The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-07-14
City Will Pay $500 for Odd Fellows
Property and will Appropriate ADD
IiOnOl $500 tor Ipkeep Of
the Grounds
ACTION OF BOARD
CHEERED BY LADIES
Motive Of Odd Fellows IN Disposiag Of
Cemetery and Difficulty Encountered
by Cemetery Association De-
tailed BY Lawyer

The city Of Chickasha win own iss
own cemetery The ladies OF the Cau-
etegy association won out last night
In their long fought campaign for ulu-
nlcipal ownership OF public burying
ground, and, led 10y their attorney, h.
D. Barefoot, ma,te the final and suo-
cessful assault al tie regular meeting
OF the council last night.
three points were distinctly
brought out In the interesting discus.
sion which was introduced during the
consideration os the budget for the
coming year; First, that the LOCAL
Vdd Fellows are in no condition TO
continue to maintain the cemetery in
. manner befitting an Inatitation nf
this kind for city Ok $1,000. but al
tne same time woulN profit no.hiug
IN any Geal which might he considus-
mated with the city for It's puFehaSe:
second that under the present colidi
tions the ladies' OF the cemetery astsO
ciatIon however good their intentioxls
or however Jealous they may be I'm
their efforts to make the grounds at.5
.ractiye are powerIess to DO 50 with
out substantial aid from the city;
third. that the laws Of Oklahoma en-
power the city 70 levy tax not st-
tee,iing one-half mill Oh .ha d9 iar
sa.ua'ion OF city property for tho pef-
chase and maintenance Of municipal
cemetery
Burden Is too Great.
The burden Of maintenance by $50
members OF the fratsrnal order could
better DO borne by city Of 5000. BY
which it could be undertaken without
any hardships or embarrassment. Mr.
Barefoot did not believe that an extra
tax levy would be necessary for the
accomplishment OF this purpose. but
reminded the council that a levy or
one.fourth mill would produce $3.50,
while only $1,000 annually would be re-
quired as guarantee OF all necessary
expenses and considerable less than
that sum would actually be drawn
from the city treasury to supplement
the sales Of lots and Of other reye-
snues, which are constantly being pro-
duced He estimated the salary OF
sexton at $50 month and the addi-
tlonal cost OF upkeep should come well
within the thousand dollars.
Board Of Trustees.
In the event of its purchase by the
city the affairs or the cemetery shoald
legally come under the Jurisdiction OF
board Of trustees consisting Of three
persons, with terms ranging from two
to six years, lots being drawn for the
two. four and six year terms after the
selection Of the board is made BY the
council. a town Of the size OF Chick
asha MIR Barefoot believed. should
keep up its cemetery as it. keeps up
its streets and water works. Il is
moral duty. providing for the dead
which should not be shirked. How
ever. this was the final word IN the
matter so far the Odd Fellows
we're concerned. They asked no "a
vors nor were they seeking any advan-
tage. The city, however, was In
better way 70 handle the property epd
when taken over b. the city the ladies'
would have ways Of raising money
which they do not enjoy under Fsrs-
ent conditions. It is a task which The
ladies'. unsupported officially. should
not be asked to undertake and be vas
sure the action Of the ceancil would
be approved by the citizenship IN any
measure seeking municipal control
The Odd Fellows have az present
unsold in the eemetery about go lots