Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-06-23
Wednesday, June %, 1897.

ton of surrendering the present town
charter and applying for incorporation
under the general act passed and ap-
proved in 1896. Attorney Brice read the
present charter entire, and also the gen.
eral incorporation act, and explained TO
the members of the council the various
points upon which they asked for in
formation.
The present charter, it seems, expires
in the year 1900. At this time the town
council has but little. il any, money on
hand. A claim of 500 must be paid at
an early date, and besides this, there Is in
contemplation the idea of renting rock
crushing outfit for use during the next
few months. Intendant Lowry explained
that on account of these matters the town
would need not less than $1,000. Under
the present charter Of the town, the coun-
ell is not authorized to levy tax exceed
ing mills on the dollar, while under the
general incorporation act, as much as 10
mills may be levied. The principal in
duccment for incorporation under the
general act is this additional authority In
the levy of taxes. The change, however,
from one charter to the other, cannot be
made, except upon the approval OF ma
jority of the qualified voters, as expressed
in a special election. Action on the mat
ter was postponed until future meeting.
During an informal discussion of the
two charters, Warden Parish asked In
tendant Lowry as to whether the general
incorporation act would allow the inten-
dant to receive salary. 1.-The act is
silent on that subject" the intendant
replied.
There is a provision in the present
charter which authorizes the council to
create such offices as may be necessary
and fix compensation, etc. Intendant
Lowry asked Attorney Brice if under
this provision, the council could not
create the Office of superintendent Of the
streets" and pay him salary. Attorney
Brice assented, whereupon Warden Par
ish suggested, somewhat sarcastically,
that the council might create an Office
and fix salary for each member. War
den Pegram said that he would not have
any office with salary the charter re-
quired members to serve without pay.
Intendant Lowry said something about
the members getting their water free,
and the subject was dropped.
Next the discussion drifted on to the
question of taxation, and Warden McEl-
wee asserted "that a town which YVES not
taxed pretty heavily, was not worth talk
ing about" Someone suggested the
idea of requiring licenses of various busi-
nesses and professions, etc. Under the
present charter, or under the general
incorporation act, the council Is author
lied to require such license. The matter
was eventually disposed of by submitting
it to committee of three, consisting OF
Wardens Moore, Parish and Pegram. The
committee has no instruction /; but from
the tenor of remarks that were made, the
presumption is that its business will be
to investigate the suggestion.
At one stage of the proceedings, two
members got into heated discussion as TO
their right to say what they wanted to say
for the edification of the members. No
motion was pending at the time, and the
remarks even were more unparliamenta-
ry than otherwise; but for some reason it
did not occur tn the chair to call the OBJ
streperous members to order.
Along about IL O'clock, Warden Pc
gram moved that the meeting adjourn.
The motion, however, did not receive a
second, and, shortly afterward, Warden
Pegram picked up his hat and left. About
this time somebody else repeated the mo-
ton. There was second. and the ques-
ton carried.