The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-17

The City Fathers met Tuesday in
their regular semi-mOnthly session.
but all the Fathers were not
present at the meeting, Messrs. Nc
Laurin, Booth, Rhame and Glenn be-
Ing absent, thus leaving only q ono.
rum present to transact whatever
| business came up
The first matter that came up was
a statement from Mr. Geo. d. Shore
TO the effect that he had seen in the
papers that relics Of the United States
Battleship Maine would be given
away to municipalities upon requ est.
He had communicated with Con-
gressman Lever asking that some
| relic, preferably one Of the small
guns stationed on the ship. be sent
here to be placed on the Federal
building grounds.
He stated that he would like
to have Council send in this request
! to Mr.. Lever through the clerk as
| coming from them. Council after
hearing Mr.. Shores statement passed
resolution to the effect that the
| clerk write to Mr.. Lever asking that
such a relic be sent here and that
provision be made when it came to
| have 1t suitably mounted
The report on the water works was
read and received as information, af-
| ter which a number of bills were
passed upon and the minutes Of pre-
vious meeting read and approved.
Mr.. Hurst stated that the request
sent to the city attorney. asking
whether the city was legally bound
| to pay for damages received by DR..
Birnie when his buggy was overturn-
| ed last fall by running upon a bank
| Of earth thrown out in the street had
| been returned without information.
| Mr.. jennings stated that if Mr..
Strauss refused to act as city attor-
| ney Council would either have to
get legal advice from some other
source or learn the facts and act on
| the matter for itself. Council then
| took up the matter and decided that
| as the dirt had been in the street
for some time and DR.. Birnie was ac-
| quainted with the fact that it was
there, the request for damages be re-
fused.
Mr.. f. p. Pitts, cotton seed buyer
\ in this city. asked for a rebate on his
license paid in 1910. Council re-
fused the request as it had refused
other rebates at that time and would
not go back further than 1911 to give
rebates. Mr.. Cuttino and Mr.. Wright
voted to grant the rebate, as they
did not see the difference between
this request and other requests which
had been granted.
| Mr.. l.. E. Wood asked for a rebate
on his license as a lawyer on the
ground that he was not in the city
for more than three months in the
year and took up law only as a side
issue to his work as court stenograph-
er. No action was taken on this re-
quest, but 1t was decided to appoint
! Wednesday of next week for hear
ing Of a large number of attorneys
in the city who requested such hear
ing on the ground that the license for
lawyers was not legal in that it was
not graduated according to law.
request for rebate on license
made by Mr.. Bultman was refused,
while one from Bristow Ford. on an
additional hack, was granted.
Mr.. c. S. Anderson thought that
the license required of him was ex-
cessive and he asked Council to re-
duce it as the business done here by
him was not commensurate with the
license fee. After discussing the mat
| ter it was decided that Mr.. Anderson
came under the head of "drummers''
and was not liable to pay license
| fee
Mr.. Jennings read the contract
which he had drawn up to be sub
| mitted to the A. G.. l.. Railroad Off
cials in place Of the contract sub
mitted by them. in which several
measurements were Incorrect and
! which was not drawn up according
to the terms previously agreed upon
by the city There was some talk
! of postpOning action on this measure.
as several members OF council were
| absent. but after some discussion the
contract was agreed upon and the
! Mayor and clerk were authorized To
! submit it to the railroad officials.
The next matter To receive cousid-