The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-09
4 DAYS DoINGs IN DURHAM.


Rev. Jno. y. CocAcld his last services
in Trinity church Sunday morning and
night before leaving for conference. MIR.
Coles pastorate of Trinity has been re-
markably successful. This was his
third year and he has done some remark
able work. During the year there have
been one hundred and forty-four Access
sions to the membership Of the church.
Mr.. Cole is one of the best all-round
preachers in the North Carolina Con
ference. He goes about the work OF his
Master in a quiet way, but the results
show a skillful operator is at the helm.
OF course he will be returned to TINS
charge
NIcssrs. Guthrie and Guthrie advertise
their law office on Church street, FOR
rent and Immediately there was a gen
eral inquiry as to what It meant. Inc
senior member of the firm. Maj. VIM. A.
Guthrie, was seen and informed the cor
respondent that they will move to the
elegantly arranged suite of offices over
the First National bank, recently oc-
cupied by Fuller, Winston and Fuller.
The whole-souled Major and his genial
son, Mr. w. Il. Guthrie, are exceedingly
popular in Durham and the people will
learn with pleasure that the move is only
made to accommodate their largely in
creasing practice.
Now that the people of Granville are
in a great stir over the appointment of
two additional commissioners, it seems
to direct attention to the peculiar situa-
ton of affairs in Durham county. There
can be no danger of an increase in the
number of Durham's commissioners. 1t
-. F,r tv in St1tn
TO have five commissioners except Dur
ham. The law provides that upon petit
ton Of a certain number Of freeholders
asking for two additional commissioners,
the resident judge or the judge riding the
district, shall appoint two commissioners
of a political party different from that
of a majority Of the board of commits
sioners. The board elected in Durham
county in November last is composed of
one Democrat, one Populist and one
Republican. How there could any APP
pointments be made in compliance with
the law? The result Of this election shows
the liberality of Durham Democrats and
Populists They had it in their power to
have shut the Republicans out by
majority OF FIVE hundred, yet with com
mendable liberality one Republican was
put on the board and thus is avoided
the necessity of petitioning for the APP
pointment Of additional commissioners.
Is there another county in the State
similarly situated?
Durham county people are to be con-
graduated upon the most excellent finan-
cial condition Of the county. The board
of commissioners that turned the county
affairs over to the new board last Mon
day make n most excellent showing.
When they came into office the LIST of De-
cember 1891, they found to the credit Of
the county fund the sum of fifty-four
cents. In addition to this depleted treas
ury, S5,024 go OF the taxes levied for the
year 1894 had been collected, paid over
to the treasurer and expended. The in
coming board for December, 1894, found
a debt of $4,000 for borrowed money at
the bank, and n debt of $1,000 balance
on Jail cells These amounts have all
been paid, together with $1,000 on the
court house debt, making in all $1,000
paid outside. of the current expenses of
the county. during the past two years. At
ter paying every outstanding floating debt
the old board turned over to the new
board Monday the nice little sum of
from $4,000 to $500. This amount
hands of the treasurer to the credit Of
the county fund. OF the taxes levied for
the year 1896 only $723 .66 was paid into
the treasury under the administration
OF the board for the years 95 and &C.
So that it will be seen the county govern
ment was run two years on the taxes for
'94 and 90 minus S4, 30094 of the taxes
OF 1894 appropriated and expended by
the former board paid $500 indebted
ness contracted by the former board,
81 500, on the court house debt and had
in hand at the end of the two years time
not less than $4,000. These results We're
accomplished during a period IN which
the bridge expenses were unusually
heavy. Mr.. Henry Leigh, superintendent
Of the county home and work house, who
has held that position for a number Of
years says there has been more money
expended for bridges during the past two
years than for any like period since he
has been in charge Of county matters.
Quite a number of new bridges were
washed away and had to be replaced at
large expense.
The new boar of county commissioners
met Monday at IL O'Clock and organized
by the election Of A. ID. Markham chair
man. The new officers presented their
bonds. They were accepted, and the new
officials indicted into office. Mr.. I'll. a.
Foushee was elected county attorney.
The board was in session again yesterday,
but up to the hour Of noon they had trans
acted no business, except the passing on
accounts and routine business.
w. l.. Woodbridge was bound over to
aa.trf nv Mauor pQaU Monday The
charge against him was an assault with
a deadly weapon. The row took place in
Smoky Hollow Friday night. Moses
Vickers and Thomas Linthieum were
shot, though not seriously, in the melee.
Rev. s. Fields, from Kentucky, has
been holding what are known as sancti-
fication meetings in the court house.
The congregations in attendance were not
very large.
Col Julian S. Carr will deliver a mis-
Al. r ~ L..