The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-06-10
COMMISSIONERS
MEET IN HALIFAX
Decide to Erect New Court House
Contract Awarded.
GIN COURT HOUSE SOLD FOR $3.50

Monday, June 7th, the County
Commissioners held their regular
monthly meeting in Halifax. The on
ly important business that came up
for consideration and dispatch was
the question of the erection of a
court house to cost not less than
$4,000.
The Commissioners met at two
o'clock in the afternoon for the con-
sideration of this question, several
representative citizens from the diff
ferent sections of the county being
present. Messrs. E. E. billiard,
Albion Dunn and Major ]. B. Neal,
of Scotland Neck township spoke
against the erection of a magnificent
building to cost so much, without
first submitting the question to the
voters of the county. They said in
substance that the people in their
part of the county and people in
other parts too, if reports were true,
were opposed to the erection of
$40, 900 court house. That having
come from under one bond issue they
did not wish to go under another
Immediately. That the people, be-
cause they pay the taxes and foot
the bills should have voice in the
matter. That the people were will
ing to be taxed to repair and remod-
ell the present court house, but did
not think it wise or expedient for
the Commissioners to go ahead and
issue bonds for the erection of new
one without first submitting the
question to them. That just at this
moment there was so much friction
in the county that it would be un-
wise for the Commissioners to take
such arbitrary action. They further
said-the two gentlemen who ex-
pressed themselves upon the matter
that although they were full-hedg-
ed Democrats, and such would al
ways remain, at the same time there
; were many in the county who were
not so deep-rooted in Democratic
principles that they would fail to re-
sent the saddling of bond issue up
on them without being given voice
in the matter, and they asked the
Commissioners for these reasons to
!: submit the question to the voters OF
the county.
When these gentlemen had con
cluded their remarks, citizens repre-
senting all the other townships ir
the county, except those of Butter
wood and Littleton, addressed the
Commissioners concerning the is
: suance of bonds and the erection OF
costly court house, and most Of
, them protested against it. and asked
, the Commissioners to submit the
, question to the people. Represent
r ing Brinkleyville township was Mr.
9 C. A. Williams, who said that he hat
, yet to hear man who favored tn,
D erection of a new court house; tina
the people at this time were no
q ready to build such an expensive
q building; that taxes were too high.
+ Mr.. w. G. Hedgepeth, of Palmyr;
: township, said that SO per cent. o
q the people in his community wer
q opposed to the erection of $4,000
t court house; that the people had beel
4 damaged by heavy rains and wer
n not able to stand the high taxes tina
e the erection of the court house woul
d necessarily bring about; that the
v wanted an opportunity to vote on tn
o measure. That they were not ad
verse to being taxed for repairs.
r Mr.. Wilson Pittman, of Enfield
# said that the people there were op
q posed to the erection of $4,000
;. court house as evinced by their peti
q tions to the Commissioners askin,
e them to submit the question to vote
e Mr.. w. T. Eure, of Halifax, sal
v that ne had seen no farmer in tina
It neighborhood who favored the eret
$. ton of the court house.
is Messrs. Amos Cherry, Of Rose
IS meath township, and j. B. Smith, {
n Faucets, said that people in the
sc township did not want a new coul
house, but wanted to vote on tn
N measure.
n Mr.. A. L. Clark, of Roanoke R;
r. pids, said he hadn't heard many e,
re press themselves on the matter, br
" the few he had heard were oppose
3 to the erection of a $4,000 coul
ID house.
as Mr.. Ed Clark, of Weldon, said /
Tx thought people would be better sa
isfed if allowed to vote on the que
ton Of a new court house; that h
4 l.