Ahoskie Votes for City Water and Sewer Lines, 109 For, 30 Against, July 1919

From the Hertford County Herald, Ahoskie, N.C., Friday, July 11, 1919

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 100^th 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.