The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-08
PUBLIC MEEr1Na-CrrY AFFAIRS

| OoA4C AFFA1HS,-An
enthusiastic meeting of the citizens was
held 10 Twins Hall, yesterday evening,
at the call Of the Committee of Twenty.
Every inch of standing room was taken
up and much interest manifested. Ed
win j. Scott, Esq, acted MS Chairman,
and Jacob Levin, Esq, Secretary. Sharp,
short and spirited addresses were deli
vcred by Coils. F. w. A1cNIaster, VIM.
Wallace and A. G. Haskell, Minors W.
b. Gulick, W. h. Bachman, NJ. C.. F..
Janney and others. Col. Wallace sub
mitted the following report, which was
adopted:
The Committee appointed by the
meeting OF citizens to inquire into and
report upon the issuing of city bonds,
and to ascertain, if possible, whether
any bonds have been issued privately or
fraudulently, and by whose authority.
and to whom issued, respectfully report
AZ follows:
They had free access to the books of
the city OF Columbia. They accepted as
correct the statement OF the bonded debt
of December 81, 1871, signed by w. J.
Etter, City Treasurer, for the following
reasons: That statement WIS nude dur
ing the first administration of Mayor
Alexnnderand embraced an Indebtedness
about which there was no question; was
examined and approved by committee
OF citizens appointed by the Board OF
| Imde; was submitted rs correct to the
| Committee of the Legislature, who were
charged with the bill authorizing the
issue OF new city bonds, accepted by
them rs correct. and acted upon rs such,
| acquleSced in by the community and
subsequent city administrations The
| committee have every reason to believe
it correct. The aggregate Of the bonded
| Indebtedness amounted ut that dute to
| S344,S50.
The committee first examined into the
issue of the bonds known as the Neacle
bonds, and ordered by the Act of the
| Legislature of March 13, 1872, to be re-
called before the issue of the new bonds
provided in thnt Act; they found oil these
bonds returned and cancelled.
| The Committee found that the city au-
| thorities, acting under construction of
the Act aforesaid, given by the then City
Attorney. j. d. Tradewell, ESQ.,, made
the advertisements required by the Act
| once and some time precedent to the
first sole, whether just preceding or not,
the Committee is not fully informed.
AASSOoAAS olA SuleS, CnSIe WAS
only advertisement in the local journals.
| Annexed is schedule of all the bonds
sold, with the dnte OF their issue and the
names OF the purchasers; and the Com
mlttee refer to this schedule as q part of
their report. They have also been fur
nlshed by the present City Clerk with u
statement taken from the books of Mr..
Jacob Levin, auctioncer, showing the
prices at which the bonds mentioned
therein, by the amounts but not by their
numbers, were sold 1t will be seen
| that by far the heaviest purchaser was
| the Mayor, John Alexander. He stated
| that he, acting under the advice of the
then City Attorney, JAS. D. Tradewell,
Esq, to the effect that such purchase by
him would be legal compliance with
chase, giving his notes for the purchase
| money; and afterwards sold the said
bonds mt private sale, generally Mt a profit
and never below the price paid for them,
giving the city the benefit of the profits
| 10 whom and ut what prices those bonds
were sold, the Committee are not in
formed, nor have they means of getting
the information. They call attention to
the bonds from Nos. 1G6 to 25O inclusive,
mentioned in the schedule hereto an
nexed, are, according to the record, not
sold, and that they, with other bonds
mentioned in the schedule, are deposited
as collateral for loan of S14, 200 to the
city in the South Carolina Bank and
Trust Company. The Committee have
no evidence of the issue Of any other
bonds. All Of which is respectfully sub
mitted. WM. WALLACE, Chairman.
Bonds for $3.50 each, bearing date jan
udry l, 1872.-John Alexander, pur-
chaser; Nos. to 16 inclusive; issued
August 13, 1872; par value 81 900 John
Alexander, II to So inclusive; November
-, 1872; $40, 900. John Alexander, ~ to
ia inclusive; April 16, 1878; $4, 500.
John Alexander, 115 to 165 inclusive
December 2, 1872; sl2,75O. -, 166 to
$50; S21, $50. sG2, 800
Recdpitulation. Bonds for ST 900 each,
S125, 900; bonds for $500 each, S62, 500
bonds for $3.50 each, $500. S25O,00O.
The following bonds, each for $3.50, are
deposited in the South Carolina Bank
and Trust Company, as collateral for O
loan of SD, 900 to the city: Nos. 1O2 and
103. $500; Nos. l05 to 10, inclusive,
| 81 k00. Nos 11E ~ 13S ir.1,e;ro &c OOn,