Selma Purchased A Fire Bell
From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:
On the first Monday in May 1860, an election was held or officers of the city, for two years. The amended charter provided for an election every other year, instead of every year, and making the number of Councilmen six--at which the following vote was cast;
For Mayor.-- M. J. A. Keith, 156 votes; Sr. I. Morgan, 120 votes.
For Councilmen--M. C. Wiley, 225 votes; George F. Plant, 228; John Weedon, 206; Wm. A. Dunklin, 253; A. H. Jackson, 179; N. H. R. Dawson, 218; Wm. N. Byrd, 93; Robert Hall, 199; W. M. Smith, 80; C. E. Thames, 78; P. J. Weaver, 1; James W. Lapsley, 1; C. B. White, 3; Dr. I Morgan, 1; Jasper J. Norris, 1; James Ford, 4; Jack Riggs 1; Wm. Ickes, 1; Samuel Rodifer, 1; W. S. Knox, 1; Dr. Robert Johnson, 3; resulting in the election of M. C. Wiley, George F. Plant, John Weedon, W. A. Dunklin, N. H. R. Dawson and A. H. Jackson, who elected John M. Strong, Clerk, James M. Dedman, Marshal, Fellows, Dunklin & Haralson, Attorneys, Samuel F. Rodifer, deputy Marshal. George F. Plant, Robert Hall and Dr. I. Morgan, were appointed assessors of real estate, whose compensation should be five dollars each per day for every day employed. The Mayor was directed to purchase a suitable bell to ring as an alarm bell in case of fire. Rules to govern the Council and officers of the city were adopted. The rate of taxation upon real estate was placed at seven-tenths. The salary of the Mayor was fixed at $700; Marshal $1000; Clerk, $350; Assessor of personal property, $300; Treasurer, $250; Attorneys, $250, and three per cent. allowed the Tax Collector upon all money he collected. Alston & Huggins were granted a privilege for twenty years to us the foot Church street for the purpose of a ferry across the river. A number of negroes were arrested, belonging to planters in the country, upon the charge of being engaged in a contemplated conspiracy against the whites. W. H. Fellows, John Robbins, W. S. Knox, W. B. Haralson, J. R. John, Alfred Berry and W. Y. Lundie were appointed a committee to investigate the matter, and $500 were appropriated to pay the expenses of said investigation. Thomas Selman, Wm. Turner, James Adams and John E. Thompson, four additional policemen were appointed at fifty dollars per month each. Two hundred dollars were paid to the Phenix Fire Company as a special tax paid by foreign insurance companies. The services of Capt. Samuel Rodifer as deputy marshal had become so important that his salary was increased to sixty dollars per month. The fire bell, purchased by the Mayor, cost $232.31, which is the bell now hung over the council room, and the steamboat Flirt charged sixty dollars for bringing it from Mobile to Selma. W. R. Bill, Richard Faxton, J. B. Covill and S. C. Pierce, presented a petition on behalf of the citizens of East Selma, asking for the building of an engine house, but the petition was never acted upon. A. H. Jackson was appointed to arrange and codify the ordinances under the new charter. The police force were, James M. Dedman Marshal, Samuel D. Rodifer, Deputy Marshal, Wm. Turner, James Adams, Thomas Selman, J. E. Thompson, W. J. Meriweather, Samuel Clay, James Tredwell, De M. R. Vickers, B. T. Maxey, Wm. Wood, Sump Williamson, and J. A. Harrell, Policemen. Mrs. Dorsey was employed as nurse and matron of the hospital at twenty dollars per month.
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