The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-17
Especial to The Messenger.)

Fayetteville, n. G, May 12.-At oon
today a large meeting was held in the
city hall of the business and profession
al men and manufacturers, presided over
10y Mr.. A. H. Slocomb, and r. H. Dye
was appointed secretary, for the pur-
pose Of considering an article headed
CITY Bankrupt" contributed to the
Fayetteville Observer by ]. d. Mcneil,
city alderman. After a full discussion,
Mr.. n. A. Sinclair, from a committee,
presented resolutions, strongly con-
demning the article, it's contributor,
and the paper for giving it publication.
OFFICIAL COPY OF THE RESOLUT
Fayetteville, y. c., May II, 1904.
Pursuant to a call issued by Mayor
c. B.. Mcmillan on yesterday, quite a
large number of representative citizens
of Fayetteville assembled in meeting
in the city hall today at noon The
meeting was called to order by Captain
f.. r McKethan, Inc Colonel A. H.
SlocOmb was elected chairman and K.
H. Dye. Esq, secretary.
The chairman stated the object of the
O~NA-6 ~ @NNNN IN ANAA AlAAAAN
and credit of the city, which had been
attacked by an article in a recent issue
of the town ape under the startling
headlines of The City Bankrupt"
which article had received the apparent
endorsement of the papers editor, of the
inaccurate and unjust statement that
followed the headlines, and that it was
the purpose of this meeting to protest
against the attempt to injure the credit
of this city, than which there is none
in a better financial condition. The
meeting was then opened for discussion.
Captain James d. Mcneil was recog-
nized, and he read the following letter,
which he said was intended for the
committee on resolutions:
Fayetteville n. c.. May II, 1904.
IN. A. Sinclair, Esq, Chairman.
Dear Sir: l understand you are
chairman of a committee to present
resolutions in regard to my remarks,
addressed to the board Of aldermen at
it's recent meeting and afterwards pub
lished in The Fayetteville Observer, to
a public meeting to De held today.
In justice to myself and in justice
to the city, of which 1 am one Of the
most patriotic and interested citizens,
l wish to mention and l wish to have
stated to the meeting, a fact, which it
seemed to me, should have been clear
0N SSN~NN 100000 49,
unfortunate use, or misuse, of the term
bankrupt condition." that l did not
mean an insolvent or irresponsible con-
ditiOn of the city as a corporation. The
context shows that l should have used
the term embarrassed condition of our
current expense account.
1T is impossible for you or anyone
to believe, on reflection, that the city'S
ample and credit, considering
it's small bonded debt, are sue as to
completely exclude the idea of insol-
vency. Being a practical man of bust
ness and not a practical writer, 1 realize
that 1 was not as careful as I should
have been in my language.
Before any feeling whatever was
manifested, I publicly and freely dis
claimed any idea of rejecting upon the
~SOlyency of our city. Unfortunately,
. the editor of The Observer, for reasons
which he has explained, selected for
the heading OF the communication the
very term of all Others which could &C
centuate and make prominent my mis-
taken language. My past life of over
so years as a business man here, ought
to be a guarantee that nothing could
be farther from my designs than to in
any way injure our city.
1 was, and am, only anxious to pro-
mote the public welfare. / have been
selected as the chairman OF the finance
committee and felt hat it was the first
and most paramount duty to put the
board on guard in regard to eXpendi-
lures for the ensuing year.
DO me the kindness, If you please,
to read this note or lave it read at the
meeting.
Respectfully yours.
JAMES d. McNEILL."
Captain Mcneil then spoke on the
finances of the city.
Nessrs. John Underwood; 1. A. Muir
Gibson, city attorney; Colonel. w. S
Cook, Henry McBuie, city clerk; N. b
Alexander. alderman and chairman OF
light committee; and ]. ID. Mcneil ad
dressed the meeting on the city'S finan.
cial condition and the publication in
question. w. l. Haw1ey asked permits.
sion for N. A. Sinclair, Esq, to offel
resolution adopted at a meeting yes
terday, which Mr.. Sinclair said, wa:
informal, spontaneous and composed o
business men. He said this meetins
was to attack or defend no man., bu
to remedy the wrong made by the state
ment that this city is bankrupt HI
then read and offered the followin!
resolution, to wit:
Whereas, In the editorial column.
of The Fayetteville Observer a certain
article was published on May 10th
headed THE City Bankrupt and sign
ed by J. d. McNeill:
BE it resolved by this meeting of tn,
citizens of Fayetteville:
list. That we condemn the writin.
and publication Of said article as high