The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-04-20
IMPROVEMENT WANTED.

IMPROVEMENT WANTED.
"A Citizen" Discusses Various Evils Of the Town
of Bambers-Wants Laws Enforced.
Editor The Bamberg Herald.-Dear Sir:
Please allow me space in your columns to
ask few questions and make few sug-
gestions. First, has the city of Bamberg
any laws? if so are any of them enforced?
I only know of one law we have and that
is not very rigidly enforced, and that is
the tax law. never lived in place that
needed laws as bad as Bamberg, or if they
have any laws I never saw them as badly
needed to be enforced. Our municipal
government is disgrace to any COM
munity. There are times when our streets
are not fit for lady to be on them. Some
times man can hardly pass up and down
them, especially on Saturdays. Our side
walks are blockaded with both white and
black men and negro women, so that it is
impossible to pass without pushing your
way through, and more or less of these
blockaders are drinking or drunk, and
using such language as is not decent for
gentlemen to hear, much less lady.
Now, MI. Editor, we need laws to keep
our streets open; we need laws to keep
drunkenness off our streets; we need laws
to prohibit obscene language being used
on our streets; we need laws to keep our
streets clean; filth of almost every de-
scription is allowed to Be thrown upon
our sidwalks and streets; we need laws to
prohibit cattle and stock from grazing
our streets; we need laws to prohibit men
and boys from riding on our sidewalks in
passing ladies and children; they should
either alight and walk past them or else
turn out in the street to pass; we also need
laws to prohibit any one riding wheels on
sidewalks at night without a lantern.
Again, we need laws to prohibit anyone
from driving or riding horse on. our
sidewalks or hitching to shade trees. l
notice number Of our trees ruined from
this cause. We need laws to prohibit any
lewd houses to be in our incorporated
limits; we need laws to prohibit men and
women from living in adultry; we need
laws to prohibit lounging around or
drinking around the dispensary; we need
laws to prohibit lounging saround our
street corners and drinking on our streets;
we need laws to prohibit lewd women
from promenading our streets advertising
their business; we need laws to prohibit
anyone from shooting off their guns and
pistols in the incorporate limits; we need
laws to prohibit the carrying of concealed
weapons. A large number of our citizens
carry them, both pistols and brass knucks,
and this is not confined to our men only,
but young lads and boys carry them.
Now, Mr.. Editor, the writer of this has
been in your city for two years and nine
months, and he does not know whether
the city has any laws or not, as he does
not see any laws enforced. I see and
hear all the above evils going on in our
city, but no steps taken to, prohibit them.
If the city has laws against these things
they should certainly be enforced, giving
offenders full extent of the law. I think
all good citizens will agree with me on
this, hence let US see to it that we elect
men to our city council who will pledge
themselves that they will see to it that, if
we have no laws, to make them, and il
we have laws, see to it that they are en-
forced. Let Us have general cleaning
mn of Bamberg, and see how pure we can
get; let US try to have model city for her
Righteousness.
Now, Mr.. Editor, this is not written as
a reflection on anyone, but it is written
by one who has the interest OF Bamberg
at heart, and know that no good thing
can come out of the evils that are going
on in our midst. So let US try to have'l
good laws and see that they are enforced;
let US try to improve ourselves as law
abiding people, having good morals, in
fact improving ourselves in everything
that tends to rig ghteousness, then peace and
harmony will prevail and Bamberg will
be noted for her purity instead OF her
being noted for her imperfections.
Very respectfully,
A CITIZEN.
Bamberg, s. c., April 18th, 1905.