The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-26
MEETING OF ESPECIAL IMPORTANCE.
UNUSUALLY WELL ATTENDED.
DETERMINED CONCERTED ACTION
to Propose Plan for Re-
stricting Magistrates' Courts and
Establishing Recorders or Trial
Present System-Movement for Spe-
cial Anchorage Basin Appropriation.
Plans for Sewerage System Discussed

vi Tie part OIL the DuSlu6SS D1Sn OIL VII
mington count for anything, and there
surely cannot be a man familiar with
their achievements within even
the last two years who is not bound to
admit that they count for a very great
deal, developments of the very highest
Importance in the promotion of the
w~ell-being and prosperity of Whining
ton and New hanover county will GER
tainly result from plans that they now
have under consideration and which
were very thoroughly discussed and jul
diciously disposed of at an especially
we'll attended meeting of the chamber
of commerce held at $3.50 o'clock yes
terday.
According to announcement previ-
ously made in The Messenger, the
three most important matters cOnsid-
cred were a reformation of the pres
ent very Objectionable magistrates
court system in the city and county;
definite action toward the securing of
a special appropriation for dredging an
anchorage basin and cooperation with
h board Of aldermen of the city in
devising and executing plans for the
VI "
system throughout the city.
In the matter of the reforms desired
in the magistrates court system a
committee was appointed to carefully
prepare a plan for reforming and re-
stricting the magistrates courts and
the establishment of a trial justice
court, the report to be submitted at the
next meeting of the chamber. The riv-
er and harbor committee of the cham
Der was instructed to take up at once
with our representatives in congress
and the river and harbor committee of
that body the matter of the a%ppropri-
alton by the government for an an
chOrage basin, and a motion was
adopted requesting President Worth
to call a special meeting of the cham
Der after the holiday business rush for
a deliberate and more detailed discus
sion and full consideration of the com
plete sewerage system question.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHAMBER.
Long before the time for calling the
meeting to order there were quite a
number more han the required quo
rum and for some time after business
began belated members continued to
come in until the seating capacity of
the room was pretty well taxed.
After rapping for order, President
Worth stated that at the last meeting
Of the chamber there was an informal
discussion Of the excessive cost to tax
payers of the city and county entailed
by the present magistrates courts sys-
tenn as conducted here and the impera-
tive necessity of deViSing a plan by
which the costs could be greatly reduc-
ed and a complete reformation accom-
plished. He said that personally he
was not we'll posted as to actual con-
ditions, but it is the general verdict
that the expenses are at present very
excessive. Therefore he had addressed
a letter to w. B. McKCy, Esq, county
attorney, relative to the evil complain
ed OF and asking for a statement of the
system as now in operation and the
cost Of same to the tax payers, and
that Colonel Roger Moore, chairman
Of the county commissioners, was also
present to make a statement.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS LETTER.
Mr.. Worth then read the letter Of
County Attorney McKoy, written in re-
ply to Mr.. Worth's query which was
as follows:
Wilmington, N. c., December q, 1899.
Nh. w. E. Worth, President Chamber
Commerce, Wilmington, N. c.:
Dear Sir:-Your letter to hand rela-
tive to the evils and expense of the
magistrates courts in our county,
with a view OF h movement of the
Sud1luUtT u SOIIWlISTSt ~ TGccOIIlII1tIlU
a change to the next legislature.
/ would direct your attention to the
fact that these courts are established
by the constitution and the legislature
annot abu+ogate them
The legislature may establish a new
court, OF equal or enlarged jurisdiction,
but this will not abolish the magis-
trate's courts, but only add to the ex-
pense of our county government. No
system has ever been devised equal to
the magistrates courts that would pre-
vent expensive Mitigation about small
matters.
The present and previous boards Of
County Commissioners have reduced
the expenses of the county i'm this lime
30 material that it is not 10Y excessive.
Two acts OF the last legislature have
aided the commissioners very much in
this matter, Chapter 634 provides; that
excepting capital felOnieS the county
shall not be taxed for more than o
witnesses; in former times 1 have
known the county to be taxed with as
many as twenty witnesses in smaTl and
frivilous cases. The other act does not
Immediately concern the magistrates
but the criminal court, and is Chapter
823 and relates to the payment Of spe-
cial venire-men.
Though the expenses OF the county
were reduced by the former board OF
commissioners, I will give YOU a few
items from the books of the county
which will show what has been done
by the present board Of commissioners,
and from this you may ascertain the
actual cost Of the present magistrate
system:
Year Ending December 1898:
Magistrates Court ..............$ o73.SS
Witness Criminal Court ........ $3.50
Jurors -...lo44l
Sheriff ......- aIo5.eo
Clerk ........ oiI.Io
Solicitor ........ AIS.VV
Jail Fees .......z'io4.o
Year Ending December 1899:
Nagistrates Court ...........-.S 4I0.oS
1Istaae. Cr;uinal Court ........ 429.5 50
Jurors .i'Soa'v
Sheriff 1890. 90 q,
Clerk " ooo %
Solicitor ~ 20 ~
Jail Fees A''