Selma Gas Light Company
From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:
On the 5th day of January 1854, P. A. Berry, Pink Stowe and Henry west, as managers, held an election for city officers for the ensuing year, which resulted in election of John M. Strong, Mayor George F. Plant, John G. Snediker, Henry S. Blackburn, John W. Lapsley and R. N. Philpot Councilmen. The salary of the Mayor was fixed at $300, the salary of the Clerk at $300 and that of the Marshal at $500. James D. Monk was elected Clerk, Tax Assessor and Collector, R. N. Philpot, Treasurer, and his salary fixed at $100, Joseph R. Curtis, Marshal. The Cherokee rose which Dr. Gantt had planted around the graveyard having proven a failure, the Council passed an appropriation in addition to private contributions made to Mr. J. J. Norris, the city sexton, to put a good and substantial fence around the graveyard. A fine against Felix Montague was remitted. The Marshal was directed to collect up all the pistols and guns of all kinds in the city and place them in the powder magazine. This order was not met with favor on the part of the citizens, who refused to give up their firearms, and the ordinance soon became a dead letter. The fence around the graveyard, 1016 feet, cost $181.75, which amount was paid John G. Snediker for the work. John M. Strong was authorized to represent the city in the stockholders’ meeting of the Alabama and Tennessee railroad, held in Selma July 12, 1854. Boyd, Watts and Lapsley were granted permission to bore an artesian well on the bluff of the river, in rear of the Central depot building. In accordance with various petitions the Council appointed a committee to locate a new graveyard. At a meeting of the Council, on the 26th of September, 1854, a most aright quarantine ordinance was passed to protect the place against the introduction of yellow fever, but it was never put into force measured were adopted to establish a hospital. Lime was furnished to all who wanted it to use for sanitary purposes. The marshal was directed to notify the chief engineer of the Alabama and Mississippi railroad to fix a good and substantial crossing. That part of Bow street and the bluff of the river, between Greene and Washington streets, belonging to the city, was leased for five years to the Alabama and Tennessee Railroad Company, at $100 per year, to be used as a coal depot. A contract was made with Mr. Campbell to sink an artesian well at the crossing of Franklin and Water streets, the city to furnish one hand and necessary tubing. Twelve acres of land were purchased from Col. J. L. Price at $700, for a new graveyard, which was soon after fenced around, and interments were made in it under rules and regulations of the city. New street was ordered to be opened from Mulberry creek to the swamp. Col. Lapsley opened a street called Coosa street, east of the Alabama and Mississippi railroad track. Alabama street was to be opened from range line, through the lands of Col. P. J. Weaver, to Coosa street. On the 6th of January 1854, the Selma Gas Light Company was granted permission to erect their buildings and to manufacture gas in the city, at any point east of Sylvan street, and the Mayor was authorized to subscribe for the city ten shares of the capital stock. Gen F. Plant and H. S. Blackburn, as a committee to examine the books of the Clerk and Tax Collector reported that there had been collected form all sources, $4,464.59; had paid City Treasurer, $4,630.46; over paid City Treasurer, $165.87; The Tax collector had received for railroad interest, $K461.50; paid interest, $476.75; over paid, $15.25. James D. Monk was the tax collector whose books exhibited the fact that he had paid out for the city more money than he received. That is not the way some custodians do with public money in these modern days.
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