Smyrna times., 1905-02-01
TOWN COUNCIL SETTLING
BUSINESS FOR FISCAL YEAR
ONLY TWO MORE REGULAR MEETINGS RE-
MAINFOR THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION.
Act For RefuHding Town Bonds Given to Rep.
resentative Baggs to Introduce 10 the Leg.
islature-lnsurance on Opera House.

resentative Baggs to Introduce 10 the Leg.
islature-Insurance on Opera House.
With only two more regular meet |
ings in this fiscal year, the Town
Council will have more or less work to
do in winding up its affairs before the |
annual Municipal Election. tits very
probable that all the councilmen will
be returned but nevertheless it is pos
sible for number of changes to take
place since the terms of all the mem
bers expire at the same time and there
is no hold-over members such as used
to be the case under the old charter.
The present method of electing by
wards or districts is not popular one
in Smyrna for the reason that some
think the town is too small to be GER
rymandered IN such fashion since in
some districts the Office really ''goes
begging" for as has been the case those
who would make representative coun-
cilmen will not have the office, and the
law requires that the member must be
a property owner and reside in the
district or ward from which he is
elected. The result has been that very
little interest has been manifested in
the municipal elections. The present
Council will go out with a good record
for it can be said to their credit that
they have studied economy to the very
best interest of Smyrna and made
what necessary improvements they
could with the limited amount of funds
available. The Electric Light plant
which is in need of a new boiler and
dynamos and of which much has been
said and published during the past
year, may come up for discussion
again with renewed interest when the
next Council enteres upon its duties.
At present everything is moving along
nicely and it is hardly probably that
the present Council will take up any
new projects. The next two meetings
will consume their time in settling
affairs for the fiscal year now ending.
The new system of keeping accounts
by Secretary Grieves will very mater
tally lessen the work OF auditing.
Discussion Over Opera House Insurance.
Only four members were present
Friday evening, President Reynolds,
Secretary Grieves, Councilmen Hud-
son and Thornley,. Mr.. Stockly was
unable to represent but sent a note
stating that the act entitled an act for
the refunding of town bonds had been
drawn in definite shape and would be
given to Representative W. Fl. Baggs
Monday to introduce in the Legisla-
ture. He also referred to the matter
of insurance on the Smyrna Opera
House and recommended that policy
for 50, 500 be taken with the Farmers
Mutual Insurance Company of Will
mington which agreed to take the risk
at two per cent. This is no lower than
what some other companies offered to
take it, only that the Farmers Mutual
pays back liberal dividends. Mr..
Stockly thought the Opera House
should be insured for $4,000. The
Kent County Mutual has been carry
ing $4,000 insurance on the Opera
House, Jail, Hose Department, &C.,
but byia recentruling would not take a
greater risk than $4,000. This left the
Council to pro vide some one to take
: the $500 remaining. Itwas discussed
in Council at previous meeting and
the opinion was that $4,000 insurance
was little enough on building valued
at $20,0 900. Chairman Stockly of the
, Finance Committee was appointed to in
} Yestigate the matter and Friday even
, ing he was given full authority to
| place the additionsl insurance at what
ever amount and wherever he deemed
best for the interests of the town.
! Took Large Force Of Men to Open Streets,
Chairman Grieves stated that
enought coal had come in to last two
weeks and that he was expecting
another car load soon unless it was
delayed by the blizzard. Presi-
dent Reynolds stated that he had Sc
cured several men to open the streets
which had been blocked by snow
1 drifts during the blizzard, especially
on east Commerce street leading from
{ Bethel Church toward Smyrna Land
ing. He advanced $16.5O for this pur-
= pose. The latter was allowed and in
: cluded in the bills as follows Salaries
+ of Town employees for January
$256,OO; P. B. W. Railroad, freight,
Y $9O.27; Samuel Armstrong, electric
r light poles, $4,000; Haines, Jones &
I Cadbury, $40. SO; Cosgriff & Reynolds,
/ coal, S12917; George w. Sylvester,
Q fireman, $500; Samuel J. Reynolds,