Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1893-04-11
LOOKING OVER TWO YEARS
GLANCE AT one
ADMINHe-RAT ALTON.
second Chapter im The Municipal
STORY Be&um Yesterslay-EAOw
the Ten Cent Fare won The
Day-Daxe kAAII's Greatness.

Day-Dawe HiHl's Ssreasness.
The first installment of the history of
the administration, published Yesterday, |
was interesting to every citizen of Ashe- l
vile, and was eagerly read. The second
chapter is printed today.
Early in August. 1891, the ten-cent |
fare, promulgated by Col. Martin on the |
street railway, begar, to wake the ech- |
oes, and on August IA it was dis |
cussed. Mayor Blaptor taking the posi- |
ton that the Board could not help
itself.
A committee from the Commercial club
called on the Board on August 21 and
reported that Gen. P. M. b. Young (now
minister to Guatemala and Honduras)
a matter with which almost every man
in Asheville is familiar. The committees
report was referred to the finance COM
mittee. Mr. Starnes called attention to
he electric light poles left in the streets.
Nothing was done. About this time
street railway company was not obey
ing its charter in keeping it's roadbed in
repair.
At this stage of the story the Aldermen
got into trouble by passing an ordinance
which said that a man should be fined
$50 for working on a house for which a
permit had not been given by the Mayor
and Board. This was aimed for a death
blow at the hospital, but the city got
the black eye instead, as has already
been told. Mr.. Starnes was the only
negative voter on the ordinance, his
reason being that "the Board should not
fine laboring man for earning a living
honestly"
On the 9Th of September THE CITIZEN
urged editorially that the Peoples
I S<v1k or,I Il
penalty of $40 imposed for every light
not burning. 1t was never imposed, as
the company was pet.
The Late Bee Tree.
There appeared in THE CITIZEN on
September 10 the first allus n to Bee
Tree as a source of water supply,
which was espoused so warmly for a
long time by Advisor Hunt. From an
interview in this paper the next day.
however. it appears that Alderman Gud-
ger was the first advocate of the scheme.
In the same interview Mr.. Gudger ad-
vocated a reservoir where the city could
store one months water supply. The
fallacy of such an idea was shown in the
paper next day.
Capt. T. w. Patton and the late Col.
| r. McBrayer, who were appointed to
look into the question of the ten cent
| rare, on September IL reported that the
Board had the power to regulate the
fares. Deferred a week.
The office of street superintendent was
| abolished on the 18th OF September,
upon motion of Mr.. Starnes. The in
cumbent, Mr.. Clayton, was not a rela-
tive of any member of the Board. At this
meeting w. B. Gwyn rendered the ex-
| tension of Charlotte street and it was
| accepted on motion of Mr.. Starnes. At
the next meeting 7. w. c. Deake COM
planned that the street was only as feet
| wide and that he had to paw taxes in
the city although he got no citv lights
nor city water.
Everybody will recall the long struggle
THE CITIZEN had with the draws and
wagons that once hovered around the
| square. 1t was victorious in the end,
however, Mr.. Starnes himself clearing
the square, and the wagons have never
| come back as a nuisance since.
| The conclusion of THE CITIZENS report
| of the meeting of September 25 follows:
THE street car fare committee asked
| Icontinuance for a week. as the city at
| torney had not been able to get up his
opinion on the matter" No report was
made by the committee on the Young
Ioverpay.
More About The Overpay.
On the 3Oth of September another re-
port was made through THE CITIZEN on
the Young overpay, sho wing that Young
did his own measuring of that part o
L
was overpaid. Al the meeting following
no attention was paid to the report.
The meeting on October was favored
with a report from the city attorney
to the effect that the city had a right t.
regulate street car fares within tn
bounds of reason.
The ten cent fare committee made
minority and majority report to th
meeting on October 9. The majority b.
Aldermen Brevard and Leonard, did no
recommend change from the presen
Ivote of fare. The minority report b
Alderman Starnes said Il disagree wit
the above report, and recommend
change to the old five cent fare, wit
transfer" The Young committee di
| not report.
= At a special meeting October 13. th
ten cent fare was up by a wide margi
and postponed till the following Frida,
| When this time came a resolution wa
J introduced by Alderman Gudger provic
ing that there should be return to tt
five cent fare. Alderman Brevard intr,
duced a resolution stating that sin tt
opinion of the Board there has been n
!. violation of the rights of the compau
under its charter" The vote on tn
stood: Ayes, Brevard, Leonard and I'll
late Mr.. Reypolds-3; nays. Gudger, NJ
Dowell and Starnes-3. The Mayor u
J. tied the lock in favor of ten cents aud Il
- crowd fell over itself, getting out int
the fresh air.
At the meeting on October 80. on m
ton of Mr.. Starnes. Gen. p. M. B. Your
was given till November IS to appe;
r before the Board and show cause wi
suit should not be instituted for cole
II ton of the overpay 1t was at tt
meeting that Chas. Waddell was ma
superintendent of the firm alarm syste
at SIS a month. Mayor Blanton stat
hat he had telegraphed Gen. Young
the effect that the city would institu
suit to collect whatever might be "ov,
paid"
The Bonds withdrawn
On November 13 the Mayor broug
> up the question of withdrawing from t
s. market the Improvement bonds and
motion of Mr.. Starnes they were wit
drawn for the present. L. was agree
without coming to a vote, that nobo
should be allowed to advance money