The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-21
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
SPECIAL MEETING LAST NIGHT TO
STOP SEWER WORK
Adopted to Prevent The
Excavation OF the Streets From May
goth, to September Goth. Each
Year-Sewer Construction VIII
Have to Suspend TIL October Ist

Have to Suspend TIL Globe Ist
The board OF aldermen held a special
meeting last night. but was in session
only about twenty minutes The meet
ing was called for s O'Clock, and short
~ after that hour the board assembled,
Mayor Waddell and Aldermen West,
Bailey. Harriss. Mann, Maunder, Par
ker. johnson and Skinner being in at
tendance. City Attorney William j..
Bellamy vas present. as We're also
the representatives Of the Sanitary
Sewer Company and the Wilmington
Sewerage Company.
A large delegation of W~ilmington's
| prominent citizens was also present,
! but did not take part in the meeting,
as the occasion did not present itself.
The citizens representation included
| Messrs. W. A. Riach, Clayton Giles,
George Kidder. r. NJ. Wescott, D. n.
Williams. Rev. c. Dennen. H. A. Burr,
W. B. McKoy. John H. Brown, S. H.
Fishblate. R. D. Cronly, DIR. Sasser, ].
Allen Taylor. James Sprunt, T. 4. OAR
by. j.. c. Stevenson, H. K. Nash, J. NJ.
Forshee, G. L. Morton, Gabriel Holmes,
E S. Latimer. F. L. Bridges, John H.
Berry, DR.. ]. E. Matthews, T. F. Sim
mons. John S. Armstrong, w. A. Dick,
G.. H. Smith. j. II. Boatwright, Capt.
w. r. Kenan. Major E. VanC. Lucas,
P. Ounce Moore, B.. H. ]. Ahrens,
Jesse Wilder. r.. H. Pickett. DIR. T. S
Burbank. James H. Chadbourn, Jr., J.
F. Divine. n. 2. Rankin, D.. Quinlivan,
E. Borden. ]. H. Sweeney, j. c. Spring
er, Col. Walker Taylor, and many 9TH
ers.
Mayor Waddell. in converting the ses-
sion. stated that it's object was but
one-fold. that for which he had called
it. and that after it's consideration he
would be glad if the board would ad-
journ.
This single object he stated was the
consideration Of preventing the break
ing of ground in the city from now until
June 1st. as the present city ordinance
only made such action p~rohibitory from
the latter date until October 1st. He
also stated that he had called the meet
ing in Difference to the wishes of many
citizens and to appease public Senti-
ment, as great anxiety had been eX-
pressed over the proposed disturbance
of the earth.
Alderman Harriss. as chairman of the
ordinance committee. presented the fol-
lowing:
1.-The Mayor and Board Of Aldermen Of
the city of Wilmington do enact:
Section /. That it shall be unlawful
for any person.. firm or corporation to
break or disturb the ground or earth
within the city limits at any time dur
ing the period of the year beginning
May Goth and ending September 3Oth.
Sec. 2. Every person convicted of vic
lating this ordinance shall be fined $50
for each and every offence.
Sec. 8. Provided, however, that should
it become necessary for the public well
fare and health of the community to
repair any sewer. gas or water pipes,
the superintendent of health shall, with
the concurrence of the sanitary COM
mittee of the board of aldermen, grant
permission to make only such repairs
as are absolutely necessary for the
public health, to abate such nuisance.
Sec. 4. That all ordinances or clauses
of in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed"
Alderman Parker. while not object
ing to the adoption of the ordinance,
thought that its consideration was not
acting in good faith with the sewerage
company, which had pipe here ready for
planting. He thought the proposed &C
ton looked wishy-washy n appeared
as though the board was backing out"
However. Alderman Harriss explain
ed to the satisfaction of all that the
ordinance was perfectly satisfactory to
the sewerage company. But If it was
not" he said. 1.-The health Of the city
is the first and most important issue"
Alderman Harriss added that while
he did not retreat from OF desire to re-
consider any POSITION he had taken
heretofore on the sewerage question, he
considered the public health paramount
over any sewer privilege. He said 1t
would be his pleasure and duty to vote
to protect the public health and he
hoped the ordinance he presented woul
be adopted.
Hon. John D. Bellamy, counsel for the
sewerage company. stated that the pas
sage of the ordinance was not in the
least Objectionable to his clients. That
at first he thought some Interior mo-
tive promoted the presenting OF the or
dinance. but now he n the company
recognized the fact that some Of Will
mington's best citizens wished it's
adoption for the benefit Of he city's
health. He further stated that the
Company, though now controlled by
Philadelphia capital, was a local one
and had and would always have Will
mington's welfare at heart.
Mayor Waddell stated h a in the
matter of the sewer question he had
cast the deciding vote, and had done
so in accordance with his strong desire
and efforts for a number OF years for
Wilmington to have a sewerage sys-
tenn.
Alderman West seconded the passage
of Alderman Harriss' ordinance and it
was adopted by a unanimous vote.
Then the meeting adjourned.
The Wilmington Sewerage Company
had made arrangements to begin ex-
cavating Nun street tomorrow for the
purpose Of putting in a sewer, but the
citizens objected so seriously to dis
turbing the earth in the hot weather
now upon US that their protests result |
ed in the special meeting Of the alder |
men. All sewer construction will
therefore, be suspended till the first