The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-14
CITY AFFAIRS


Proceedings of the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Alderman Last Night-The Tug
Marion and the Fire Departmens-Peti-
tions for the improvement of Lower Mar
ket and Princess Streets-Other Matters
The board of Aldermen held its reg
ular monthly meeting last night at s
o'clock, those in attendance being May
or S. P. Wright and Aldermen Gore,
Keith, Twining, Benson, Hewlett, Nor
rill, Walker, Norwood and Green.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read and approved.
Under the head of committee re-
ports, Aldermen Keith, of the waiter
works committee, reported the agree
ment with the Clarendon Waterworks
Company to bore an artesian we'll and
furnish the city free of charge twelve
drinking fountains for persons and
six for beasts, and recommended that
the city make a contract with the
water works company to that effect.
On motion of Alderman Hewlett it was
so ordered.
AS to the paid fire department., Mayor
Wright reported that everything was
working very smoothly.
On motion of alderman Gore, an
ordinance regulating the sending in of
fire alarms was adopted.
Alderman Keith offered am amend
merit to the bicycle ordinance requir-
ing bicyclists to have brakes ON their
wheels, as better protection to pc
destrians.
On motion, the matter was laid over
and the following committee was ap-
pointed to confer with the Carolina
Cycle Club with reference to the put
ting of brakes ON their machines: AL
dermen Keith, Gore AMID Twining.
The clerk read the following COM
m~unicaJtion, and upon motion, it was
referred to the finance committee, ito
be reported back to a subsequent meet
ing Of the board, to-wit:
Wilmington, N. c., Jan. 10, 1898.
Honorable Mayor and Board of Alder
men of the City of Wilmington,
N. c..
The undersigned, E. D. WilIiams,
manager of the Diamond Steamboat
and Wrecking Company of Whining
ton, N c., chartered by special act of
the legislature of North Carolina, and
engaged in business of towing at this
port, having made repeated proposals
to the mayor and board of Aldermen,
in previous years, to operate the steam
tug Marion, as a fire boat for the pro-
lection of the wharVes along the water
front Of WilmingtOn; n having fail
ed to come to any arrangement IT I'M
dersttanding, and the property own
eTs along the said Wtharves having re
peatedly urged him and his company
to propose arrangements to THE pres
emit mayor and board of aldermen, for
the better protection of their property
along these wtharves, he hereby makes
on behalf of himself and his company,
the following PROPOSAL:
That they will equip the steam tug
Mashon, we'll known as a most capable
and altogether suitable boat, with
a steam fire engine of the most improv-
ed type, at their own expense. The ca
pacity of the steam fire engine to be
equal ITO that of amy of the city fire
engines both as to lifting power and
general efficiency. They also p
to equip the said steam fire engine with
sufficient and proper hose n MOBILES
for first class work, under the direc-
tion of the chief of the fire department.
They also propose to have the said
steam fire boat Marion ready at all
hours, day and night, in case of alarm,
for prompt service, and tina during
the night the furnace fire will be
banked, and connections made fer inn
ediat
The expense of this new machinery
and appliances to be borne entirely by
the owners of the boat nv ito be their
property, and the service to be for the
protection of wharves, and city prop
erty on the WharveS in Wilmington, in
Guiding the west side of the river and
Point Peter. Tt is also proposed that
in case of fire a block or more away
from the river front, that the boat will
connect its hose with that CT the CITY
fire department, and act in concert
with the department under the direc-
tfOn of the chief of the department: in
consideration OF which the said E. d.
Williams, manager, and his
S a compensation of $500 a year, pay
able quarterly, and the contract to
extend for four ca years, as a shorter
term would not justify the necessary
expenditure for the proposed improved
machinery and service.
The said manager and company hav-
ing served the city effectively with
their present fire apparatus ON the
Marion, for a number OF years past
without amy compensation whatever,
| 1t Is hoped that in view of this fact.
preference will be given them for fur
Their paid service
Respectfully,
E. D. WILLIAMS,
Manager.
The following communication was
read and referred to the streets and