Selma City Council Confronted Yellow Fever

From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:

At the election held on the first Monday in June, 1853, John M. Strong was re-elected Mayor, R. N. Philpot, S. Plattenburg, Abner Jones, Dr. j. E. Prestridge and Nat. Waller elected Councilmen. The first thing Council did was to adopt a rule imposing a fine of three dollars upon every member of the Council, Clerk and Marshal, who failed to be in attendance within fifteen minutes after the time of meeting of the council. James D. Monk was elected Clerk, Tax Assessor and Collector, Richard S. Smith, Marshal, and Abner Jones, Treasurer. Fire limits were established, in which no wooden buildings should be erected. This council was not fond of ice cream, for an ordinance was passed prohibiting the peddling of ice cream upon the streets, under a penalty of $20. Land was purchased form Col. Weaver upon which to build a powder house, and a magazine. An engine house was built on the market house lot, and 300 feet of two and a half inch hose purchased. The council offered a reward of $50 for the arrest of one S. Sweet, a painter by trade, charged with assault with intent to kill, upon Samuel F. Rodifer. On the 13th of September 1853, an ordinance was adopted providing against the introduction of yellow fever into the city. An ordinance was adopted putting the grave yard under the control of the city, appointing J. J. Norris, city sexton, allowing him fees for his services an fixing a list of fees. The marshal was allowed to hire two persons to aid him in watching and doing patrol duty. Two hundred dollars were subscribed and paid by the city as a bonus, to induce the Washington City and New Orleans Telegraph Company to bring their line through Selma, and $1,500 was paid by the business men of the place for the same purpose. The Mayor was directed to expend the large amount of money accumulated in his hands during the prevalence of the yellow fever in the city, in purchasing supplies for the poor of the city. Samuel F. Rodifer was paid thirty dollars for services during the prevalence of the yellow fever in the city. W. D. Snyder was appointed assistant marshal during Christmas week. Woodson Johnson was paid $615 for building the powder magazine. Dr. Barnum and Blevins were paid $88 for visiting all the boats landing at the city from yellow fever points, from the 15th of September to the 12th day of November 1853, A committee consisting of R. N. Philpot, Nat. Waller and James D. Monk was appointed to invite Governor A. P. Bagby, to visit Selma in February, 1854, an deliver a eulogy upon the life and character of the late Hon W. R. King. Gov Bagby accepted the invitation, came to Selma and delivered an oration creditable to himself, and did full justice to the deceased. The committee had the oration printed in pamphlet form. The Council refused to pay the bill for printing and the committee had to pay it out of their own pockets, Edwards & Conoley were appointed city attorneys on the 13th of March 1854. The wooden blacksmith shop at the corner of Washington and Alabama streets, belonging to Dr. I. Morgan, (where Lamar‘s cornet is now) Was declared a nuisance, and ordered to be removed within twenty day. The marshal was directed to buy a cart and mule for the city, to remove trash and garbage from the streets. (this was the second the city ordered.) R. N. Philpot reported the taxes collected from the sources, from Jan. 1, 1853 to Jan 1, 1854 to be $5,070.14.

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