The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-05-27
NEW ALDERMEN PERFORM
TRUE TO SAWYER TYPE
There Will Be No Harmony Or Cooperation In
New Administration - Only Pea
nut Politics
By w. o. SAUNDERS.

With two members and the
nayor-elect not present and not
voting, six members of Eliza
beth City's Board of Aldermen
elect held a caucus in the back
room Of the Savings Bank &
Trust Co. Monday night and
made up a slate of their pros
pective appointments, naming J.
B. Ferebee for the position of
City Manager.
The method of holding a eau
Gus and the calibre of man Sc
lected for the important position
of City Manager indicates just
how this city is to be governed
during the next two years.
The two members of the new board
who were not present were l.. r. Fore
man of the First Ward, and P. G. Ca
hoon of the Third Ward. One was out
of town and the other was at the bed
side of a sick wife. Neither of them
is identified with the Mack Sawyer-Pat
Williams organization.
Mayor-elect W. Ben Goodwin was left
out altogether. Mr.. Goodwin set about
Monday morning to call the new Board
together for a caucus and he was in
formed by Louis Anderson, Alderman
from the Second Ward that "we are not
ready yet.'' Mr. Goodwin wanted to
know who was not ready and Anderson
told him the Aldermen. Mr.. Goodwin
replied: ''Well, let me know when you
are ready and I will meet with you"
The next thing Mr.. Goodwin knew
the meeting chad been held behind the
vault in the, Savings Bank & Trust Co.
and the slate made up as follows: For
City Manager, J. B. Ferebee; For City
Health O&cer, DR.. Zenas Fearing; for
City Attorney, P. W. Mcmillan; for
Chief of Police, Leon Holmes; for City
Auditor, Mills E. Bell; for Tax Collec-
tor, Geo. 81. Wood
Some of those in the caucus contend
that the Mayor as ex-oficio chairman
of the Board is not a member of the
Board of Aldermen at all and is not to
be consulted or considered in the delib-
erations of the Board of Aldermen.
Others plaster things over by saying
they thought he would be spared the
embarrassment of any responsibility in
caucus proceedings.
But all the explanations under the
sun will not disguise the fact that the
new Board of Aldermen which. enters
Office Monday, June 6, will not work In
harmony and does not intend to work
farmoniously and constructively for the
best interests of the city. Those who
expected bigger things of P. II. Will !
liams and who refused to believe that
he is but servile ally of Mack Sawyer
have seen him brazenly become party
to proceedings that are an afront and
insult to the intelligent people of the
community
The selection of J. B. Ferebee for the
position of City Manager is nothing
more nor less than the payment of
political debt. Mr.. Ferebee was not
selected because of any qualifications
he possesses for the Office. If he has
any qualifications they are not apparent
to his neighbors. He used to be a good
barber and he is a good nelghbOr, but
if he ever made, a success of anything
or demonstrated any ability to do any
thing notably well, he has succeeded
thoroly in keeping his light hid under a
bushel
Five aldermen voted for ]. B. Fere-
bee for City Manager. They are Z. H.
Williams, President of the Savings Bank
& Trust Co.; G. II. Twiddy, assistant
cashier of the Savings Bank d Trust
Co.; L. W. Anderson, G. W. Stevens
and w H Jennette
W. H Weatherly, one of the six pres
ent, would not vote for Ferebee, and
W. H Jennette is said to have voted
for him reluctantly. There was no dis
agreement between P. H. Williams, c.
w, Stevens, Louis Anderson and Calvin
Twiddy.
The Indignation of the public over
Monday nights proceedings may reach
such a pitch that the selection OF Fere-
bee may be reconsidered. With eight
Aldermen and the Mayor present the +.
result of a caucus might be different
There is a hope that Messrs Foreman,
Cahoon, Weatherly and Jennette would
tie the Board for another choice for
City Manager and in such an event
Mayor elect Goodwin would in all prob
ability break the tie in favor OF
a new choice The only hope
Of rescuing the city from the ridiculous
position in which the Williams-Sawyer
syndicate would place it is for the best s
citizens of the community to persuade I
W. H -Jennette to stand by Weatherly, {
Foreman and Cahoon. If Mack Sawyer {
:an twirl his stick over Jennette or If e
P H. Williams can hypnotic him with {
lis profound religious dope, the city is
rrevocably lost to the obstruct1onlsts /
and the town hall will be found not on Z
Matthews ST., but in Louis Anderson's
grocery store in the Second Ward.
The first caucus of the new city ad-
has shown exactly what
sort of lineup we have and the c1tl-
zens know what to expect for the next 4
.wo years. The citizens may expect L
anything disagreeable at the hands of t
he new Board It has always been the I
policy of the Mack Sawyer gang to re- c
Eard its useful henchmen and to punish I
he bpS citizens of the community who