Pièce JM-AIY/OttomanRegisters/Vol7/p6a/item33 - About tax fees on the road leading from Jerusalem to Jaffa and his care, 26 November 1897 (Gregorian date) - 14 Tishrîn Thânî 1313 (Ottoman fiscal calendar (Rumi)

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A tax of 30 piasters is taken from the carriages passing through the macadam extending from Jerusalem to Jaffa, 6 piasters from the personal carriages carrying loads with draught animals, 3 piasters from unloaded carriages, and the obtained incomes are reserved for the permanent expenses of the Municipal Hospital. Upon the request by our council, this matter was approved with the decree, dated 9 July 1888 and numbered 20, sent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The said macadam starts from the second fortress outside the city walls. In the decree, dated 31 May 1892 and numbered 92, sent from the Ministry of Commerce and Public Works, it was approved that the reparation of this part be submitted to the Public Works Administration and that the reparation and administration of the part extending from its endpoint Jaffa Gate to the railroad station and to the locale named Birket-i Hicce outside the city walls be submitted to the municipal council. The distance between this road, whose reparation pertains to the municipality, and the other road is 11 kilometers. A great number of carriages pass through this distance day and night, so if it is not continually repaired, the traffic shall be interrupted. In order not to have such a problem for all the world to see, it has been approved with the decision given by the Sanjak Administration Council on 23 June 1890 that a daily tax of 5 piasters be taken from Jerusalem carriages and 3 piasters from Bethlehem carriages if they pass through the Jerusalem road, all of which shall be exchanged for the 65,000 piasters necessary for the annual reparation of the road. Nothing is taken apart from the said tax. The Bethlehem carriages not only pass through from the station to Bab al-Halil, which is the city gate, but also along the 11 kilometers of the said Jerusalem roads. If it were necessary to repair these roads properly, there would be a need for an annual sum exceeding hundred thousand liras. The number of Jerusalem and Bethlehem carriages passing through the roads of Jerusalem is 50 and for collection of a tax at the specified rate, they have been given for iltizam at a cost of 60,000 piasters. If the said tax is repealed or modified, the streets of Jerusalem, which is a place everybody set their eyes on, shall remain dilapidated. It is hereby presented that the municipal council shall not be responsible for this and the requested register has thus been arranged and presented herewith. A reply to this official letter for a re-negotiation of the issue this time by the Sanjak Administrative Council necessitates the permission of the mutasarrıf. The 14th of Tishrîn thâni (1)313 (26th of November 1897).
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