Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-04-20
the directors of the st. i. & s. E. r..

we be of any service to you in the
transportation line? If so, please
indicate it. c. II. CROSBY.
EVANSVILLE, md, April In
T. Ingram. 1t is with sincere re-
greet we learn of your great calam-
ity. Only wish we could have got
ten assistance to you earlier, but did
the best we could.
j. M. SHEPARD.
Judge Lurton was then called for
and took the stand. He alluded to
rumors that were being circulated
seriously affecting the peace of the
city and the amicable feeling of the
two races inhabiting it. These ru-
mors related to the killing a black
man by the police on the night of
the fire and to the idea that the fire
was the result of incendiarism in
revenge for the killing. He con-
tended that public feeling needed to
be satisfied on the subject and that
both transactions ought to be inves-
tigated by a competent and impair
tial tribunal. He therefore moved
that a committee be appointed to
consist of ten members, in which
both races shall be represented.
The following was the committee
appointed: Hon. III. II. Lurton, P.
@. Johnson, Ex-Mayor Sullivan,
John Rick, d. Kincannon, John
O'Brien, j. A. jackson, A. Ewing
and John Bailey. The last three
members are colOred men.
DIR. Cobb then read the following
as the report of the committee APP
pointed upon his motion:
Whereas, The disastrous and la
mentable fire of Saturday night and
Sunday morning last has demon
strated to the citizens of the city of
observation-disclosures county,
Tennessee the lamentable errors
and defects committed in the past
in building up our city, and the re-
cent fire having given to us ocular
proof of what should be done and
what duoided in the Mture, in the
construction of buildings. Be it
therefore
Resolved, That it is the impera-
tive duty of our city authorities now
to pass such city ordinances as will
prevent and avoid, in the future, the
construction of any building within
certain city limits, to be designated
by them, as shall not be so built as
to be f1re-prOof, or which shall not
be constructed or built otherwise
than under ordinances passed by the
city, and which ordinances shall
conform to well ascertained rules
and regulations as adopted in the
best regulated cities of the United
States for prevention of fires and
other defects In buildings.
Resolved further, That the county
Court House destroyed by the recent
fire, unfortunately located and con-
structeCl, should be, and our county
authorities are hereby requested, to
at the earliest possible moment take
such steps as will secure an eligible
site for our Court House that shall
be every way cOmmendable and
worthy the consideration and APP
probation of the citizens of said
county.
Polk G. johnson then spoke. He
said he was not here to weep over
misfortune, but to go to work;
what we have to do is to build up
the city again and build it up right.
He was prepared to go to work re-
building his Office on the old site
this morning, but he found that a
shop of kindling wood was going up
in its rear and waited to see whether
the city authorities would not pre-
vent 1t.
Mr.. Jackson, cOlored school teach
er, was then called for and spoke.
He said that the great body of his
race was mis- represented when they
were spoke of as lawleSs and vindi-
cative; he said that there were law
less whites and lawless blacks, but
that respectable men of both races
condemned them and wanted them
FURNISHED by due process of law
he added that he would give his
best efforts to the investigation of
both the matters which had been
represented as exciting discord bet
ween the races. His speech was
much applauded.
Mr.. w. A. Jackson, Recorder,
was theu called for and spoke.
Some merriment was excited by
the identity of names; he said that
he did not feel at all Inundated at
being associated with his colored
predecessor for whom he avOwed
the highest respect. He thought
that there had been too much talk
of discOrd between the races, which
he did not believe to exhist; he be-
lieved that the fire was accidental
in its origin, and added, that as a
race, the colored people were not
lawless, testifying from the records
of his official books, that fewer
breaches of the law were recorded
against blacks than white men. He
was in favor, when breaches of the
law were proved, of bringing the
authority of, the law down upon
black and white with equal force,
and mean time quitting this talk
and going to work.
The Hon. ID. n. Kennedy was
then called. He deprecated the ex-
aggeration of our losses which was
prevalent as injuring the credit of
our citizens. He spoke what he
knew when he said that not more
than one or two of our citizens were
injured to the amount of ruin.
That all the rest were able to recu-
perate their fortunes, and willing
to do it and to help the one or two
who were,unable. Alarm had been
excited by representing that the in
surance offices would be unable to
meet their losses. He replied to
this alarm that the insured losses |
were not more than $500, 900 in all, !
and that these were distributed !