The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-11-11
TWO COUNTIES DlsAGREE


-. Matthews. Nov. sit was said
Of the Christians OF old: "see how
they kve ono another" The apos-
ties and biblical writers-speaking
sversHtlv-wouid hardly apply that
tsrm b. those who are wrestling with
the problem OF adjusting equitably
~ financial Affairs of the old county
OF Oraisgcburg and the new county of
Calhoun. They are "cucking ogIum"
On each other In hammered and
sugHr-coated words--it is true-but
IN . very emphatic way.
The latest development In the mat
ter u that Attorneys J. A. Merritt and
Buyck q Mann representing ID. 8.
Murphy superintendent OF education,
ard p. I. crider. treasurer of Cal
honn county. petitioners. appeared at
chambers. Berkeley county. before
Judge Aldrich. praying for a man
dsmus ordering stiles r.. Mellichamp.
superintendent Of education. and A.
ID Fair. treasurer OF Orangeburx
county to appear at st. Matthews on
Eeve@be~ 10. 1905. and show cause
way they should not pay tc the prop
e ofnciais Of Calhoun county the
sns of st.tt3.s7 school funds due the
sssfer- After reviewing the merits Of
the case. the petition for mandamus
ends ss follows: That the said bal-
snce of st.i<s.sT your petitioners are
informed and believe Is a true state
mSut Of the funds now In the hands
OF tho treasurer OF Orangeburx coun-
". the good and lawful money OF the
aid districts and portions of districts
now In Calhoun county: that demand
upon the treasurer Of Orangeburg
county has been made for the said
eunds. bat for some reason. unknown
60 POUR petitioners. the said demand
has seen refused. and the payment Of
the said sum denied"
Judge A;drich scceded to this pray
or OF the petitioners. and the case will
te heard here on It's merits on No
yember M.
Another matter OF more than pass
ing t.fe~est Is the appportionment of
ths or>ageburG county debt between
ths OLD ana the now county. This. as
figured cut by the majority OF the
commission appointed by the COVER
nor to adjust matters. Is In round
namhers. $4,000. During the new
county asht, the newspapers and Of
hners ~ the old county secuted the
idea that there was any debt. To be
perfectly fair and frank. the leaders
0f the new county moved heaven and
sarth TO show that there was a debt.
10 transpires. however. that the old
county borrowed money In the spring
10 fost the ship OF state until fall and
n is urged that when the fight for the
new county was won In February.
1908. the taxes OF 1907 should have
been applied to this debt and would
have settled same I'm full. leaving a
clean sheet when Calhoun county was
formed. Relieving this. some men,
hers Of the commission were dlssatis-
Ned with the findings OF the majority
and have rendered a minority report.
Messrs J. III. Loryea and T. A. Amak-
or. the Calhoun members. represent
inG that minority. have said In sub
stance that the findings of the ma
5ority as to the Indebtedness Is excess
pive: that the 18th day OF February.
1908. when the new county OF Cal
houn Was voted In. should have been
tsker az the basis OF settlement and
not April zs: that any indebtedness
accruing after February IL. was irreie-
want: that the new county was en-
titled To one-fourth interest In the
common fund arising out OF the COM
mon fund derived from taxes. reye-
nues and otherwise OF the past year:
that all pe-sonei property purchased
with funds common to both counties
should have been considered as asset
20 se duly distributed IA the interests
OF each might appear
There was also most emphatic dis
sent from the manner OF distributing
dispenssry profits. These profits for
April, May. June. July. August and
September amounted TO t5.7s1.Ol. It
IN alleged that the mere fact that Cal
hosn county had no board OF control