The leader., 1905-06-14

penses. which profit goes into the
city treasury. Since 1900 the as
sessed value Of taxable property
Of the city has increased over
81, 200, 900 that is, increased over
Isl 900, 900 in value since the
water and light plant were estab-
llished.
It is estimated that the water
land light plant and the graded
public school property are worth,
Las they stand, every dollar Of the
l$82, 900 Of outstanding bonds rep
resented by this property, and
THAT if the outsiders are taken In
Ito the city, they would become.
joint proprietors Of this property.
/ The chief objections brought
out and pressed BY the defense
were that the present city govern
lment needed more revenues than
lit was receiving, that it couldn't
increase the rate Of taxation with
lout making the Mayor and Alder
men Ineligible to succeed them
lselves, and that they wanted to
lbring in the new territory and
tax it to get around this embar-
Irassment;. that about one-sixth of
1.-THE land within the present corpo-
rate limits had never been sub
divided into lots and built up, and
that a good part of this land is
i'm cultivation in cotton and other
crops here in the city; that if the
new territory were annexed the
4 persons taken in would be taxed
without enjoying the same adyan-
itages from the water and light
plant, improved streets, ETC., en-
Ejoyed by those in the more popu-
llous sections Of the city; because,
Ilf for no other reason, the city
wouldn't have the money, without
lissuing more bonds and going
deeper in debt, to extend these
Improvements; that large part
Eof the new territory was in farms
land woods, and that it was both
unreasonable and unjust to bring
this land into the corporation by.
la mere edict Of the Mayor and
Board Of Aldermen. AS for, the
advantages of the public school
eniqyed BIZ the residents of this
Territory, the County Superin-
Itendent was introduced to prove
THAT the country public schools are
las good as Brookhaven's and that
Isome Of Brookhaven's parents
have been actually sending their.
Ichildren to country schools in
preference to the city school.
/ The plaintiff met the showing
of vacant lands now in the city by
claiming that very little if any of
these lands are on the market or
Jean be bought at reasonable fig
ures, and that in recognition OF
this fact as we'll as the constant
Influx of population, land owners.
outside of the present city limits
are subdiYiding .their lands into
ltown lots and placing them on the
marked to accommodate the demand
THAT cannot otherwise be satisfied
for residence property at reasona-
/ bic prices. 1t was also shown that
suburban lands have greatly APP
preciated in value by reason Of
their contiguity to the city, and
Iargued from this that the city had
la right to increase her limits, as
proposed and take these lands in.
As stated in our last issue, the
[city was represented BY Hon. P.
10. Jones, city attorney, and Hon.
III. S. Sexton, of Hazlehurst, and
the defense BY Hon. Thos. Brady
Jr., Of the Brookhayen bar, sin
gle handed. Both sides displayed
consummate ability in handling
and arguing the case. The speech
of Hon. j. S. Sexton, who is de-
servedly recognized as one Of the
legal giants of Mississippi, was
Ian eloquent and masterfuI appeal
for expansion and the cause Of
municipal and material progress; !;
land that Hon. Thos. Brady,
whose management Of the defense
throughout was tactful and
superb, and every sentence of his
strong speech like 4 rife shot,
should have been able to win when
The city made such strong show
ing, was splendid tribute to bis
ability and influence before : jury.
The jury was ont but q few
minutes when It returned with its
Verdict for the defendant. It was
composed Of | ! farmers.
The Leader learns that the