Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-04
PROPOSED BOND ELECTION.

PROPOSED BUM ELES iON.
The pending proposition providing
for the issuance Of $4,000 worth of
twenty-year bonds for the erection of
new court house in Yorkville was
considered in meeting Of representa-
tive citizens held in the Loan and Saw
ings Bank yesterday and the discus
sion developed the existence Of consid-
erable amount Of earnest favorable
sentiment on the subject.
The meeting was held at the in
stance Of Mr.. John r. Hart, mayor Of
Yorkville, upon whose invitation there
assembled a number Of representative
citizens from different parts Of the
county and also about dozen business
men Of the town. Mr.. w. S. Wilker-
son, of Hickory Grove presided, and
informal talks were made by different
individuals who had given the matter
more or less thought and by others
who were asked as to prevailing senti-
ment in their respective neighborhoods.
At the request Of the chairman May
or Hart explained the object Of the
meeting. Mr.. Hart took occasion to
explain that he had sent out a number
Of invitations to different citizens with
out having made any previous effort to
ascertain the views of the people to
whom the invitations were sent; but in
order to secure a full and free express
sion Of opinion with a view to formu-
lating such plans as might seem best
suited for the situation. He said he
felt there was strong need for new and
better court house building, and he was
of the opinion that II the matter were
presented to the people Of the county
properly which meant fully and. frank
ly, they would be willing to vote the
necessary bonds. While the act under
which the election Is called provides
for levy of one mill on the dollar for
the purpose of paying interest on and
retiring $4,000 worth of bonds in twen-
ty years, exact calculation sh VS. that
this levy Is too much. A one Ill levy
he said would pay interest on and re-
tire $4,000 worth of bonds in a little
over nine years, and as a nine year
bond would not sell as we'll as twenty
year bond, 1t would be desirable to
ask the legislative delegation to amend
the act so as to reduce the proposed
levy to only one-half a mill, and this
he had no doubt could easily be done.
He went on to say that he was causing
to be prepared a list of the assessed
valuations charged against each and
every voter In the county with view
to being able to show each individual
just how much increase there would be
N
ed one-half mill levy, and he opposed
the estimate that there were not as
many as one hundred men in the coun-
ty whose taxes would be raised as
much as one dollar. In some of the
townships he said there were only two
or three tax payers who would have to
pay an increase Of as much as one
dollar year, and the increase on the
vast majority runs from twenty five
cents down to one cent.
J. S. Brice, ESQ.,, spoke very earnest
ly in behalf Of the proposed new build
ing. He said that a new court house
is not matter Of sentiment but of
necessity. The present building Is to-
standpoint. 1t Is unsanitary, it leaks
when 1t rains, it Is poorly lighted, every
office Is cramped for room, the acous-
tics Of the auditorium are bad, the
jury rooms are small and poorly venti-
lated, there is not sufficient room in the
clerks office, the probate office, the
treasurer's office, or any of the offices.
There had been instances where juries
had been locked up for hours in one
Of the hot, stuffy rooms and all of the
jurors had been made sick. It Is neces-
sary to have more room for public
documents, 1T is necessary to have bet
ter light, better ventilation, better SAN
itation. All these things are necessary
for proper transaction Of the public
business, and he felt sure that IL the
whole question were properly present.
ed to the voters of the county they
would not hesitate to vote the $4,000
necessary to secure a decent building.
Mr.. Brice agreed with the statement of
Mr.. Hart that a one mill levy would
carry and retire $4,000 worth of bonds
in nine years and that 1t would be bet
ter that the levy should be only one
half mill.
Mr.. B. F. Scoggins, of Hickory Grove
stated that he had heard very little ex-
preston on the subject in his part Of
the county, and had not given a great
deal Of thought to the matter himself
but was favorably disposed. Mr. John
E. Plaxico of Blairsville expressed
himself in a similar manner as did
also Messrs. E. w. Pursley of Kings
Mountain township, Mr.. ]. o. Moore Of
McConnellsville and others. In fact all
the sentiment expressed was in favor
of the proposed bond issue, and 1t
seemed to be the general opinion that
all that was necessary to secure the
favorable action of the people was
frank, open information.
A resolution was adopted providing
for the appointment of committee of
five to prepare full and comprehen-
sive statement of the whole situation
to be mailed to every voter in the coun-
ty, the said statement to inform each
and every voter as to exactly how
much his taxes would be increased by
the proposed one-half mill levy, and
in obedience to this resolution, the
chair appointed Mayor John R. Hart,
Messrs. E. W. Pursley, B. F. Scoggins,
w. B. Moore and j. o. Moore.
There being no further business the
meeting adjourned with the under
standing that the committee would get
down to it's work at once and begin it's
educational campaign without unneceS s.