The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-07-05

IN N412Qb0024'
aldermen are authorized to day, make
and maintain common sewers whenever
they shall adjudge the same to be nee
essary; and.
Whereas. For the purpose Of carrying
out the provisions Of the act the said
board were authorized to hold an cleo
ton in the month of March, 1881, sub
hitting the question Of the issue Of
bonds for sewerage" n bonds fo-
street improvements" each in the sum
OF one hundred thousand dollars; and,
Whereas, At the time. an election was
held n the proposed issue Of bonds
were then defeated; and,
Whereas, In the 18th section of the
said act IL is declared that IF the re-
suit Of said election shall be against the
issuing Of either of the said bonds, the
board of aldermen Of "a city may at
AMI time or times afterwards again SUBJ
NIT to the qualified voters of said city
the question Of issuing said bonds;
Therefore, Be it enacted that the lay
ing and maintaining of a public system
OF sewerage in the City Of Wilmington
has become imperatively necessary for
the public convenience and the public
health; and, for the purpose Of raising
the money to build. construct and lay
such a public system Of sewerage, that
there be issued, with the consent and
approval Of the board of audit and A.
nance OF this city, coupon bonds to the
amount of one hundred thousand dol
lars. bearing interest payable semi-an-
nually, at the rate of five per cent. per
annum, in the denominations of five
hundred dollars. and said bonds shall
be payable thirty years after the date
or issue at the office Of the clerk and
treasurer Of said city, or elsewhere, as
may be hereafter determined, and shall
be signed by the mayor of a city and
counter signed by the chairman of said
board Of audit and finance; provided.
tina at the election hereinafter called a
majority Of the qualified voters Of this
city shall approve and vote to issue the
Said bands.
Be 1t Further Enacted; That, pursu-
ant to the aforesaid act of the general
assembly. authorizing the submission to
the qualified voters of this city of the
question Of issuing bonds for public
sewerage, that an election of the quail
fed voters of this city be and is hereby
called, and said election shall be held
on the third Thursday of August, A. D.
1901, being the fifteenth day of that
month, at which said election shall be
submitted the question of issuing bonds
for sewerage in the sum of one hundred
thousand dollars, as proposed in this
ordinance. The said election to be held
at the usual places and in the same
as other municipal elections ara
held.
Be 1t Further Enacted; That. a FORM
al notice of such election be published
in each of the daily newspapers of this
city for at least a period Of thirty days
before the time of holding the said cleo
ton.
When the ordinance had been read
and seconded by Alderman VonGlahn,
Alderman Harriss said he was not pre-
pared to vote on it. He said some law
yer had evidently prepared it and he
would like to examine it for some
dodge. He moved a recess of ten
minutes.
The recess vas taken at 6:10 %. m.
and when Mayor Waddell called the
board together again, Alderman John
son stated that Iredell Meares, Esq,
drew the ordinance and hi called on
him to explain it.
Mr.. Meares said the proposed ordin-
ance was drawn in accordance with a
special act of 1891. authorizing the city
to vote on h question of issuing $780,
to vote on the question of issuing $780,
600 in bonds for sewerage and S10O, 900
\ in bonds for street improvements. An
election was held under it but the bond
issues were defeated. The act provid-
ed that an election could be called on
these questions at any subsequent time.
He said he drew the ordinance upon
request, and after giving reasons why
1T was not for the city's interest to al
low a corporation to put down sewers
in the streets of the city, h said the
only question was as to whether the
city is able to put in a system Of sewers
itself. He said since 1885 the city's
bonded debt had been decreased $751;
600. and he urged that if the city stood
that debt at the time previous to it's
reduction, surely it could now do so
under present conditions. After speak
ing of the complications likely to en-
sue from a system of sewers put dow
by a corporation. he referred to the
trouble with the w~aterworks company
as an ex ample. He made an excellent
argument in favor of municipal owner
ship Of sewers, but said he was not
present 20 represent a sewer company
or in the interest of any one.
Hon. John D. Bellamy, attorney for
the Wilmington Sewer Company, by
permission of the board, made some
remarks. individually, he said he was
very favorable to the city's putting in
it's sewerage system. but the city is
not in a condition to do it. AS for his
company they did not ask for an ex-
elusive franchise. as no power could
grant that and if Mr.. Darby wanted a
franchise the city ought to give it to
him and take his $4,000 if it desired to.
He said the citizens would not vote for
sewerage bonds when the city's bonded
debt is alredy $500, 600. He declared that
the submission of the bond question
to a vote would mean to find that aut.
Alderman HarrisS in the discussion
said he had thought at first Mr.. Darby's
offer was a bluff. but he would like to
hear him state what it was.
Mr.. Darby then addressed the board.
saying that he and his associates. if
necessary would put $200,O0 0 in a sew
rag system. They would like to call
the bluff, if permitted to do SO. AS for
Offering $40. 900 for the franchise, he
said that would go to the city whereas
he had understood the Sanitary Sewer
Company gave so, 900 for the franchise
OF the Wilmington Sewer Company. He
said his offer was made in good faith
and while lie. too as a citizen and tax
| payer favored city ownership, lie would
| would say that his would give