The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-02-16
NOTHING BUT
THE TRUTH
TO the Citizens of Union:

the front page of The Union Times,
of Feb. 9th, under heading, "Ques-
tions of Bond ISSUE" is the occasion
of this article. The article in ques-
tion is both malicious and false, and
intended to be misleading, and to place
me in the light of being considered
either knave or fool The article
referred to was submitted by the writ
er to Messrs. Mayor Wharton and
City Clerk w. D. Arthur, and they
both advised against it's being pub
llshed on the ground that it was ill
advised and uncalled for. For that
reason, the article is malicious, and
it is false, because it is false. The
statement that the City of Union was
in debt $75 100000 or $50, 100000 before
the present administration came int,
office, is untrue. That the City Of
Union was in debt, and has been j.
debt for many years, goes without saw
ing, and do you know what is respon-
sible for that situation and condition
1t is the fact that the City of Union
has electric lights and water works.
The City of Union has paid out by
way of interest of bonds, for both
electric lights and water works, and
for use of same, and interest on same,
and in aid of same, over and above the
proceeds of bonds issued for and in
| behalf of water works and electric
lights, sum in excess of the present
Indebtedness of the City of Union.
The truth of the entire situation is |
this, namely: About a week or 1OI
days before the meeting of the lcgis-
| lHtnrn Mavnr "horto,, ri
Arthur came to see me in nv office.
and stated that the debt situation of
the City of Union was most serious.
and wished to know if bill could not
be put through the legislature where-1
by relief could be obtained. askedl
the gentlemen what was the total in-i
debtedness of the city, and they said.j
after collecting some taxes in Nav.
and applying same upon their present
debts, as they had been doing 'for1
years, the city would be owing aboutj
500, 100000 I then asked what the com,
missioners Of public works owed; thew
said they did not know. 1 said, dWells
you should know, and you should asSj
certain at once" ney replied thai
they would do so. l then told MessrsA
Nv harton and Arthur my advice wosiftf
be to see the commissioners of public
works without delay, and have then!
sign joint request to the Union legis-
lative delegation, looking to getting
relief by legislative action along lines
of issuing bonds to an amount suf- |
| ficlent to retire the entire indebted |
ness of the City of Union, including
the Indebtedness of the electric l;gh,
and Wntar -nrlrc -.
! Is debt of the City of Union. even if
it required bond issue of $1OO,0OO.OO,
and then. when they collected taxes
in May, they would have that money
instead of placing it upon debts. as
heretofore, to operate the City of I'm |
ION for the next ensuing year, upon
an absolutely cash basis. I told
Messrs. Wharton and Arthur that now
was the psychological time to place a |
bond issue, for money was cheap, and
| had no. doubt but what the bonds !
could be handled on per cent basis. |
winch would mean an annual saving Of
interest on the city's floating indebt-
.edneSs of between $4,000 900 and Sl.-
10000, compared with what was nov
being paid. MesSrs. Wharton and
Arthur said they thought my sugges-
tion was right and proper, and they
would at once see all parties officially
interested, and would see me again in
ample time to take what Legislative
action might be necessary
While Mr.. Wharton was in Colum-
bia, during the time the election OF
superintendent for the penitentiary
was pending, / asked him what was
being done in the matter of the bond
situation at Union, and he told me
Mr. Arthur, city clerk, was absent in
Florida, and upon his return, the mat
ter would be taken up.
| came up from Columbia on the
morning train of January 26th or 9th,
during recess of the legislature, and
upon getting off train at Southern
depot, saw Alderman Schoppaul and
City Clerk Arthur, and they told me
that the council of the City of Union
was coming to Columbia on the follow
ing Tuesday or Wednesday to see
about the bond matter, and Mr.. Arthur
showed me written request from the
City Council for the Union county del
egation in the legislature to arrange
bond issue, which request, Mr.
Arthur said, would be signed by prop
er parties. told Messrs. Arthur and
Schoppaul whatever the city authori-
ties wished carried out, was sure
the Legislative delegation would look
after, and that / would expect all par
ties to be in Columbia during the
coming week.
The next thing I knew in the bond
matter was the appearance in Column
bia of the entire city council Of Union,
except Mr.. LYbrand whom | was told