The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-07-31
|sA'TTENDANCE
WAS QUITE SMALL
0ayor Produces Official
eeerds to Prove That City is
" IN Financial Distress and
TIT Municipal Ownership is
Profitable

VAt Of Tho voters OF Sumter are go
v~p Rusued with the city adminis-
|Ft<Un that they could not muster
eoAicient energy and interest to
.4 preset while Mayor Jennings gave
4n eccoune Of his four year steward
4n>p ana forecasted fds programs for
re next four year term to which he
~ 70 be elected withcut opposition
Ihe meeting WAS called for eight
eSsQck. but was not called to order
SwW sac. BY which time about forty
fs0sens had drifted In and few
more came later. Mr.. J. w. McKjev-
~ Chairman OF the city democratic
ur9&nixation. called the meeting to
order and introduced Councilman J..
"a Isaffield. Mr.. Raffieid said he first
rsAed TO thank the people or sum-
ter for the honor they had done aim
~ elecftng him TO place on the city
. cpuncil and TO pledge himself TO
|'eerv0 them In future with the single
porpose of giving sumter The best
K03ernhent possible. He would
oand for law and order and the inn
kArtinl enforce ment OF all laws. He
1v&s friend OF education and fa-
Ar1Hrd the continued Improvement OF
tn< school system He favored the
lnps sovement Of the water system
euo an increase In the water supply
W me earliest day. possibie---this
ve&ld be necessary within next twelve
'menkhs BY the Improvement of the
wAtNr systcm and the fire depart
ment lower Insurance rates could be-
.sscursd and Manager stillwell is
SOW at work on plans to bring this
sbort. He favored the enforcement
- traffic laws that would promote
The safety OF the people using the
serehts He stood for the completion
of the lightning plant according to.
ue plans prepared by the engineer
and he hoped that within forty or
~ days the BOXERS would be INSTALL
ID ana the service materially improv-
3D. He was opposed to spending
1Oney on remodellng the Opera
House. He favored the sale of the
property and the erection OF a muni-
cipai building ON cheaper lot ON some
oc1tr street. which would serve the
needs OF the city and not require so
heavy an investment OF public funds.
He had no definite pledges to make
sase the sincere and honest deter
minAtion 20 serve the whole people
co the best Of his ability.
q Mayor Jennings spoke for quite an
heur and u h impossible to give
even q synopsis Of hts ,revdew of the
fltancisl afEsirs ef the city In the
bs$ss compass of this report. He be-
san with ~ hrtef review of the pur-
cAape q the water system fifteen
ytafe Ago ana its profitable operation
SHADE its acquisition by the city. He
GAwo the oficial fislres 10 prove
etery statement. Tho water system
rost, the ETY. si1s.eOo. 1t has paid
In own way and provided for exten.
slous and improvements and Is now
vczth In physical property $175.0o0,
10 then discussed the sewerage sys-
tom. the street paving and other Inn
provements. giving the cost OF each
ana going Into details In reference 10
slNs financing of each undertaking. |
he then took on the general finances
fof sho city since 1914. quoting from
The records to prove that SINCE 1914
the income OF the city had exceeded
tho ftxed charges by s247.4e5.63.
which exccss over fixed charges had
osen expended In permanent Inn
provements. He said that i'm 1916
tho city owed the banks $102. 900.
which ahd been borrowed to make
improvements on the pledge OF the
city. and this sum had been repaid
out Of the income OF the city. 80
that ~ the beginning OF 1920 the city
was out Of debt. except for the bonds
previously issued for permanent i'm
provements.
te then discussed tire purchase of |
the lighting plant the bond issue and !
tho present status OF the city's H. |
naaces In this phase of his speech |
he covered much the Same ground as |
he has heretofore In articles printed |
In the newspapers. He then took nm |
the cost OF the lighting plant. and
showed that the ultimate cost would !
not exceed the estimate cost would |
neer--the estimate being Approximate |
~ sooo,OOO. He read from the report |
of the manager of the plant To show
tho cost OF operation and the income.
hnd to- prove that during the 10
months that the city has owned the
plant the net proht had been $l7,-
500, despite the run down condition
vi the plant when the city TOOK IL
over. the excessive cost OF repairs TO
keep AZ In operation and the unexam-
a,tsd price OF coal during this time.
He discussed the purchase OF the
bowman property by public spirited
citixsns and It's presentation TO tho
city for use MS public park He
etRted that thus far the city had spent
ON the Improvement OF the park the
sum OF s7.24t, which he considered q |
food and a necessary investment for
VIE benefit OF the people OF Sumter.
In respect to the Opera House
property he said that he was unalter- |
sEly oppl,sed to It's sale. especially at
anything like the price that had been |
sRersd or was likely To he offered by |
those who wanted to get hold OF II TO |
rake q lis profit out OF the transac-
t.on. He advocated the rcmodeling OF |
the building and gave estiruate tes to |