Fort Walton Chose a Marshal and Considered a 25-MPH Limit in July 1941
The July 11 minutes record a majority vote for the marshal and a first reading of rules covering traffic, fireworks and dogs.
Ten days after organizing its government, Fort Walton’s council returned to the W. B. Harbeson Building & Supply Company office to choose a permanent town marshal. At the same July 11, 1941 meeting, members considered a proposed 25-mph speed limit whose text also addressed fireworks, peace disturbances and inoculation of dogs. [1]
A majority vote for marshal
The meeting resumed at 8:30 p.m., with William D. Edwins presiding as mayor and Theo Bass serving as clerk. O. M. Early moved to take up employment of a permanent marshal for one year and until a successor was appointed and qualified. [1, PDF page 1]
The minutes record two nominees by surname, Lowery and Davis, with blank spaces where given names would normally appear. Davis won by a majority vote, accepted and took the oath of office. The record does not supply the vote totals or his full name. [1, PDF page 1]
More than a speed-limit proposal
Paul Roberts introduced the ordinance. Its opening sections proposed a 25-mph limit on streets, roads and highways within town limits and prohibited driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or in a reckless or dangerous manner. [1, PDF page 2]
Other sections would prohibit discharging fireworks at any time, prohibit disturbing the peace and require dogs in town to be inoculated. The proposed penalty was a fine of no more than $200 or imprisonment for no more than 90 days. A separate page labeled Section 10 addressed operating motor vehicles without headlights and a tail light burning. [1, PDF pages 2–3]
A first reading, with another still ahead
The clerk read the ordinance in full. The council then carried it over to its next regular meeting for consideration on second reading. Although the text included an effective-date clause of 20 days after passage, these minutes record the first-reading stage rather than final passage. [1, PDF pages 2 and 4]
Early also introduced Ordinance No. 2, described in its title as licensing and regulating trades, occupations and businesses. The five-page meeting packet preserves that title but does not provide the proposed licensing provisions. Together, the entries show the council moving from selecting officers to considering the rules they would administer. [1, PDF page 4]
Sources & archive records
- Fort Walton Town Council minutes, July 11, 1941
City Clerk WebLink document 30505, five-page preserved PDF. Cited pages visually reviewed. Historical proposals and proceedings, not current law.
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