The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-01-16
NEWBERRY TO MOVE FORWARD
IN MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT
"A Fine Meeting of Citizens-Spirit
Was Good-Unanimous For Some
thing Worth While to be Done.

thing Worth WAlle 10 De lone.
s That was a fine meeting Wednes-
day night. Of course there We're not
so many citizens present as should
have been on account of the import
ance of the matters to be discussed,
but as citnzen meetings go it was
well attended and those present We're
not given to much talking, but there
was no doubt that they were IN
earnest in their desires to see some
very important public improvements
made in the city of Newberry during
the years to come. and that they
wanted the work to begin at once.
There were one or two discordant
j notes but they were almost lnaudlbie.
One was that we should not under
take to do everything at once, and
another thought that the city might
at some time have reckless set OF
officers and that even the people
themselves might become reckless and
spend too much money for public I'M
orovement, and therefore the citizens
>tnow should not open the gates too
wide.
All recommendation of the city
council for public improvements as
made by Mayor Blease were endorsed
practically unanimously. Mayor
Blease made a statement showing the
present financial condition OF the
city. The total income and the ex-
,Aenditures, and went somewhat INTO
detail. We regret that space at this
time will not permit the publication
. of his explanations of the income and
outgo, but hope TO publish it IN a
SUBSEQUENT issue for the benefit OF
the taXayers.
Mayor Blease called the meeting to
order and on motion Of j. B. Hunter,
Z. F. Wright was elected chairman,
land B. V. Chaman, secretary. Mr..
Wright said that the meeting was
not as large as it should have been
and that he noticed that some OF the
members of council even were not
present, and some prominent men
we're conspicuous by their absence.
,aNe said it was discouraging when the
officers tried to do something and
thev could not feel that they had the
hearty cooperation of the people. he
did not believe. in planging the town
into debt, but it was time that we
we're doing something in the way of
public Improvement.
Mr.. Blease then made his statement
! as to conditions and recommenda-
tions. He prefaced his remarks oy
Assating that the first resolution OF
the city council adopted in the early
hours of the first day OF the New
Year, was that we are going to 40
I.something for your town during l9Zo.
said that this was Democratic
buntry and Of course authority 10
things must come from the people
enselves. The mayor and council
build make suggestions, but the act
ial building and advance must be
authorized BY the people. Mr. Blease
hid that unless his administration
hould be able to do something worth
while for the community and unless
the people gave the authority and
furnished the money, it could not be
done, he would feel that he had not
been honored in his cleo on as mayor:
He said he didn't care to De mayor OF
a;dead town and he hoped when his
administration came to a close tnas
4 ne would be able to look back ard
Zee some; hirg which had been ac-
con,rlished that was worth while, and
he felt that the city council e..dofsed
this position.
The meeting authorized or recon-
Nanded the city council at once to
order al election on issuing SSo,0oo
IN bonds and authorize the assessing
of abutting property for the purpose
of building streets. $4,000 is the
total that can be voted under the
constitution. But by supplementlng
Astwith $4,000 from property owners
(uld give S160,000 for building
5 Streets. Mr.. Blease said that the es-
!. Inmates which he had indicated that
it would take so to 90 thousand dol
lars per mile to build streets. He
] said there were 80 miles of streets
in Newherry, but that if we could
get IL miles of paving the town
would be we'll covered and the most
used streets could be paved.
city council also suggested an
kndment to the state constitution
hat more than s per cent OF bonds
could be issued. Some thought there
should be limit and it was decided
Ito raise the limit frorl per cent to
per cent and council was author
Eed to secure the proper legislation.
The council was also petitioned to
increase the appropriation to the
board of health so that an expert
health officer may be secured.
The meeting also endorsed the
building Of White Way for the city.
Altogether the spirit of the meet
fkg was for progress, and it looks now
ike that something will be done In
/ the old town in the way Of building
streets and making other improve
ments.