The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-01


by a motion made by Alderman Nc
Keiver that the Public Works com
mittee take up the matter at once with
view to see if relief can be had
at little expense now, and that this
committee meet with the County
Board at its next meeting and with
them visit the place, examine condi-
tiCns, ard see what permanent work
can be done. 1t was thought that
drainage league could he formed,
! as allowed by recent act Of the leg
islature, and the matter be regulated
SO that the land can be drained by
the city. the county and the farmers,
each paying one-third Of the cost Of
the work.
The next matter that come up
called for the fight of the evening.
Mr.. Marshall stated that he had
petition from citizens on Washington
street that concrete paving be
placed on that street between Broad
and Liberty streets the citizens being
willing to pay one-half Of the cost
Of the paving. 1t was suggested by
member Of Council that perhaps
the paving could be done at less cost
to the city than the present contract
ors were doing it. Mr.. Marshall
stated that he was authorized to state
on behalf Of Mr.. Beatty, the contract
or in charge Of the work, that Mr..
Beatty had all of the necessary ma
terials on the ground and would do
the paving as cheap as any other con-
tractor. Mr.. McKeiver stated that
he did not think that the city could
afford to have any more paving done
now. Mr.. McLaurin thought that
it was a good thing to have the paw
ing done, but he did not know where
the city would get the money from
the money that the city would get
in this fall would not be more than
sufficient to pay what 1t owed. Mr..
Cuttino thought that as long as
the citizens were willing to pay for
half Of the paving the work ought
to be pushed. Mr.. Glenn wanted to
know how, after Council had put IT
self on record as being willing to
have the city pay for one-half Of the
zens were willing to pay for the 9TH
er half, and already had done Church
street on this basis, Council could
consistently refuse to have Washing
ton street paved. Mr.. McLaurin
thought that circumstances had
changed since tho work on Church
street had been ordered Council
had ordered since that time the clay
ing of Calhoun street, the putting in
of storm pipe on Main street and
Kendrick street and the claying of
Kendrick street and Magnolia street
and various other works of varying
cost which would completely de-
plete the city treasury. He said
that he could not vote for anything
that he did not conscientiously think
to be right and the City Council had
no authority to bind the city for
debts that it had no way Of paying
He was not opposed 10 having the
work done, but he wanted it post
poned for the present He was will
ling to be held responsible for his
share Of the money borrowed, If the
city borrowed more than it could re-
pay. but the city had no right to bor-
row the money when it knew that
1t could not be returned. He said
that 1t was true that he lived on
Church street and that he had push
ed the plan to pave the sidewalks on
that street. and that he did not like
the frequent insinuations that were
made by persons that he had pushed
the paving project because of the
fact that he lived on that street This
MS record to show what his motives
We're. He was still Of the same
opinion as to paving the streets of
the city, but when he saw that there
was not going 10 be any money to pay
for the work he, as chairman of the
Finance Committee, was bound to
oppose the expenditure of such
FUNDS as the city had no way Of pay
ing back Mr.. McKeiver stated that
he thought the ordering Of work
which the city had no means OF
paying for was illegal Mr.. Glenn
had opposed The paving OF Church
street on the ground that the city
could not afford it and now he would
vote for the paving OF Washington