Selma Board of Health was Established

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

At the annual election held at the Council room on the 7th day of June 1858, for city officers, the following vote was cast;

For Mayor.--M. J. A. Keith, 138 votes; John M. Strong, 129. M. J. A. Keith was elected by nine votes.

For Councilmen.--W. A. Dunklin, 136 votes; George F. Plant, 138; M. C. Wiley, 152; John Weedon, 167; Isaiah Morgan, 170; Wm. M. Ford, 121; Wm M. Ridgeway, 74; electing Dunklin, Plant, Wiley, Weedon and Morgan, who elected Jno. M. Strong, Clerk; James M. Dedman, Marshal, and W. A. Dunklin, Treasurer. George F. Plant, W. A. Dunklin and Dr. Morgan, were elected to assess the real estate of the city for the years 1858 and 1859. Messrs. Fellows, Dunklin & Haralson, were elected city attorneys, at a salary of two hundred dollars. Sign boards, giving the names of the streets, were ordered to be put up at the different crossings of the streets. A contract was entered into with the Gas Light Company, to light the city, at three dollars per thousand cubic feet consumed. The Clerk was authorized to take coupons for all dues to the city. John Hardy was paid one dollars for printing the thousand copies of the city charter and ordinances. The Marshal was directed to employ three street hands. Henry West was appointed Deputy Marshal at a salary of fifty dollars per month. The old grave yard, in West Selma, was put in good order, with an iron-wire fence on Selma street, a heavy plank fence at the east end and on the west and north sides a good running plank fence, with cedar posts and the entire premises put in good order; and no person who had no relatives already buried in the yard, or strangers, nor negroes, were allowed to be buried there. The vacant lot east of the Central Depot building brought at public sale, five thousand and fifty dollars. This is the lot on which stands the Ferguson Bank building. The contract with the Gas Light Company required seventeen posts to be erected as follows: 1. corner of Stone’s Hotel; 2, western corner of Gee’s Hotel; 3, Wm. Johnson’s old corner; 4, Harrell & Booth’s corner; 5, Cunningham’s corner; 6, telegraph office; 7, north corner Suter’s shop; 8, in front of Wiley & Koxe’s; 9, Clay & Co.’s corner; 10, P. J. Weaver’s corner; 11, Eliasberg’s corner; 12, Clark’s book store; 13, Commercial Bank corner; 14, north corner of Watt’s Hall; 15, Savage & Burr’s corner, 16, Works & Thomas’ stables; 17, front of Council chamber. At these points was the city first supplied with gas lights. At a meeting on the 18th of December 1858, a supper was ordered for the Council, not to cost over twenty dollars. P. J. Weaver and B. F. Cherry proposed to the Council, upon certain terms, they would dig down the foot of Washington street and establish a steam ferry across the river, but the Council failed to accept the terms. Another mule and cart was purchased for the city. H. C. Billings and John J. Thompson were appointed city auctioneers. The Marshal was directed to hire three good hands to work on the streets. The ordinance prohibiting cock fighting was repealed and the boys had a glorious time for the following season. A hospital was established, Dr. I. Morgan elected city physician, and John McGrath elected nurse, and John Weedon contracted with to build the present hospital building. The city was divided into two Wards-all the territory west of Broad Street to be ward No. 1, all that east of Broad street go be ward No. 2--and a board of health established, with health officers authorized for each ward. W. M. Wallace was employed to survey and define North street. The Council changed the day of election from the first Monday in June, to the first Monday in May of each year, but not to interfere with the terms of the existing city officers. An election was ordered, and W. S. Phillips and Jojn Mitchell were appointed managers of the election, and Abner Jones and J. S. Blackburn were to be clerks of the same. "uncle Johnnie McGrath" was paid thirty-five dollars for extra services for attending small pox cases at the hospital. George F. Plant as President, and John Hardy as Secretary of the Gas Light Company, entered into a written contract with the city.

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