The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-16

~ ~AN @A@ A5. II
is ten times easier, he said, to main
tain the metropolis of the state than
,it is 20 lose the place and then en-
;deavor TO regain IL.
He spoke in a general way OF the
benefit the city would derive from
improvements. Il IS impractlc-
able, ne said, at this time for a bust
ness enterprise, or at least a large
manufacturing enterprise, t locate il
the central part Of the city, they
are compelled TO go TO the outski. IS.
Mayor Waddell then addressed the
board. He said the people elect
ed ten aldermen to carry out their al
and five members Of another
board we're appointed by the governor
in Raleigh, who acte6 in the capacity
of vet nurses to the a'dermen.
He said the remarks OF the business
were particularly gratifying TO
him, end he was glad TO know they
what he mad wanted for some
and what he desired during his
LAST administration, the issuing Of
for street Improvements. The
referred 10 his attending =
meeting of rhe chamber Of commerce
the afternoon ami said he told
them that with the four square miles
of territory in the city he had a street
force Of thirteen men to keep the
IN order
Re told the board that ali Of them,
inclyding himself, had been dubbed as
being incompetent. He said charges
were made by a man who was one OF
the richest, in Wilmington, but never
theless he had refused to build a side
walk in front of his property when a
poor negro who lived neXt door had
done so.
He wanted to know what the mer-
chants expected the city to do when
they could not agree among them
selves as to what should be done. The
for unloading cars, the speaker
said. is limited and declared he would
enforce the law if they desired il. He
said he was tired of the criticism and
was going to resent it.
Every word Mr.. Taylor and Mr.. Mac
Rae had said, Mayor Waddell asserted
he endorsed and had for the past six
years and favored the building of a
few streets out of a permanent mate
rial rather than build streets that
would wash away.
If the city could be bonded for $780,
900 for streets. water works and sew
erage, Mayor Waddell said, $4,000
pay interest and the excess be-
tween interest and amount now ex-
sinking fund.
When Mayor Waddell concluded his
remarks he was cheerd by the business
who were in attendance.
Mr.. Taylor said there had been nc
taken whatever by the chamber
of commerce in regard to the board of
aldermen, but that it was by individ-I
uals.
Alderman johnson said the water
question was started on a petit
ton which was largely signed BY
many of the leading business men of
the city. He said if nothing was done
in regard to water works, that the
city would probably have the same|
as at the present time; a sys-l
that furnished poor water and
when there was a fire it "a unable
to give a good pressure. He cited thei
big fire of last Friday night when|
water could not be thrown for sOme|
time to the second floor of the Ger-l
mania Hall building, and he declared|
that if the fire had occurred after al
of dry weather or if there had
been a strong wind, that instead of al
$40, 1000 loss it would have been a ST.
DOC, 900 loss.
Alderman Johnson said six mem!
oers of the board had voted as favor-|
ing municipal ownership of water
works and if they now voted against
proposition they had changed theirI
minds within the past few months.
After the remarks of Alderman
Johnson. Mr.. Taylor again addressed
he board and said the city of Will,
was n of the worst paved
On the Atlantic coast. He said.
regard to a statement by Aldermen
Johnson as to why the board of alder!
men of six years ago, did not voteI
bonds for street improvements, hiatt
he city was then in no condition toi
issue bonds and had only been during!
he past few years.
Alderman W. H. Yopp said as the
water works report had been laid IN
Ter the table he would move that ALI
Johnson and O'Brien taket
for the present and let the
BOARD hear something in regard to the
dummy" line.
Captain James /. Nets, who was
chairman of the committee appointed
" the Chamber of Commerce, to look
nto the dummy" line matter and
make suggestions. then addressed the
)oard. He said a full report was
made by the committee and many i'm
recommendations were made
S to changes that should be made as
o improving the dummy" line track,
tic. The speaker stated that they did
lot admit that the only bad street
onditions prevailed at the foot of
street: that there were other
treets.
Mayor Waddell stated that Water
treet above Orange was private prop
rty but would have been widened
nd all the property owners agreed
it but Mr.. d. l.. Gore. AS long as
street is private property, the
said Water street from Ora n 90