The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-05-04

to the fact that the funds from the
dispensary were not included in our
year just closed, whereas a large
amount was paid into the town dur
ing the latter part of the former
council and the first part of the pres
ent councils terms. Considering this
large falling off in the income Of the
town, it appears from the appended
report that the presentcouncil has had
much tighter time for money than
| it's predecessor. Notwithstanding
! this however, we turn the books over
with small balance on hand. In ad-
dition to the lack of revenue, the
town under the present council has
had to take up the interest of the
water works bonds; it has been call
| ed upon to make donation to the
| graded school in order to help the
school defray actual expenses, some
thing that has not happened in many
years, if ever before, and condition
which will doubtless not arise again;
the fire department has been estab-
lished and the town was called upon
to equip this very necessary addition
to the town; this year the depart
ment will receive all that is necessary
from the tax levied by the State on
all fire insurance companies. Bam-
berg having complied with the act
in passing a suitable ordinance.
Another source of revenue which
the incoming council will profit by
is that of business license. This has
been levied for the two years past,
| but was turned over as required by
ordinance to the Commissioners OF
Public Works to help pay the bal
ance owed by them for the construc-
tion of the water works system; they
have paid into this fund themselves
over s1,400 from the electric light
plant and the debt has been cancelled
| thereby. This year the business IL
| cense will belong to the town and
will mean a good lift over what ap-
pear to be some pretty rough roads
in sight. I would like to say in this
report at this juncture that an ordl.
nance recurring merchants and all
others to make a return of their vol
ume and line of business at least two
months before August 1st, at which
time they are due, is almost lmpera'
tive. and I hope that the incoming
council will adopt this portion of this
report as a recommendation for the
sake of the best interests of the town
for the sake, secondarily, of the next
clerk and treasurer.
There is another source which ap'
pears to me to be entitled to a larger
revenue of the town; this is the
amount from the Communication tax
The Bamberg Guards have been ex.
empted from this tax from year tc
year; this year the exemption is upon
condition that the officers of the
company should file a report of all
regularly enlisted and drilled mel
with the clerk and treasurer; this
has not been done at this time. The
fire company is also exempted;
think they should be required tc
practice oftener If they are to derive
this benefit.
There is an item in the appended
report which appears to be large
one; this is the account for disinfect.
ant for the town; there are several
reasons for this, the principal one be-
ing that our present term council In.
herited a large portion Of this from
the former council, and also that the
sanitary cart has been put into use
during our term and this makes the
use of this article very great. 1t ap.
pears that the expenditure has been
a profitable one.
The matter of street work and
ditching is one of the most regular
contributors to the expense account
of the town. When it is considered
that bitches reaching out into the
country have to be cleaned out sc
that the work in the corporate linn.
it's will not be useless, and when II
is considered that the health of the
town is largely dependent on the
drainage afforded by these bitches,
the outlay does not appear SO large;
but I confidently believe that 1t Will
pay the town in the end to secure the
services of an expert civil engineer
to make complete map Of this town
and of the surrounding territory,
showing the fall to be obtained and
the most advantageous routes TO De
pursued. Some OF the bitches, nc
matter how often they are worked,
seem to fail to carry off the water.
The most regular and persistent
call UPON the councils funds is that
of the electric lights for the streets
s2,4OO every year is a pretty heavy
tax, and yet inquiries elicit the In
formation that Bamberg is one OF
the very best lighted towns in South
Carolina and that the rate charged
is very reasonable; the charge Is
$500 per month for each arc, and
the use of the incandescents is gratis
Small pox has claimed its share IN
the expense this year; $3.50 will just
about cover this item. A pest house
has been rented from Mr.. G. 2. Har'
man at $500 per annum, payable
quarterly; the rent for the first quar-
ter of 1911 has been paid.
OF the income of the town OF
course the property taxes contrib
utes most largely; this year this item
has brought in about $1,000: There
is still about $500 outstanding fol
the 1910 taxes, but this may easily
he reduced to q minimum with lit