The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-31
CITY GOVERNMENTS HISTORY.
Secretary Gamble Preparing a Rec
ord of It's ITO Years.


Mr.. Thomas Gamble, the Mayors secre-
tary. is engaged upon a work of consider
able interest, being a history of the city
government from it's formation in 1870 to
date The Mayor was authorized by Coun-
ell sometime since to have this work done,
and Mr.. Gamble has been engaged in ex-
ploring the old records contained in the
city vaults. Thanks to the foresight of
city fathers now dead and gone the rec
ords are nearly complete and the fairly
well preserved. In fact, the fine state of
preservation of many of the old documents
is remarkable
1t is just ITO years since the city of Sa-
vannah was incorporate ted and provided
with city government by act of the Leg
lslature, the corporate name being the
Mayor and Aldermen of Savannah which
name has remained unchanged to the pres
ent day, The present year marking the
close or the Nineteenth Century it was
agreed that a history of the city govern
ment for the 10 years of its existence
would make a desirable appendix to the
Mayors report for the year 1900 The work
wih not be in any sense a history of Sa-
Vannah, except in SO far as such history
Is shown by the official records.
The opening chapter will give the facts
OF the incorporation Of the city and the
establishment of the city government TO-
gether with some account of the govern
ment of the city during colonial DAYS. and
the time of the Revolutionary War. The
remainder of the book will be divided into
eleven chapters, each chapter treating of
decade of the city's history. At the head
OF each chapter via be given the names of
the Mayor and Aldermen of each admin
istration during that decade. For a long
time after the Incorporation of the citv
the Mayor and Aldermen were elected an
hualiy and there was new administration
each year.
John Houston was the first Mavor and
the Aldermen with him were joseph Hah-
ersham, Samuel Stirk, Matthew McAllis-
Ter Edward Lloyds, Joseph Clay. Jr.. and
Justus II. Sheuber. Thomas Gibbons was
me cty's second Mayor The records of
1876 IfSS and 1893 are missing but 1t Is be-
leved that these will be found at the
Georgia Historical Society. either In he
oflglnai form or as published in the Geor-
ga Gazette. the official organ of the citv
at that time. '"o lily
Athough there were men of ability and
distinction among the early city fathers
.ne records show that they were but
pien.iGe hahds at city government. APP
parently the little city had a very fur
puieht population, enc much inclined 10
drinking and brawling gaming and horse
racing. Thirty-eight licenses IN sell
liquor were issued during the first wear
ana on account of the number of citizens
VINO desired to enter the liquor business
IL was found necessary to limit the nurn
places a xpb
SOLD. The city fathers seemed to pro-
ceeu on the Idea that it was their duty
90 regulate everything. All shops and
PAGES or business were required to close
~ aightfaA, including the places where
hquor was sod. The citizens objected.
however, to having their sources of iouid
supply cut Oft so early, and an ordinance
was adopted permitting drinking places to
| keep open until 3 o'clock in summer and
| until o'clock in winter.
| Very heavy fines were imposed for
| various onenses in the Police Court. This
| may nave been with a view to helping
| out the city's revenue, which was USUALLY
| deficient. City lotteries were conducted
! and other means used 10 help out the rev.
| enue. Notwithstanding he smallness of
| the revenue, the accounts were usually
in bad shape, and officials We're FREQUENT
| ly reprimanded for improper performance
OF their duties. The young city had not
| NheH VSoiNeu the system winch makes the
| wheels of the present city government
| run so moothly. There were many uniaue
regulations, one being an ordinance speci-
| Tying the manner in which the butchers
| should cut their meat in the market.
The dry details of official business are
broken with many incidents Of consider
| able interest, including the visits OF
! Presidents and other distinguished men
Aaron Burr having been given a partic-
ularly fattcrng reception here. The his
| tory will be completed some time this fall
| -~-~pS