trate for amounts not exceeding fifteen thousand maravedís. Audiencias could extend the levy to two hundred pesos, but anything above this amount required royal sanction. Lands and certain other property were leased at auction, and the rents intrusted to depositarios, whose books were usually inspected by an oidor.[1] Drafts for ordinary expenses were issued by magistrates and council.[2] The city had eight cuartel districts, five of which were administered judicially by the five alcaldes del crimen of the audiencia, and the remaining three by the alcaldes ordinaries and the corregidor, subject to whom were four petty ward alcaldes in each district, created in later times. There existed also a special patrol, and lighted streets, although the latter feature was secured only until a comparatively recent date, and after many efforts.[3]
About the same time, 1790, fire-engines were made for the public offices, and regulations issued for the guidance of the people called to assist at fires, with premiums for the first leaders of gangs who obeyed the bell signals of the watchmen in the church towers. Before this the neighbors hurried pell-mell to the scene, and friars and clergy came with images and relics, some of which were even cast into the fire with a view to awe the flames into submission.[4] Among this crowd of psalm-singers and frantic helpers, thieves found good opportunities while pretending to render aid,
- ↑ Fieles executores shared in certain trusts and supervised the honesty of dealers, particularly in provisions.
- ↑ Drafts on these funds must not exceed 3,000 maravedis, and salaries could not be assigned thereon without superior permit; yet they could be drawn upon for royal celebrations—not for the reception of prelates and other dignitaries. Yet much money was spent on suits and display.
- ↑ Under Revilla Gigedo's energetic rule. Since 1776 repeated orders had come to enforce street lighting, first on the part of well-to-do citizens and shopkeepers, later by systematic levies on the part of the ward alcaldes. All this failing, the city council was given the control, and lamps were erected at a cost of 35,429 pesos, the annual expense for oil and labor being about 24,000 pesos, covered by a tax of three reals on each cargo of flour, which yielded 30,000. Eight corporals supervised the lighting. Bevilla Gigedo, Instruc., 71-3. The ordinary revenue of the city came to nearly half a million. Id., 38. Villa-Señor specifies different sources and amounts. Teatro, i. 53-6.
- ↑ Id., 73-4; Guijo, Diario, in Doc. Hist. Mex.0, série i. tom. i. 412-13.
