The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-12-12

tOls-An Offer is to be Made to
Purchase the Old Encampnent Site.
This Property is Considered &c be
Worth Not Less Than 5000 or S1O,-
GOETHE Tract Contains o Acres.
A special meeting of the board OF
aldermen was held last night to re-
ceive the report IF the water commits
sim and also to consider anv other
matter that should be brought before
he board. Aldermen Kari and Ratc-
jen we're absent.
itcn. John D. Bellamy appeared be-
tore the board and stated that before
proceeding to the regular transaction
Of business he would like to offer a
resolution. The property on Wrignts-
vile Sound he stated known as the
old encampment site and consisting
CT 1O5 acres now belonged to the city
and they had it in their power to els
pose OF same il they SO desired. He
thought it would be a good idea for
the city to sell the tract of land and
use the proceeds in purchasing land
near the city to be used as a park
Mr.. Bellamy said he desired to pur-
chase the land, not for himself, but
for a friend who owned the adjoining
land and desired to enclose the prop
erty. He offered the following resp
luton which was presented by Alder
man King and unanimously adopted
"Resolved that the application Of
John D. Bellamy, attorney to purchase
the state encan,pment grounds which
were, in the month of November, 1905,
formerly abandoned by the state be re-
ferred to the public building commit
tee with power to consider and report
to the January meeting of the com
mittee."
Alderman Johnson, chairman of the
water commission, which is composed
Of Aldermen Johnson, Price and
Brown, from the board of aldermen.
Mr.. II. G.. Mcqueen, from the board
of audit and finance and Mr.. Matt j..
Heyer, from the chamber of commerce,
submitted the following report on be-
half Of the commission:
1--WE have given the matter of a
pure water supply for the city as care
full a consideration as the limited time
at our disposal has permitted. We
have employed experts, who have
looked over the various water courses
in this vicinity, and they were uuani.
nous in their report that the Green
field mill pond, a short distance south
Of the city, is the proper and logical
r1aoo for ON oifv RI obtain ire wafer
supply, as in their opinion the quantity
was ample for even a much larger city
and the quality seemed to be good in
all respects, and that they believed,
when the pond was cleaned out and
the trees in the pond cut down, the
quality would be excellent.
1--WE have had several samples OF
water analysed by the state chemist
and he pronounced it good drinking
water, even in it's present condition.
I'VE have an option on the Green
field mill pond for s4,750, and we rec
ommend that the city purchase this
property at once at the above named
price.
"We also recommend that the mex
legislature be asked to pass a bill en-
abling the city to have a water and
~ ~ AohS lax .
of and conduct these very important
utilities, in order that it's manage
ment may not be affected by changes
in the city government. We submit
herewith a report from the engineers
and also an analysis of the water"
Alderman King wanted to know If
the city had the legal right to pur-
chase the land inasmuch as it is locat-
ed outside of the city of Wilmington.
He asked the opinion of City At
torney Bellamy, who stated that he did
not think the city had the power to
purchase property outside of the city
limits.
Alderman Johnson, in speaking Ut
the property, said it contained about Gu
or 20 acres. He stated that when the
civil engineers were inspecting :he
pond it was pointed out that the water
might at some future time become o n |
terminated by an inf1owing stream
which enters above the POND.
According to the civil engineer,
the water from the stream mel
toned could be diverted and turnel
below the pond. thus relieving this
danger. Alderman Johnson sug-
gested that even if the property wa.
not used for the original purpose, thar
1t would be an excellent place for a
park and could te converted into one. |
Alderman W. Fl. Yopp said the only
thing to be considered was the supply
and purity of the water and If that
was satisfactory he favored the pur- |
chase Of the property.
Alderman O'Brien thought 1t was
we'll to know what the city intended
to do in regard to putting in a sys-
tenn of water works before anything
definite was done about the purchase
OF the property.
Alderman King made a motion hat /
property be purchased subject to valid
ity Of title and right OF city to buy |
property outside Of city limits and
that u city has not got necessary noa-