The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-22
THUNDERBoLT IN A STEW.
Citizens There say Something Has
Got to he Done to Make "A Change.

Citizens There Say Something Has
Got to he Done to Make "A Change.
The municipality Of Thunderbolt is in
dire trouble. There are the commission
ers of Warsaw, Messrs. Desverges. Cler,
Sheppard and Toomer, and there are
those who oppose the commissioners. That
opposition developed strongest when ap-
plication was made to the Court Of Ordi-
nary for q new election for commission
ers OF the town. Now that Judge Fer
rill has decided he could do nothing, resi-
dents and property owners living along
the bluff say that something will soon
have to be done, and if the Court of
Ordinary has no authority they may try
some other court.
There is a chance then of an applica>
lion for another election going before the
Superior Court, and if nothing can be
done there, an effort will probably be
made to get some remedial legislation at
the coming session of the general assem-
bly,.
As is well known the situation all grew
out of the resolution or ordinance against
Sunday music passed some months ago,
which has since led to the resignation of
having started the bail rolling.
In spite of the anti-Sunday music or
dinance the Sunday music has gone on
just the same with the exception of one
or two Sundays, on which it was sup
pressed. Some of the residents of the
bluff say that it is getting TO be sort
OF q dangerous neighborhOod for ladies on
account of the lack of police protection.
Not 80 much that any violence is feared,
bHt because there is an abundance of all
sorts Of cursing and vile language from
the negroes who do not seem 20 respect
the authority of the law as they formerly
did.
The trouble appears to have been that
all the funds in the treasury have been
exhausted, the treasurer resigned, and the
town is hardly in a position TO pay its
debts. About the only source of income
which 1t now has Is from police court fines,
and they are scarcely sufficient to sup
port the marshal The consequence has
been, 1t is said, that Thunderbolts mar
shals have been resignng about once a
week, and IL has been a hard matter TO
get anyone TO fill the job
WarsaW's only source of revenue praC-
tically is from IT'S liquor licenses as the
property owners are not taxed by the mu-
nicipality This has been one of its great
drawbacks for some time, and legislation
will be sought at the coming session of
the general assembly to remedy this diff
f1culty. The bill to be introduced will
provide for taxation of the property in
the town for the purpose of making i'm
provements and paying current expenses.
Another provision is for the election Of
a Mayor and four aldermen, instead of
five commissioners, as at present. The
people will thus vote directly for their
Mayor, instead of having him appointed
after the commissioners are elected.
The object of the recent notifications
in the ordinances with regard to singing
on Sunday, and taxing clubs appears to
have been to raise revenue to keep the
town going during the balance of the ifs
cal year The ordinance puts tax of
500 on all clubs where liquor is sold. The
| town authorities say this was not aimed
at the Savannah Yacht Club at all, but
at the numerous organizations called clubs
which spring up under that name solely
for the purpose of avoiding the liquor tax.
1t is said that the Yacht Club will prob
ably refuse to pay the license, which will,
of course, precipitate row between that
institution and the town authorities.
The Sunday music ordinance has been
so modified to permit music and dancing
in public places on Sunday, provided that
the proprietors of such places pay the
regular tax upon that feature as As re-
quired.
Altogether however, the people gener-
ally seem dissatisfied with. the situation,
and the names of most of the property
owners On the bluff were signed 20 the pc
tition to the court of ordinary asking that
a new election be declared. Just how the
situation will eventually be Strengthened
out remains TO be seen, but some Of the
citizens have stated, and stated verv en-
rhatically, that something's got to be
done, and done pretty soon.