Ahoskie Voted for
Water and Sewerage. . . Vote Was 109 For Bonds, 30 Against Bonds
Ahoskie voted for waterworks and sewerage Tuesday; and the
voters tumbled over themselves to see who could be the first to reach the polls
and help make these modern necessities assured realities for the town of
Ahoskie. Before 12 o’clock the necessary 89 voters (a majority of the qualified
voters of the town) had already cast their ballots for water. One of the judges
remarked to others that by dinner time the 100 mark would have been reached.
True to his predictions, as the Registrar was munching on his lunch, the 100th
man, Mr. R.F. Overton, walked in and cast the ballot that made an even 100 for
water and sewerage. The final count was 109 for bonds and 30 votes against.
Many of the opponents of the bonds, realizing their utter
rout, were conspicuous on account of their absence from the voting booth,
preferring rather than casting a ballot, the failure to exercise his right of
citizenship. About 30 voters residing in the town failed to vote. Nevertheless,
the vote cast on Tuesday was the largest ever polled in Ahoskie.
Many interesting incidents took place about the voting
booths that served to help keep the poll holders from falling asleep on the
job, that is, during the early hours of voting. For instance, one man requested
the poll holders to keep “mum” as to how he voted, saying that he had friends
on both sides; another refusing to go out of the building via the rear door,
stating that he was not taking any dictations from the poll holders,and saying,
as he walked out the front door with a flushed face, “law or no law, I am going
out the front door.” These and kindred incidents filled the early part of the
day with enough excitement to keep up interest. Plenty of argument pro and con
took place on the streets during the day. However, it was good natured
argument, and only one or two bitter opponents of the bonds allowed their
temper to get the upper hand of their better judgment.
Two large landowner opponents of the measure made quick real
estate sales on that day preferring to sell their property rather than be
forced to pay additional taxes on account of the issuance of bonds. Their
offers to sell were quickly “grabbed at” and they did not have the slightest
trouble in disposing of some of the best property in town.
All in all, Tuesday was a good day for Ahoskie; and an
overwhelmingly large majority of the citizens of the town are still jubilant
over the results of the election for bonds to install a system of waterworks.
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