By John Harvey
On January 1, 1900, a short program was held on the steps of the courthouse to mark the new century. City and county officials took part in the short service. Mayor and council sworn in were Mayor, John H. Kelly, and councilmen, J. H. Coil, J. E. Hecht, S. R. Campbell, H. V. Allen and S. C. Lawrence.
In their first official meeting on January 24, 1900, council received the incorporation papers for the new telephone system. The company was to be known as the Commercial Telephone and Telegraph Company. Chief officials were F. M. f Farley, C. H. Johnson, and R. N. Benun. These officials were listed as residents of Fulton County. Minute of the meeting stated that telephone service would begin within the next few days.
Other business taken up by the council was the formation of five committees and a system of operation of the city government. The committees were police, street, sanitation, ordinance and finance. A special committee of J. E. Hecht, S. C. Lawrence and H. V. Allen, reported that the mayor's salary would be $100 a month and councilmen would be paid $25 a month.
The committee recommended that the office of chief marshal and city clerk be combined and that the marshal/clerk be paid $45 a month. The assistant marshal would receive $40 a month. The committee recommended J. F. Jordan and John P. Williams for the posts of chief marshal and assistant. J. G. Tolleson was asked to continue boarding the town mule and wagon at $10 a month until further notice.
The council accepted the audited city treasurer's report which showed a balance on hand of $1,425.58. Outstanding but still collectable was $1,510.76 in license fees, railroad tax and gasoline sales. $70.63 in fines was deemed un-collectable.
Plans Made to Fight Epidemic
Last year we were told that the World Health Organization had declared smallpox an eradicated disease. In 1900 , such was not the case and a few cases of the disease scared most people almost to death.
In 1900, a number of cases were reported in the county. Local officials moved as though a full fledged epidemic was in progress. On March 12, 1900, a special meeting was held to discuss the problem. After lengthy discussion, the following steps were taken to "combat the threatened epidemic" (council's words)
1. Schools were to be closed during the emergency
2. Vaccination clinics were to be set up in the school buildings. (All citizens white and black were to be vaccinated)
3. Dr. R. L. Furse was to be in charge of the vaccination clinics
4. Inmate of the county prison were to be restricted to the county farm.
5. J. E. Florence had offered an empty house he owned on the outskirts of town to house in isolation of any new cases of smallpox found in the county.
Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net)
April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame.
Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others
"Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.
Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.