The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-06
PAVING BOND
QUESTION
Small Number of Citizens At
tend Mass Meeting for Dis
cussion of Proposition

SuSS1Ull VI 1AOPOS1CAVh
Only thirteen citizens attended
the mass meeting at the Court
House Friday night in reference to
the proposed two hundred and fifty
thousand dollar bond issue for ad-
ditional paved streets and side
walks.
Mr.. George D. Shore. ST., was
elected chairman, and called for q
full, free and open expression Of
opinion from all there on both
sides of the issue.
Mr.. E. I. Reardn mved that May
or L. D.. Jennings be heard from
first and Mr.. Jennings took the
floor. He first read a most inter-
esting financial statement of the
city's affairs from several points OF
yiew-the cost Of the electric light
plant and the net annual revenues
therefrom, cost of operation, etc.,
He told of the bonded and current
Indebtedness Of Sumter, what had
been done with the taxpayers
money, showed that the. water
works and electric light plants are
net revenue producing propositions
and showed that Sumter's munich
pal government is in pretty good
condition financially and that cur
rent revenues and water and cleo
trio light revenues have been spent
to reduce the debt incurred for the
electric light plant and for exten-
sion of water mains, increasing sup
ply of water, improvements in elec-
tric light poles, wires. etc. His re-
port, which is lengthy expert au-
dit by several accredited account
ants, will be published later.
Mayor Jennings then gave his
hearers a very comprehensive and
detailed account of what the pro-
posed two hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars will be used for. He
explained that the city council
can spend this money only as called
for. by taxpayers on streets that are
not paved at present. That when
the taxpayers on such streets desire
their streets paved and agree to
pay two-thirds Of the cost the city
at large paying one-third, that then
and only then can council sell suf-
fcient, bonds and do the work
It will not, in all probability be
necessary to sell the entire bond
issue at once, but it will depend
upon the amount Of paving called
for. He felt satisfied that the city
council viii first connect up the
west Liberty street, Boulevard,
North Main street and Oswego road
{within city linits) with the coun-
Ity's hard surface roads in order to
have a, complete system leading
out, from Sumter.
His arguments in favor Of street
and sidewalk paving regardless Of
temporary hard times and unpaid
county taxes, practically all city
taxes for 1921 having been long
since paid, were decidedly conyinc-
ing. to all present but two citi-
zens, Messrs. Geo. D. Shore and S.
w. Walker.
Mr. Walker took the position,
as did Mr.. Shore, that they both
favored street paving and other
progressive improvements, but
they thought that there were other
things needed of more importance
at this time, such as Improvements
in the water mains, more pres
sure. setting aside Or leaving mar
gin for another school building, ETC.,
and that paved streets could wait
until times were better, except that
both gentlemen would not object
to spending sufficient money to
connect up the unpayed sections
Of streets with the hard surfaced
county highways. Mr.. Shore en-
phasized the importance Of going
show in increasing taxes and in
creasing the burden Of the taxpay-
ers any more thansc can be possibly
helped for while.
DR.. Samuel H. Edmunds favored
and showed why the bond issue in
| full would not be such a terrible
| burden because when taxpayers
| themselves offer to pay for and
ask for paved streets and are will
! ling to pay two-thirds Of the cost
distributed over a twenty year pc
| Rod of time, that additional tax
es, at large would not prove unduly
burdensome.
Mayor Jennings then replied tc
/ Messrs. Walker and Shore. He
showed where most Of the alleged
necessary improvements in the
! water works mains referred to by
Mr.. Walker had been done just
ibefore the present paved streets
were paved and that Mr.. Walkers
belief that Sumter will eventually
have to practically rebuild its
water works mains was a mistake
on Mr.. Walkers part. even conced.
ling that Mr.. Walkers opinion was
conscientiously expressed. Mr.
Shore and. Mr.. Walker based THEN
opposition, if opposition it could
be called, entirely upon the hard
i times we are experiencing, ex-
cept Mr.. Walkers apprehensions
! ear6ine, the water mains. Neither