The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-11-25
SjBCItBANITi.S WOULD JOIN
CRY.
JOIN
Kc>idcnte Outside of Limits Wish to
Secure Advantages To- Come from
Being Inside.

from Inc l)alIN Item, NOV. 20.
1t is quite probable that a move
nCnt will be started to enlarge the
the proposition coming from "a num-
Der Of suburban residents. who desire
to be embraced within the jurisdiction
of the city government in order to re-
ccivc municipal benefits such as DO
lice, sanitary, fire, and other pro-
lection, benefits of the water works
system, improvements in streets and
sidewalks, ETC.
The Sumter Chamber Of Commerce
has been requested to look into the
matter. Secretary ItcardOn said yes
tcrday that a well known and very re-
liable, us well as Intelligent, colored
suburbanite, who has his place of
business in Sumter, stated that there
is we'll defined movement being talk
ed Of looking to the calling of an cleo
tlon to decide whether or not that
portion of tho suburban sections all
around the city for a half mile linn
1t from the present city limits will be
annexed to the city of Sumter.
While it is true that the great ma
Jor!.y of the suburbanites desiring
to come into the city are colored
nevertheless they are, for the most
part industrious and law-abding. and
III most instances intelligent and
property owning people, progress
SiNe and public spirited.
The individual representing the
nuclcous of the suburbanites wishing
to come in said further that there are
n number of portions Of the suburbs
like Manning and Hampton avenues
West Liberty. South Main. Council.
Harvin and other streets, which are
closely built up and to all mtents and
purposes practically a part of Sumter,
as nearly all OF the property owners
make their living in Sumter. but that
these thickly settled districts are with
out police, fire, and sanitary prOtec-
ton, without pure water for fire fight
ing or domestic purposes, and that
the suburban residents, to a great ex-
tent believe that it will pay them to
vote themselves into the city limits
in order to secure these benefits.
They contend that the extension of
the city limits by half mile more
from the geographical center, which
will make the limit one and one-half
miles from the present geogra phical
center will be Of great benefit to the
city of Sumter in the shape of increas-
ed tax values. the increa.r of the
population. ami in other ways.
Marshall II. Fields, the well known
cOlOred barb = md leader among
his people, is |. individual who act
ed as ...c spokesman for the Subur-
banites desiring to annex their proper
ty to this city.
He said that he believed that if the
matter is properly presented to the
white property owners also within a
radius of a half mile beyond the pres
ent city limits that a majority of the
whites will join in with the colored
suburbanites when they stop g
think that they will receive police
sanitary, and fire protection, and that
by voting themselves into the city they
al, public health and safety benefits
such as can no be secured now.
Secretary Reardon said he had adj
vised that the mayor and councilmen
be first consulted, but that he was of
the opinion that the law in such cases
requires those who desire to vote
themselves into the city to take the
necessary steps towards holding the
election. and that the authority to an
mex portions of Il territory immediate
ly adjacent to Il municipal corpora
ton does not rest with the authori-
ties of city to be annexed to. How
ever. if the matter is presented IN
proper shape to the Chamber ol
CONNIE, &c, this body VIII take the
matter up with city council for con
ference and information of all par
ties Interested.