The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-30
CITY AFFAIRS.
Special Meeting Of the Board OF Alder
men-Mr. T. O. Bunting Elected Tax
Iister-Other Matters.

The board Of aldermen held a spe-
cial meeting last night at 5 O'Clock In
response to a call issued yesterday by
Mayor S. P. Wright. There were pres
ent Aldermen Keith, Twining, HeW-
lett. Benson, Walker and Green. AL
derman Norwood was absent on &C
count Of sickness.
Mayor Wright presided, and stated
that the object of the meeting was 10
elect a tax collector.
City Clerk F. 2. Rice corrected the
mavor by saying tax lister, you
mean"
The election Of a city tax lister being
declared in order, Alderman vie
placed Mr.. T. O.. Bunting in nomination
for the place.
Alderman Green asked If there was
not a bid in for doing that work. He
said he was under the impression that
Captain A. l.. DeROsset had a bid IN.
Mayor Wright did not seem to re-
member that there was a bid in, but
the city clerk informed him that cap
tain DeRosset had a bid in, offering to
list the city taxes for $3.50. This bid
was Induc III IcSpDliSC IA Si"O
ment calling for bids and was the only
one submitted.
Alderman Keith suggested that the
compensation ought to be fixed at not
over $3.50, if there was a bid in to do
it for that.
Mayor Wright said Mr.. Bunting had
been elected taxlister for the county
and one man generally did the work
for both the county and city.
Mr.. Keith said that was a good idea,
as the work could be done by one bet
ter h a by two. He remarked that
Captain DeRosset was competent to do
the work and he had no objection to
him.
Alderman Hewlett said he would
amend his motion by making the COM
pensatiOn $3.50, in accordance with AL
derman Keith's suggestion.
Alderman Keith then seconded the
nomination of Mr.. Bunting and he was
elected, Alderman Benson alone vot-
ing NO
Mayor Wright informed the board
tina at the meeting on Saturday night
the matter of awarding the contract
for lighting the city with gas had been
overlooked. He stated that the only
bid in was by the Wilmington Gaslight
Company.
Alderman Hewlett thereupon moved
that the contract be awarded to the
Wilmington Gaslight Company. The
motion was adopted.
The mayor stated that the next bust
ness before the board was the bill CT
Messrs. Wallace G. Parmele for $1,359.40
for laying shells on Castle street from
Front to Seventh street. He said he
understood hat the contract with
Messrs. Wallace e Parmele was for
grading and laying shells, but he learn
ed thai the city hands had done the
grading and therefore he had declined
Ito approve the bill, unless the cost of
the grading should be deducted from
the bill.
Messrs. r. C. Parmele and T. E. Wal
lace were present, and Mayor Wright,
saying that he referred the matter to
the board for it's action, invited Mr..
Parmele to make a statement to the
board.
NIL. l. q \ NcN IN
Mr.. Wallace had with the old board of
aldermen, and also read their bid for
doing the work. He also read the ad-
vertisement calling for bids, and said
he and Mr.. Wallace had fulfilled their
contract. He said it was true that the
contract called for the grading and
Smelling of the street, but that the un-
~derstanding was that the grade was to
be that of the street railway. The
mayor and the streets and wharves
committee had decided, however, to
grade the street 21a feet in some places
between third and Fourth street and
between Fourth and Fifth streets. This,
he explained, had nothing to do with
their contract and they were not re-
sponsible for it, as nothing was said in
the call for bids about grading of this
extent. Mr.. Parmele then read an affi-
davit from seven members of the old
board, substantiating his statement
that the understanding was that they
were to shell and grade the street by
the grade of the street railway.
In response to a question, Mr.. Par
mele said the shells, according to con-
tract, had been laid to a width of ten
feet and a depth of six inches.
Mr.. Wallace also explained the con-
tract along the line mentioned by Mr..
Parmele.
Mr.. Jos. H. McRee, the city engineer,
was present, and in answer to a ques-
ton said the work on the street was
done under his supervision and that
the shells had been laid ten feet wide
on both sides of the street car track
and six inches deep.
Alderman Green moved to approve
Messrs. Wallace & Parmele's bill.
Alderman Twining said hee contrac-
tors ought to be held up to the contract
and Mr.. Parmele again explained the
matter and called his attention to the
affidavit of the seven old aldermen