The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-24
A BRIGHT DAY AT BETHESDA.
THE UNION SOCIETY's 10th AMI
VERsARY CELEBR ALTON.

A Gala Scene Under the Historic
Oaks During the ExerciseS-The
Children OF the Female Orphan
Asylum the Guests at the Annual
DEMONSTRATIONS EstiIrs Annual
RepOrt-The Anniversary Address
by Hon. A. III. MacDOneII.
Yesterday was lovely day at Bethesda.
A steady, gentle breeze prevailed from the
southeast, which kept those little pests,
the sandhies, from bOthering those who
went out to take part in celebrating
| the 146th anniversary of the Union So
| ciety. 1t was estimated that about 1000
| people, including children, were on the
| grounds. and everyone appeared to enjoy
the occasion.
The annual dinner to the Bethesda boys,
at which the girls of the Savannah Fe-
male Orphan Asylum, were invited guests,
was the feature of the day, as far as the
| juvenile contingent was concerned, and
the dancing in the new dor.nitory furnish
ed enjoyment for the young ladies and
| gentlemen.
While the dinner was in(progress the
society held its ANIMAL meeting in the par
lor, President Estin presiding. and the
| following members present: Messrs.
! d. r. Thomas, c. H. Dorsett R. B. Rep
| pard, S. b. Adams, John Nieolson, Jr., S.
| Herman, ]. b. Fernandez, A. S. Nichols,
William Rogers. w. B. Metzger, Rev.
Richard Webb, John Riley, A. H. Mac
| Donell, Solomon Gardner, e. l. Okarma,
Rev. !. p. Mendez, A. c. Scott, Rev. A.
NJ. Williams, R. D. baltimore and w. K.
| Wilkinson, secretary, and others.
| The minutes of the last anniversary
having been printed. their reading was
| dispensed with. President Estill read his
annual report and the secretary read the
| reports of the treasurer and the su-
| perintendent, and those of several stand
| ing committees, all of which were re-
ceived and ordered to be entered on the
minutes. The following is the presidents
report:
Bethesda. April %, 1S96.-To the members
of the Union Society:
The past year, it may be said, has been
| uneventful. The work of the society has
gone on so smoothly that l have very
| little to report. The boys enjoyed the
best of health up to about March list,
when the measles, which was prevalent
| over the entire country, made its appear
| ance at Bethesda and spread rapidly
| among the boys. Those who had the dis
/ ease have recovered and are in as good
health as ever, and 1 think there viii be
| no more cases.
In my last report 1 stated that the
| committee on finance and property had
| renewed the loan of $1,000 to the Savannah
and Isle of Hope Railway. This was an
| error The note was renewed for one
! year and was paid at maturity on the
| 7th OF August 1895, the committee made
loan of $1,000 for twelve months to the
| same corporation. The note is secured
| by seventy-four $500 first mortgage bonds
! or the company and the personal indorse-
| ments OF its directors. The 5000 differ
| ence between the old and the new note
| was used in paying debts principally that
| incurred in building the new wing and
making improvements at the orphan
BY reference to the treasurer's report.
| II Will be seen that every account of the
orphan house, save those for education
and subsistence, has increased over for
mer years. The farm account has. dou-
| bled, and the clothing and furniture ac-
| counts show a large increase. In addi-
! ton 10 these expenditures, 81, 739 due on
| the new wing had to be paid during the
| year The house on South Broad street
| needed thorough oVerhauling and was
| cause OF large outlay; S3S4.34 was eX-
pended for that purpose, which absorbed
| two-thirds of years rent. Many of the
| expenditures of the past year may be
| classed as extraordinary, and will not
| have to be made again. but there must
| be the most rigid economy, however, dur
ing the ensuing year, or otherwise the
| society will become seriously embarrassed
financially.
In order to pay off accumulated bills, 1
| made, by order of the board of managers,
| a loan of 5000. A few days after the
loan was made the remittance of 81 700
| for past due interest on Montgomery and
Eufaula railroad bonds was received. Had
| this been received earlier we could have
| managed to have paid the bills without
| borrowing. The amount mentioned above
| however, does not appear in the treas
urer's report, the check was received
after it was made.
BY direction of the board of managers,
| L surrendered the society's Central rail-
| road securities namely, $4,000 Montgom-
cry and Eufaula railroad bonds, and 81, 400
Central railroad debentures, and received
in lieu thereof $4,000 consolidate mort
| gage bonds, per cent; 81, 600 second
| preference income bonds; 500 second pref
erence scrip, and LOO in cash for two
| cent. on the Montgomery and Eufaula
bonds. 1 would suggest that $500 of second
| preference scrip be bought, which added
| to what we have will secure another s., 900
second preference Income bond. The scrip
| will cost about $50 If 1t is not deemed
advisable to risk any more in Central
| railroad securities, then l would advise
that a resolution be passed authorizing
the sale of the $500 scrip, as it bears no
| interest.
The society has not accepted the bequest
of the late George w. Schaffer of one
share of Central railroad stock without the
| power to sell or transfer the same. The
| present value of the stock is only a few
dollars, and it will be so small a trust that
it will be more bother than It is worth
|
and the administrator so notified.
The lease of that part of the Whitfield
building used as the postoffice expired on
| the LIST of April and was renewed by the
government for another term of five years
| from that date with the usual prOViSO that
the lease shall be terminable whenever in
| the judgment of the postmaster general it
may appear to be for the interests of the
| postal service to terminate the same upon
| giving at any time three months notice
| The rental is $3.50 year, payable quar-
| terly, which is 900 year less than the So
| ciety received under the previous lease
| When 1t is remembered, however that the
| society expended over "a, 900 in fitting up
| the premises with suitable letter boxes
| fixtures and furniture, and providing a
| large fire-proof vault when they were first
| leased to the government, which will not
| have to be done under the present lease
| l think there is no reason to complain with
| the result of the labors of the COMMITTEES
| on finance and property, under whose spec
| ial direction the negotiations were carried
! on. 1t is doubtful if the lease will con-
tinue TO the end of the five years. for ii IS
to be hoped that the new United States
| court house and postOhice building now I'M
f.F aFrrnrs ton