The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1905-09-15
BOND ISSUE
IS FAVORED
A Mass Meeting of Citizens and
Tax Payers Pass Resolution.
FOR TOWNS PROGRESS
Eloquent and Convincing Speech Of {. T.
MCCarty In Favor of Project. The
Meeting Enthusiastic.

The mass meeting of the citizens and
tax payers Of Fort Pierce which was
advertised last week, was held in the
Fort Pierce High school building Tues
day evening, with fairly representa-
tive audience in attendance.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor Gladwin, who stated the object
OF the meeting, and in short address
gave his reasons for favoring the pro-
ject of bonding the town for 81, 500,
the amount to be used in furnishing Il
site for the county buildings. His
reasons were all logical, patriotic and
filled to a high degree with sense of
town pride and interest.
G. Il. McCarty was then called upon
and expressed his belief that bonding
was the only practical method of rails
ing the required amount, that it was
the only equitable means of dividing
the expense among those who would be
benefited by the erection of the county
buildings in Fort Pierce. Mr.. McCarty
then gave several examples of bonding
that had come under his personal OBJ
servation, mentioning particularly some
of the large cities of the north, and
Miami, West Palm Beach and Titus
vile of our own section. He stated
that the bond issue in Titusvlle had
been incorrectly stated and gave a his
tory of this issue. Twelve years ago
the town issued bonds, for ST. 500, pay
able in fifteen years, at $500 a year.
The payments have been kept up
promptly, despite the fact that shortly
after the issue of bonds a most disas-
trous fire swept ffty-eight business
buildings and residences out of eXis-
tence; followed about two weeks later
with the great freeze of 1895, and
shortly after with the withdrawal of
the entire steamboat service from the
town, upon the completion of the rail
road to points south. With all these
falling on the town, they
have kept up every payment of the
bonds, and with other necessary inn
provements have expended $500 year
for electric lights for the streets. The
bonds were sold for the purpose of pro-
viding paved streets, and it is reason
able to suppose that if the town had
not had the good streets during the
dark days that it has passed through,
that 1t would not now be greeting the
future with great hopes of increased
industry and activity.
Mr.. McCarty reviewed the fight for
he past fifteen years for division of
he county, stating the question of d.
III ion had always had with it the idea
If Fort Pierce becoming the county
seat for the new county: that the citi-
.ens of the town had always lent every
assistance in the project, and that he
ould not now understand how any of
t,nnnIn Ipnilt thr.,u
he labor of years by refusing to sup
'ort movement which is to provide a
permanent site for the county build
ngs. His speech was mastcrful eff
ort, was well delivered, convincing,
ull of facts, patriotism, and Il special
ppeal to the voters of the town to
tand by this movement, which is one
# the most important that has ever
onfronted our people.
The chairman then called upon any
itizen present to express his views or
o ask any question that he would de
ire to have answered, but all expressed
he opinion that Mr.. McCarty had COW
red the matter thoroughly.
Il. j. O'Brien then asked if there was
nyone present that opposed the issu-
nee of bonds, but no one replied; the
ppostion did not seem to be present.
Frank II. Fee, president of the Bank
f Fort Pierce, then offered the follow
* resolution, which was unanimously
dopted:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
MS meeting of citizens and taxpayers
the town Of Fort Pierce that it is
ght, just and proper that bonds be
Oted for the purpose of paying for
tie for county buildings.
The meeting then adjourned