Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-11-21
LOCAL CEMETERY
BECOMES CENTER
Of CONTROVERSY
CITY DECLARES IT CANNOT OFFER
SUPPORT AND COUNTY WOULD
HALT AID

Corporation counsel advised the city
commission nj a special meeting yes
terday afternoon that the city had no
power Ia oXpcnd money for the up
Keep Of cemetery which II did not
won, and therefore, cannot contribute
toward the upkocp 81 Llano cemetery.
M present owned by Potter County
and which the county desires the city
10 take over. Counsel further advised
the commission that the county In not
disqualified from maintaining a GENE.
terry, In fact that since II IN obligated
by statute Ia bury It's paupcr dead that
obligation presupposos the possession
~ cemetery Ia bury them In. lie
further stated that the city has the
power Ia regulate the burial of its
dead, 10 purchase. establish and opcr.
ate one ar more cemeteries. either by
itself or In association with Potter
County. The property required for
such cemetery may b. acquired
either by purchase or by condemnation
proceedings.
Seeking Ia Unload!
Mayor Marrs stated that Il was
sought by the county authorities "a
unload i.lano cemetery ON the city Of
Amarillo, that the county had owned
and operated this cemetery un.nicr'
ruptodly for period of thirty years
and had only discovered that they had
only discovered that they had no right
Ca do No after all available lots In the
cemetery had been sold and the
revenue thorcfrom exhausted. lie nd.
vanccd the poinion that since the
county had operated the cemetery for
~ long without having its right To do
~ come under dispute. II had right
to continue doing 40 now. lie an
nouncod that he was opposed To ANA
rillo taking over the cemetery under
the circumstances. lie stated, how
ever, that he would be- willing for the
city Ia form an association with the
county. for the purpose of purchasing
and establishing a new cemetery he
proposed that county and city go into
this proposed association ON equal
terms. that they advance an equal sum
az money II II becomes necessary to
advance any money. and that the up
keep be borne equally and all revenues
divided equally. He stated that a new
cemetery property acquired ana opcr
aied In such n manner would be u,
burden either to county or city, ahu
that II would not b. necessary Tor ON,
10 pass the buck To the other Tor u
would IN all piohihillls w 'N'''' ''
sclfsupporting.
Acquirement of Property
Regarding the requirement OF Gene
terry property corporation counsel quot
ed Section . Of Article 81 the CT.
Charter, which reads: The city shal
have htc right of eminent domain an'
the power To appropriate private pror
erty for public purposes whenever IN
governing authorities shall deem !
necessary. whether within or wihtou
the city limits, for the purpose @
erecting cemetery that the CIV
shall have the power 10 obtain iund
for the purpose 81 acquiring said pul
lie utility and paying therefor by issu
Ing bonds or notes or other evidence Q
Indebtedness.
The sentiment ~ the commissio
seemed Ia be strongly against nkin
over I.lano cemetery as that woui
only by a burden upon the city, but tn
commissioners were willing To nsS'
ciate with hte county for the purpos
az acquiring property for new GENE
terry and the establishment and main
tcnancc thereof.