The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-05
COUNTY MATTERS.
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS YESTERDAY.
Jurors Drawn for the April Term of
the Superior Court-Tax Listers
Elected-Neglect OF the Burial or a
Drowned Negro to be Investigated.

noon at 2:30 O'Clock. the members in at
tendance being Chairman McEachern
inc Commissioners Holmes. Alexander
n Montgomery.
Mr.. w. L Spoon. Of Alamaace coun-
~. representing the Good Roads Ma
chfnery Company, who was sent here
to install the county's road machinery
at Castle Haynes. appeared before the
board n stated that he had complet-
ed the erection OF the machinery and
thai it was running in a satisfactory
manner. He also presented the bill for
the machinery. n the commissioners
having viewed the plant and approved
it. ordered the bill TO be paid. \ war
rant for s2,321.5O was accordingly hand
ed owe to Mr.. Spoon.
The matter of the purchase of a o
roller was deferred until some future
| day.
DR.. w. D. Mcmillan, county saperin-
tendent of health, read his report for
the month of March. He states that he
treated go patients at his office and
paid 50 visits to 81 patients. He re-
ports that the sanitary condition of the
county home, Jail and conVict camp is
good, that there is no sickness in the
home and Jail and very little at the
camp.
Register of Deeds w. H. Biddle made
his report. showing that during the
month of March he issued "a marriage
license, z to whites and IL to colored,
and turned over to the county treasur-
er $3.50 in fees for the same.
Chairman McEachern notified the
-ha 10 mn - x-~-
gate a great outrage that a been re-
ported to him. 1t was that the body
OF the unknown negro who was drowned
and washed ashore in Federal Point
township had been allowed to lie I'M
buried for more than a week. The
body, he stated, was found on Satur-
day, the coroner viewed il next day
Sunday, and it was allowed to lie on
the river and purify until the next
Sunday. He remarked in an emphatic
manner that somebody was to blame
for neglect in this matter and it was
necessary to make an investigation to
fix the responsibility. He called on
County Attorney w. B. McKoy to ex-
plain the law touching the burial of
such subjects. Mr.. Mckoy said it was
the duty Of the coroner to inform the
county commissioners when he had
finished with a body, and they could or
der the contractor for burying paupers
to bury the body or W somebody to
do it. Until the coroner so ordered no
one was allowed to touch a dead body
over which an inquest was held.
Chairman McEachern stated that nc
order had been left with the commits
sioners to have the body buried.
Chairman said the county
has a contractor for burying paupers
n he did not know whether the cor
oner had notified him or not to bury the
body, but the matter should be looked
into to find out whose fault it is.
On motion of Commissioner Holmes
a committee consisting of Commission
ers Montgomery and Vollers was APP
pointed to investigate the matter and
report back to this board.
The board was asked to commit 3.
| w. Howard, colored to the county home
on account of his being insane, but as
it appeared that he was a citizen of
Boston, Mass, he having left here
twenty-one years ago, the chairman
was authorized to correspond with the
Massachusetts authorities as to what
disposition to make of him. Colonel
John D.. Taylor also called the atten-
ton of the board to the discovery that
london James. who was recently de-
clared insane. is a citizen of Richland
county. S. c. The chairman was also
authorized to correspond with the au-
thorities of that state. In the mean
time o men will be confined in the
county home here.
The report of Mr.. Sol j. Jones, super
intendent of county roads, was re-
ceived. He stated what work had been
done on the roads,, and among other
Things recommended that the BLUE
| Clay road be discontinued as a public
road. as it parallels the Castle Haynes
road which is now being macadamized
| by the county. This road leaves Cas-
L fla HAYNES road af tho A-rnfra noot ond
~re-enters it at Mountain Island creek.
1t is about six miles long, and runs
from a half to two miles from the Cas-
tie Haynes road. The board decided
that it was useless to keep IT up, but
before abolishing it Is a public road,
a motion was adopted to refer the mat
ter to a committee to investigate ami
report back to the board whether the
road is necessary for traffic by any
number of persons. The committee ap-
pointed consists of Commissioner Alex
ander n Road Superintendent Sol ].
Jones to report back their findings at
the next meeting of the board.
Under the recent act Of the general
assembly placing the health manage
ment of the county into the hands of
a sanitary committee. the board ap-
pointed DR.. L. II. Love a member of
the committee on the part of the coun-
ty. Mayor Waddell las appointed DR..
Thamas s. Burbank a member of the
committee on the part of the city and
they viii act i'm connection with the
chairman Of this board touching all
matters of the public health in the
county. They will meet May 1st to
elect a county superintendent Of health.
The board elected the following u
the tax listers for the various town
ships in the county: Wilmington town
ship. Thos O.. Bunting; Harnett town.
ship. James Macomber; Cape Fear
township. c. III. Casteen; Masonboro
township. d. ]. Fergers: Fedora Point
township. John A. Biddle.
An application from c. z. Collins for
license to sell malt liquors only at Hill
ton park. was deferred as the applica-
ton has to be first approved by the
board Of aldermen.
Captain A p. Adrian, Of the viii.
ngt Light Infantry appeared be-
fore the board as to the usual annual
appropriation Of f95n for hat companv