The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-08-19
perity and the Bank Of Prosperity
Answer of the Town.

nies that the defendants are threaten
ing to pay said debt out OF the taxes
OF said town. "aS it is their purpose
10 paw the same out OF the income
of said town from whatever source
; derived.'
The second paragraph of the an
swer admits so much OF the COM
plant OF plaintiffs ''as alleges the pur-
chase of lot. the erection Of build
ing and, the execution of the notes
in said paragraph described. but they
deny that there was any attempt to
create a debt beyond the income Of
the town for the year in which the
same was created: and they further
deny that the same was created for
the erection OF town hall exclusive
ly. as we'll as the allegation that the
entire income of said town for said
year was consumed in the current
expenses of said town, if by current
expenses is meant the expenses 9TH
er than the expenses of said lot and
building"
The answer further alleges that the
town OF Prosperity is a hourishing
town OF 800 people. and cites the con-
elusive evidences Of its prosperity,
and continues: "That up to the year
1902 the town of Prosperity had no
guard house or market house Of its
own. nor had any council chamber
or place where the town council
could meet. The make-shift of
guard house which was used was
little wooden shanty on a vacant lot
belonging to H. c. Moseley, which
shanty was absolutely unfit for guard
house purposes. 1t was simply an
insecure. vacant cabin And it was
impossible to detain prisoners in said
cabin unless having apoliceman Or mar
shall 10 guard them. and frequently
when a policeman or marshall would
lock a prisoner in said building by
the time the policeman or marshal
returned to the public square the
prisoner himself was walking the
streets Of the town. The said town
was also without market facilities;
that Is, a place in which fresh meats
could be sold and kept under the po-
lice supervision. as requi1 ed by the
ordinances Of the town: and they
we're driven to the necessity of pay
ing ground rent on which they could
put a small wooden shanty not large
enough for the demands of the town,
and this ground rent amounted to ten
(SIo) per year.
"And so far as meeting place for
the council, the arrangement prior
to 1902 was for the council to pay
a part of the rent of the room oc-
cupied by the magistrate of the town.
ship. And at the time of regular
meeting or call meeting of council
if the magistrate needed the Office
for his purposes. the council had to
adjourn or go out upon the street or
any place they could find, and on oc-
casions they were driven to the ne
cessity OF going into the waiting
room OF one of the railroad depots
to consider important matters and
to try offenders against the ordi-
nances of the town: and at times
they were forced to apply to some
merchant ior the privilege of meet
ing in his store to consider the af-
fairs OF the town.
That it had been the custom for
years OF the citizens of the town Of
Prosperity to assemble in mass meet
ing in the spring to nominate an in
tendant and wardens to serve for the
ensuing year Due notice was given
OF these town meetings and they
were generally we'll attended and at
the meeting in the spring OF 1902. at
which at least sixty-hve or seventy
voters were present. resolution was
passed without a dissenting vote, re-
questing the town council nominated