The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-04
CITIZENS DISCUSS BOND ISSUE.
SMALL BUT REPRESENTATIVES,
GATHERING AT COURT HOUSE
TUESDAY NIGHT.
OF Gathering Seemed AL
most Unanimous in Favor of Pro-
posed Measurc-EXplanati of
Plan by Il. ID. Jennings and IL. ID.
Epps-AdvOcatcd Chiefly as Only
Feasible Plan Proposed Whereby
City Will Have Streets Paved.

Feasible Plan Proposed Whereby
City Will Have Streets Paved.
There was small but representa-
tive gathering of citizens at the court
house Monday nigh, to hear the dis
cussions of the plan to issue 1925, 900
bonds to pave the streets and side
walks Of the city, all of whom SEEM
ed to agreed that they wanted the
streets and sidewalks and practically
all Of whom agreed that this plan
was the only one by which the work
could be done, as no other feasible
plan had been offered by anyone
There were between fifty and sixty
persons present, almost all Of them
being property owners. The discus
sion was entered into by quite num-
Der of citizens, many Of whom advo-
Gated various reasons why the plan
was good one and pointed out the
good which would be accomplished
by having paved streets and sidewalks
because Of increased value of prop
erty. a more beautiful and progress
sive looking city, better health and less
waste Of funds in the upkeep of
streets.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor l.. d. Jennings, and Mr.. H. l..
Scarborough was called to the chair.
On Mr. Scarboroughs calling for dis
cussion, Mayor Jennings reviewed the
street situation, as it had been in the
past and then went on to show that
the city would in the end save mon
ey by building permanent streets. He
took 1t for granted that no one op-
posed having better streets. This
plan was the only one proposed, and
he asked it's opponents to name a
better one. The plan in brief was to
issue $225,OOO bonds on a vote Of a
majority of the voters Of the city
Not single street would be paved
save at the request of property own
ers, it being necessary to file petitions
with council for the paving Of streets
before the bonds for that street were
issued. Property owners would pay
two-thirds Of the cost and the city
one-third. One-twentieth of the cost
with interest would have to be paid
back each year. He gave a concrete
example. as follows: If q man had
fifty feet to pave in front Of his house
and the cost at $1.50 square yard
and $1.00 a square yard for sidewalk
was $450.0O then the holder Of the
fifty foot front would have to pay one
third of the cost, or $3.50, making
$3.50 to pay on principal each year
and $3.50 on interest first year, with
q gradually descending scale Of inter-
est in succeeding years, until the
twentieth year, when he would have
to pay S7.S7 as his share Of cost. At
the same time the city paid one-third
of the cost of the paving, therefore if
the property owner had $500 property
assessed on the bod4s, he would have
to pay 2 1-2 mills levy, or $1.25 as his
share Of the One-third the city had to
pay. making $16.25 his first years ex-
pense for the street paving on his
street and in front of his house. The
bonds would be issued SO that one
twentieth of them would be paid each
aS ha oitx
saving the trouble of keeping a sink
ing fund and saving interest on the
money at the same time. In closing
Mr.. Jennings stated that everybody
wanted the good streets now and
they could never be built out of the or
binary income of the city. Sumter
was behind other cities of the same
size and this was the time for her to
catch up. 1t was by bond issues that
almost every city which had good
streets had built them.
Mr.. II. r. VanDeventer suggested
that license be placed on automo-
biles to help raise the city's one-third
or the cost of paving. He stated the
increase of property assessments on
the tax books would also increase the
city's income, giving it more money
for improvements.
1t was stated in answer to a oues-
ton from MIR. w. B. Boyle that the
bond issue of 1925, 900 would pave be-
tween nine and ten miles Of street.
Mr.. Epps stated in answer to oues-
tions that the property owner might
II he chose to do SO, pay back the
whole OF his assessment in a lump
sum, provision having been made for
this In the act. He went on to saw
that he thought that the "hard