The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-31
REFUSE EXTENSION
Proposed Enlargement of
MunrOe Fails Before
Committee.


meeting in the Senate Chamber yes
torday afternoon, the principal topic
under discussion being the matter of
the extension of the town limits Of
Monroe in Union county
There were two petitions before the
committee on adverse sides of the
question. that asking for an extension
having by far the larger number of
names. = In addition there was COM
mittee of citizens of Monroe composed
of MeSsrS r. Redford, j. r. Shute, II.
-. Dillon, j. E. Stack, j. NJ. Farley,
7. G. Collins, who were in favor or
the extension and several of whom adj
dressed the committee in support of
their views.
For the opponents of the bill there
appeared Col w. c. Heath, of Monroe,
who is president of the large cotton
mill which it is proposed by the bill
to bring within the limits of the in
corporation.
Col. Heath addressed the COMMITTEES
ut length, but not oratorically, and
his views prevailed in the end. in spite
of references TO Senatorial courtesy
the committee deciding by a decisive
vote TO report the bin unfavorably.
Senator Webb, who spoke earnestly
i'm support of the bill. gave notice after
the vote in the committee that he
WOulQ present. ana uISe UGLOiS Tic
Senate a minority report.
The bill had already been presented
in the House ana passed
Character of the Bill.
The bill is drawn so as to take
about twelve additional acres of lano
into the town of Monroe on the eaSt
side of the present limits, and If passed
Will bring into the town several manu-
featuring concerns which are now out
side the municipality. These concerns
are the Monroe Cotton Mills Com
pany, an oil mill belonging TO the Viz
ginia-Carolina Chemical Company, the
Union Manufacturing Company, and
newly organized knitting mill which
has not yet begun operation. The dis
cuSSion WAS directed on the one side
10 the fact that the people on the out
side enjoyed the water from the city
and the privileges of the town with
out taxation; on the other that the
community was one composed OF poor
cotton mutt operatives who could ill
afford to pay the taxes with which
they would be burdened were they
taken into the town; that the water
was paid for; and that if the taxes
received by the town for the increased
territory We're e0uitably invested, CIV
ing the newly incorporated portion
the advantages to which they would
be entitled, there would be financial
loss 10 the municipality. 1t was also
urged by the advocates of extension
that the children of the cotton mill
district would by the provisions of the
bill be entitled to a seven months
instruction in the public schools of
Monroe. AS AGAINST this the anti-ex-
pansonists urged that the cotton mill
children would have to walk over q
mile to avail themselves of the priv
leges of the town school and that they
now had q school provided by the
mills lasting four months and which It
was proposed to extend TO a seven
months term.
The bill was favored in q speech
by Senator Webb. who stated that the
arguments against it were the same -
were used in every fight for the extern
sion of corporate limits; that il was
favored by both Representatives from
Union and by the two Senator's of the
district and that he thought that their
word should be taken for true ex-
preston of the needs of the commun-
ity.
Senator Mclean and others opposed
the bill. the former taking the ground
that he would in no case be governed
by any sentimental question of Sena-
torial courtesy.
A motion to go into executive session
did not seem to meet with favor and
the question of senatorial courtesy
having arisen, there was some general
discussion into which Representative
Simpson, Senator Williams and Col.
Heath were drawn.
Col Heath stated that the matter
of the town extension. which had
come up once or twice before the
legislature was not an issue in the
campaign, but that he had been joe
ularly approached by Representative
Simpson, who had stated to him that
if he came to the legislature he would
vote against him on the matter of town
extension. TO this Mr.. Simpson replied
that he had not spoken jocularly but
seriously, in order to put Mr.. Heath
on notice as to his course in respect
to that question.
Col. Heath then stated that in the
matter of senatorial courtesy that
while neither of the Senators from his
district had been in any way ap.
preached by him some of the town
commissioners he'd written to them
while they were candidates demand
ing to know what were their views on
the matter of the towns extension.
In reply TO some remarks of Sena-
tor Mclean Senator Williams. not
member of the committee but present.
asked the former whether or not lie
had not asked him on personal grounds
OF friendship to Senator Everett 20
support the Richmond county prohi-
bition bill. Senator Mclean replying
that he had asked him to vote for the
bill, but simply because he considered
that ii was a righteous measure.
The vote taken showed five for IN
unfavorable report and three for the
pill. Senator Webb prociaiming that
he would bring in a minority report.
Two Interpretations.
The only other business before the
committee was the incorporation OF
two small towns, Tabor, in Columbus
county, and bill to extend the limits
of Boardman in the same county.
Both bills were reported favorably by
the committee.