The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-03-03
THE TOWNS AFFAIRS.
Points, Street Duty, Tax Executions,
Fire Department, Etc.

Mayor j. w. Earhardt was seen yes
terday by a representative of The
Herald and News and asked a number
of questions in regard to the town. s
affairs and the policy, present and fu-
ture, of the towns administration. The
authorities have been very active in the
enforcement of the city s ordinances for
the past few days, and while the good
effect of this action is already felt and
has been the cause of warm words of
commentator from a majority of the
citizens of Newberry, there have been
others who seem not to have been
pleased, and rumors have got into cir
culation which, if false, it was desired
to correct.
A number of kicks have been regis
tered because those who have hereto
fore been exempt from the payment of
street duty have received notices that
the tax is due and they are expected to
call and settle.
''Why is it that you require the pay
ment of street duty by those who have
up to this time been exempt?' the
Mayor was asked.
In this matter, us we are striving to
do in all others connected with the
affairs of the town, we are simply car
! ryng out the law as it is written. The
ordinance provides that certificate
from doctor, exempting party from
working the streets, shall be in force
! t,un No bnx Dc
knowing when the certificates now held
are dated. All we ask of those who
hold certificates is that they present
them to the city clerk. The authorities
have no desire whatever to collect any
money from any one which is not justly
due. On the other hand, there will be
no favorites, and all who are liable must
pay"
| Mayor Earhardt was next asked when
! the town would begin the issuance of
tax executions. He replied that council
; had decided at recent meeting to
| issue executions at once, and the exc
! cutions were now being prepared and
would in a few days be placed in the
hands Of the proper officer, the sheriff
or the chief of police. 'There is some
thing like 81, 500 due in taxes for the
year 1902" he said, "and there are still
| taxes due for the four or five preceding
| years. 1t certainly will not be a pleas
ure to the authorities to put any citizen
, to extra expense but the town is al
ready considerably in debt, and we can
i,,fo l,
towns debt and at the same time allow
/ such an amount in back taxes to stand
! 1t is not just to those who are prompt
in the payment of their taxes. Besides,
the money is justly due the town. and
it is our duty 70 use every means in our
power to collect t."
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
! Mayor Earhardt was asked if there
, was any truth in the report which has
been circulated, to the effect that in the
recent reorganization of the city's fire
, department the negroes were granted
! the privilege of r. tanning their organi-
, zation while at the same time the West
! End team was forcibly disbanded. He
| but containing no truth whatever, he
, had not even given it serious considcra-
; tior. Exactly the opposite is true,
? however," he said. ''The West End
| Team has not been disbanded. The
negro teams have been disbanded, and
| have been given the privilege of select
! ing twenty-five of the best members of
! their various companies and forming a
! truck company Council never for an
instant thought of disbanding the West
j End company; it was never mentioned
by our body, and is still retained in
service. Such talk emenates from some
sorehead who would prefer to circulate
a false rumor than to investigate and
! tell the truth.' Continuing he said
that the hose heretofore carried by the
several different reels in the city had
been ordered placed on the J. Sc wagon,
because the authorities believed that
in this way the best fire protection
could be secured, at the same time
placing about forty of the colored fire
men on the street duty list
HS lOI Ile movement on Jnc part OF
council to clean the town of vagrants
and disorderly women," said Mayor
Earhardt, "I don't think any statement
or any apology is necessary. Tho
movement, as instituted by council for
the purpose Of ridding the town of
loafers and Of disordcrly houses, has
been very generally noted, and will
stand or fall on it's merits. There was
and is no intention of dcpriving any one
Of domestic help, or of desirable ten
ants, and it will not be DONE"
The Mayor then said: "Plcasc allow
me in this connection, to state publicly,
that | am highly gratifed at the warm
words Of congratulation and encourage
ment from many OF the best citizens of
the city, in regard to this matter They
can rest assured that their well wishes
and cooperation in the movement are
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