The Selma City Government Restored

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

The city had a settlement with the Confederate States officers of the Quartermaster's Department, in regard to the wharf. The wharf, as shown by various bills of expenses exhibited by Capt. John C. Graham, cost the city $29,932.51, as follows: Rations for hands, $9,089.14; tools, nails, forage, wood &c., $4,048.19; barge for transporting gravel, $1,050; transportation of laborers, $426.70; engineers, superintendent, overseers, &c., $12,838. The city paid an additional. $10,000, in new issue of Confederate notes, and took charge of the wharf upon the condition agreed upon, that the Confederate States could use the wharf free of charge during the war and after the war at half rates, leaving 9,923.51 of unpaid which amount we have no account of ever being paid to the Confederate States. And taking the transaction altogether, it was a most excellent on for the city. The number of police agreed upon was twelve, in addition to Marshal and Deputy Marshal, the police to be paid $150 each per month. An ordinance was adopted requiring every person offering beef for sale in the city to first furnish the Market Clerk with the marks, brands, &c., of every such animal so offered to be sold, under a penalty of fifty dollars. For a short time thereafter the market was poorly furnished with beef. An election was held by the Council for a wharfinger, which resulted as follows: For E. M. Gantt--Councilmen S. C. Pierce, M. J. Williams and C. B. Andrews, 3; For J. J. Simmons--Councilmen T. B Pierce, J. J. Thompson and Henry Gatchell, 3. There being three votes cast for each candidate, the Mayor gave the casting vote for J. J. Simons. The pay of the police was increased fifty dollars per month, making the pay $200 per month. Various amendments to the city charter had been made by the Legislature, which the Council accepted. The receipts form the wharf for the first month were $472.44. The last meeting held by this Council, so far as we can ascertain form the records was on the 7th day of February, 1865, in consequence, we suppose, of the great absorbing question of a visit to the place by an Yankee army, which event did take place on Sunday, the 2nd day of April, 1865, and most terrible scenes were witnessed in the city on that extraordinary occasion. Dr. Henry call his Council together on the 3rd day of May, 1865, about one month after General Wilson's visit to the city, and as an election had been held by the citizens, on the first of May, he turned over the city government to the persons who were elected at that time. At this election the following vote was cast:

For Mayor--M. J. Williams, 128; W. B. Gill, 48.

For Councilmen-- 1st ward, Geo. W. Baker, 17; F. W. Siddons, 18: 2nd ward A. B. Mabry, 33; C. E. Thames, 33: 3rd ward, Jacob Krout, 52; John M. Stone, 44: 4th ward John McElroy, 25, J. H. B. Daughtry, 16.

There was no opposition in this election only for mayor, and the question was in doubt whether a civil city government would be permitted to exist. Wiser counsel, however Prevailed, and it was much to the credit of Gen. McArthur, the Federal commander of the division in which Selma was situated. That a civil municipal government was continued. The report of a committee appointed for the purpose of adjusting the confused affairs of the city, reported that on the first day of may 1865, the funds of the city on hand, consisted of $9,253.20 of Confederate $5 bills of the old issue, and $10,000 of eight percent. Confederate bonds. The committee did not say so in so many words, but with so many Yankees to be seen in the streets in uniform, did not have a favorable influence upon the minds of the committee as to much future value being placed upon these $5 bills of the "old issue" and the eight per cent. bonds.

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