon which the consolidation took place.



  The mayors of West Knoxville were J. W. Yoe from the organization of the board

of mayor and aldermen, March 28, 1888, until his death, September 9, 1895; M. L.

Ross from that time until January, 1897, and J. S. Monday from January, 1897,

until the consolidation. The recorder and treasurers were as follows: A. G.

Scott, from the time of organization until 1891; W. B. Henderson, until 1892; W.

W. Morrison from April 11, 1892, until June, 1893; A. G. Scott, from June, 1893,

to 1895, and W. W. Morrison from 1895 to 1897, and John M. Luttrell from March,

1897, until the time of consolidation. The marshals of the corporation were John

M. Luttrell, J. R. Johnson, W. P. Wardrope and J. R. Curtis. The last meeting of

the board of mayor and aldermen of West Knoxville was held January 24, 1898, at

which time the final reports of the recorder and treasurer and of the several

standing committees were made. Mayor J. S. Monday thanked the aldermen, who at

the time were J. W. Crudgington, H. W. Hall, A. C. McNulty, A. J. Miller, Jacob

Staub and J. C. Sterchi; recorder and treasurer, John M. Luttrell; marshal, J.

R. Curtis: patrolman. G. W. Roberts, city physician, Dr. J. P. Hood; members of

the board of health. Dr. E. C. Deaderick and W. H. Salmun; and sinking fund

commissioner, Fred D. Griffith, for their uniform kindness, courtesy and

assistance rendered him in the performance of his duties as mayor, and then

declared the council of West Knoxville adjourned sine die.



Additional Comments:
From:



STANDARD HISTORY

OF

KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE



WITH FULL OUTLINE OF THE NATURAL ADVANTAGES, EARLY SETTLEMENT, TERRITORIAL

GOVERNMENT, INDIAN TROUBLES, AND GENERAL AND PARTICULAR HISTORY OF THE CITY DOWN

TO THE PRESENT TIME



EDITED BY

WILLIAM RULE

GEORGE F. MELLEN, PH. D., AND J. WOOLDRIDGE COLLABORATORS



PUBLISHED BY

THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

CHICAGO 1900



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/knox/history/1900/standard/municipa5gms.txt

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