The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-27

IHl oS>Hcfsiilp VI "dLeFNOfks.
Man Who Had Contract to Sink
Five Wells in the City Says He Can
not Do the Work-Other Matters
That Came Before the Board.
The board of audit and finance met
m regular semi-monthly session last
night with all members present but
Mr.. r. H. Brady. The regular night for
the board to have met was Tuesday
might, but that was the evening the
gas holder blew out and consequently
there was no means Of lighting the city
hall and the meeting was postponed.
Last night an arc light was temporarily
installed in the hall.
This meeting ha1 been looked for
ward to with MR. q 1c3s intella. as
tn r lit-I q L>I-t ling $500 for
sirki' s2ES.2. deep N1lly ir the sx-
IRENE southern section of the city was
to be acted upon. Alderman Johnson,
chairman of the water W11ks commits
sion. was not pI--Grt, bat at a fC!ne.
meeting he was before tn bond and
explained the objoct in having rr9
wells sunk, which was to see what
supply of water could be obtained and
the quality Of the same.
He stated at the time that Celti n
parties in the southern section G. the
city had agreed to give the land Wlerc
the wells were to be placed. H wanted
to have two wells sunk, and had a bid
from Il party who agreed to ink The
wells for the sum of $500 an6 eu.ll-
antee that a supply Of $50 900 galloc~
of water could be obtained from (. On
every tWenty-fOur hCu 5.
1t was the opinion of the board that
1nasmuch" as there is to be legislation
on the subject at the aDprosC hing leg
1slature, and that to sink the wells
would be to take a step towards nun
ipal ownership before anything definite
had been decided in regard 10 the
matter. would be premature. They ex-
pressed themselves as favoring mlnic-
ipal ownership, but declined to approve
Of the appropriation for sinking II e
deep wells.
This move of the board of audit and
finance Will probably put a stop to any
steps towards municipal ownership un-
til the matter is definitely decided upon
i u 10 w w lhih ploDdUlC
that a bill VIII be passed in the legis-
lature authorizing the city to issue
bonds for some given amount foi
'waterwOrks and to leave the matter Of
municipal ownership to a vote of the
people.
Alderman Price appeared before the
board and stated that at a meeting Of
the board of aldermen held yesterday
afternoon the matter of wiring the CITY
hall for electric lights was discussed
and that Alderman Moore, Of the public
building committee, had authorized him
to state that he was willing for the
amount needed for wiring the build g
to come out of the public building fund.
Alderman Price presented for the con-
sideration of the board a bid from the
Southern Electric Company in which
they agreed to wire the floor en- which
the city offices are located and also the
public library for the sum of S215. the
same to be don under the supervision
of the Southeastern Tariff Association
and local inspector. This matter was
deferred until a bid which is more
specific could be had.
Another matter Alderman Price
brought up was that of allowing the
librarian pay from September 18th I'M
til October list, the amount being S25.
1t was allowed. Miss Hopkins began
her duties on the 18th of September.
A bill submitted by Messrs. Empie &,
Empie, John D. Bellamy & Son.. and
w. J. Bellamy for $3.50 to cover ser
vices in the Bryan case, was approved
for $500, that being the amount recon-
mended by the finance committee OF
the board of aldermen.
T. W. Callahan, who was given the
contract for sinking the five deep wells
in the five wards of the city, and who
started work on one we'll at Front and
Red Cross streets several days ago.
came before the board and asked 70
be relieved from sinking the wells. He
was to receive $3.50 each for putting
down the wells. No bond had been
given so the work will stop. This will
mean no more deep wells until a con-
tract is made with some other parry.
1t is understood that Mr.. Callahan and
Alderman E.. r. Johnson, of the water
works committee, had a disagreement.
A communication was read from thu
board of aldermen asking for the con-
cu1rence of the board in an a%ppropria-
ton of $500, or as much thereon as
may be necessary, for placing a stone
coping around the Cornelius Harnett
monument and also for thing 10 be used
in connection with same. The action
of the aldermen was conc!rred III.
The money will be taken out of the
fund provided for curbing.
No other business other than regular
routine matters came before the board
for their consideration.
Tx