Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-12-22

THURSDAY NIGHT.

sons among the Councilnel IN the ar
guments for and against the adoption Of
matters brought up. Mayor Henshaw was
in the chair and Councilmen Kline, Parks.
Brandenburg, Staubley, Rentch. PORTER,
Shoafstall and Roberts were present.
The Light Committee reported in favor
OF entering into contract with the Elec.
tric Light Company for FIVE years provid-
ing for the expenditure Of $4,000 annually
for 90 arc lights Of 1900 candle power
and 40 incandescent lights OF q candle
power. together with the wireing OF the
municipal buildings free. the light to be
furnished on the moonlight schedule"
This report brought forth lengthy dis
cussion Councilman Parks argued that
this Council had no right TO burden their
successors with contract that would last
for five years, no more than they had to
make an appropriation for the salaries OF
officials and for the streets for the next
hye years. He said he saw no necessity
for anticipating the future so far. What
right have we. he said, ITO set apart So
per cent of the revenue our successors
hope TO derive from taxation for one par
ticular thing Last year we started out to
reduce our expenditures and We found one
thing that barred our progress in that
line-the expenditure for light. We
should make the exdenditures in accor-
dance with the revenue. Will anyone
condemn us for making both ends meet
would advocate the establishment OF a
line OF arc lights from the B. & o. Queen
street clussing to the c. v. station 10 in
all. ard y nd place incandescent lights
on esety corner in the city, at a cost OF
$500, More money should be devoted TO
the streets and some little appropriated
every yesr iar paving the streets, block by
block Gentlemen have made these as.
sertions from business point OF view.
after special consideration of the receipts
and expenditures of the town."
Councilman Rentch also spoke in favor
OF the stand taken by Councilman Parks.
Councilman Parks moved that the re-
port be amended to read one year for the
CONTRACT, instead for FIVE.
4He offered as second amendment a
motion to the effect that the expenditure
be reduced to So, 500 for 10 arcs and $40
indescent lights.
Councilmen Staubley and Kline both
spoke in favor OF the original motion. Mr.
Kline said that the amount paid for light
ing the city was 81. 3oS per year and that
for IS less 5omore lights could be secured
by the nve-year con ract. He thought
that less than tie amount any other town
paid for lights.
Both OF MIR. Parks amendments were
lost by a vote of to 3 ana The original
report was carried by the same vote.
The Mayor stated that be had been
looking into the matter of having he
Cove nment make an appropriation for
connecting the cesspool Of the Govern
ment building ia this city with the city
sewerage and thought that it could be
done with little trouble.
The Mayor was authorized to appoint
a committee OF three TO axe up the mat
ter at once in order to have il brought be
fore this session Of Congress.
THE BOND QUESTION.
The bills to be presented to the Legis-
lature by Delegate Henshaw for passage
at the coming session, authorizing the cor
poration TO refund its bonded indebted
ness at lower rate of interest and TO
issue new bonds were then read as fol
lows:
Be it enacted by the Legislature Of
West Virginia
/. That the Council OF the Corporation
of Martinsburg is hereby authorized and
empowered to issue bonds to an amount
not exceeding the sum OF seventy-six
thousand dollars in the aggregat'. at any
rate OF interest not exceeding three and
one half per centum per annum.
2. That the council of the corporation
of Martinsburg shall design lte whether
the interest on said bonds shall be paid
annually, semi-annually, or quarterly, and
the place where the same shall be payable,
all of which shall be expressed on the face
f the coupons for the payment OF said
interest attached to said bonds
3. The principal of said bonds shall be
payable at such times as are declared on
the face thereof, not exceeding thirty-four
years after the date OF their issue.
"a. That no bonds shall be sold or de-
livered or exchanged for less than their
face value, AID the proceeds arising from
the sale of said bonds shall only be used
to pay. cancel and redeem the present ut
standing Indebtedness n ade or paid by
said bonds.
s. That the said Council OF the Cor
poration OF Martinsburg shall provide an
nually for the payment of the interest, and
the principal within the time expressed on
the face Of said bonds, in accordance with
section eight of article ten OF the Consti-
ution of West Virginia.
6. The bonds authorized to be issued
under this contract shall be exempt from
taxation for municipal purpose, which fact
shall appear on the face thereof as part
Of the contract with the purchasers.
z. This act shall be in force from its
passage.
THE NEW BONDS.
Be it enacted by the Legislature Of
West Virginia: