The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-12
New Officials Sworn In.

The municipal offilsrs who nave served
 the city for the past two years tonight
 gave over their trusts to the officers re- gently elected at meetings of the old and the new Council. Mess 1gcs from the re- tiring Mayor. MT. Mcleod, and the new Mayor, MT. Atkins, were received, and a number of important resolutions were passed.
 First came the meeting of the old
 Council, at which all members were pres ent except Mir. DOnner, of the Fourth and MT. Stoddard of the Second. The Sinking Fund Commission made an ceived and app 'bvei. Reports were made by Chief of Poli e Malters, by Street Su- per!ntendent Shannahdn, and by various standing committees. The special com mittee on the new city building reported that good progress was being made. An other special committee reported that the
 Louisville and Nashville Railroad had been granted a right of way across cer- tain streets Tn East Selma.
 The petition of M. J. Elkan & Go. to continue the business under the license of their predecessor, Nj. Leva, wholesale liquor dealer, was granted.
 Mayor Mcleod read his last official message to the Council. It dealt with the general affairs of the city and was op- tmistic The streets, the fire and police
 departments had been greatly improved, and the sanitary condition of the city was good. That the light and water expense
 was increasing.
 Affer the reception of MT. Mcleod $ message the old Council adjourned and the new Council convened.
 Mayor Mcleod administered the oath of office to Mayor Atkin, and MT. Mcleod made a short. appropriate speech.
 The new Council organized with w. R. Peacock as President, and with the fol- lowing members: Messrs. Hall and Phil lips of the First Ward, Agee and Kor- negay of the Second. Norris and Meyer of the Third, Berry and Elder of the Fourth and Quinn and Smith of the Fifth. The members of the Council were sworn in by Mayor Atkins.
 Mayor Atkins's message to the Council first went into an exposition of the finan-
 cial condition of the city. The floating
 indebtedness of the city. he stated is about $30.000. about 5000 of which IS
 owed to city oficias for services during the past few months. All officers have agreed to have their salaries reduced 10 per cent. and Mayor Atkins recommended | a decided decrease in the water and light bills of the city, as well as in standing appropriations. The property tax has been decreased, but the license tax had
 been increased. and along with this was
 noticeable a remarkable depreciation ir property assessment which is now nearly | $20. 600 less than 1t was ten years ago The Mayor recommended a system o1 l triple checking in the purchase of al supplies. He touched upon importan matters when he spoke of the municipa l ownership of an electric light plant whici he thought would help the city wonder | fully. In speaking of the water problem
 he said that the city would seem to b.
 in the power of the Selma Water Com pany until the present contract had eX pired. The Fire Department. he said, wal not adequate to possible demands, prob ably on account of being too lax in dis cipline, and he recommended that tn Council take action on this matter.
 The messages from the mayors were re ceived and filed.