CITY COUNCIL.

# CITY COUNCIL. *The Jamestown Weekly Alert, Thursday, April 9, 1885, p. 1. The clipping is the whole front page; the three items below are the ones on it that name Kelleher (columns 3, 4 and 8, in that order), each under its printed head. Read from the page image by claude-sonnet-5-5; proofed by claude-opus-5-5, 4 Oct 2026.* Proceedings of City Council in regular session Monday evening, April 6th, 1885. All members present except Mr. Vennum. Mr. Kelleher moved to suspend the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting. Carried. The petition of Mr. Fitzgerald for liquor license was upon motion of Mr. Carr, laid upon the tabe [sic], it being his opinion that it was a matter with which the new council should deal. The report of the city canvasing board was read and upon motion of Mr. Carr was placed on file. The report of alderman Vennum as fire committee, touching the firemens salary was allowed and approved by the new council. McClure's printing bill of $47.30 and J. T. E[a?]ger s bill of $4 were allowed. On motion of Mr. Carr a committee of three were appointed, consisting of Carr, Collins and McGinnis to escort mayor elect, Flint, to the chair. Before vacating the chair Mayor Lloyd indulged in a neat little speech in which he stated that he believed that the old council had done the very best thing they could for the city, and that he felt very grateful toward each member for the courteous manner in which he had been treated by them. He had the kindest of feeling toward the incoming administration and hoped it would meet with success. Mr Kelleher moved that a vote of thanks be given Mayor Lloyd by the outgoing council. Carried. Mayor Flint elect upon taking the chair stated that he had expected that the evening would have been occupied by the old council to such an extent that it would be impossible for the incoming council to transact any great amount of business. He hoped that good feeling and brotherly love would abound between himself and council during his administration. He had been charged during the canvass with being dictatorial but he did not propose to be in the future, if he had been in the past, but he believed that if an ordinance should be introduced in the council which did not meet his views of public policy he would have the courage to veto it. He thought that he would not state his policy or platform tonight, but would at some future time. The old council having adjourned the clerk proceeded to call the roll and the following councilmen answered: Hicks, Miller, Hughes, Spangen[b?]erg, Conehay, Kelleher, Selvidge, Collins. Mr. Kelleher then moved that all the officers that should be appointed by the council tonight should accept the salaries as provided by ordinance hereafter passed. Mr. Hicks thought he would not be in favor of the motion. He was not as yet clear upon the salary ordinance and would prefer to wait and let the appointments go over until the salaries of the offices under consideration be fixed by ordinance. Attorney Dodge being called upon to give his views, stated that according to the charter the city would have no officers, namely, clerk and attorney if they were not appointed tonight, as their terms of office ended at the time the mayor's did. Mayor Flint thought that the gentlemen chosen to fill these offices would be too honorable to go back on any contract made by the council tonight. Mr. Kelleher moved that the chair appoint a committee of three on nominations, Carried. Committee consisted of Kelleher, Conehay and Miller, and reported recommending the election of W. E. Dodge for attorney and A. C. McMillan for clerk. On motion the report was adopted. Mr. Miller stated that he thought the question of salaries should be discussed. Mr. Kelleher thought the salary question was of too great importance to handle tonight and would take more time than the council had tonight. Attorney Dodge stated that the appointment of the officers under Mr. Kelleher's motion amounted to nothing more than a conditional contract, and for one he should consider it in that light. Mr. Hicks stated that he was opposed to the appointment of officers tonight and would move to postpone the report of the committee until some future time. (This seems a little out of order as no motion was made to reconsider the vote by which the report of the committee was adopted, which was the only means by which the council could take action upon the report after its adoption ) The Mayor nominated M. Smitz chief of police, Will Ford for patrolman. Mr. Conehay moved that the appointments be confirmed. The following committees were appointed: Finance—Conehay, Collins, Hicks. Judiciary—Spangenberg, Kelleher, Selvidge. Fire—Hughes, Selvidge, Spangenberg. Printing—Collins, Hicks, Selvidge. License—Kelleher, Spangenberg, Miller. Streets and Bridges—Miller, Selvidge, Hughes. Assessment of Taxes--Selvidge Collins, Conehay. Public Grounds—Kelleher, Miller, and Spangenberg. Ordinance—Hicks, Hughes and Conehay. Mr. Hicks introduced a resolution to the effect that the city printing be given to the lowest bidder and that the bids be handed into the chairman of the printing committee. A license was granted Mr. Fitzgerald from Jan. 1st, 18[8?]5 to July 1st 188[5?]. On motion of Mr. Kelleher council adjourned. ### LATER. After the council adjourned it recommended by unanimous consent and elected by unanimous vote W. E. Dodge city attorney and A. C McMillan clerk. Adjourned to Wednesday evening. # CITY COUNCIL. Proceedings of City Council in session Wednesday evening, April 8th, 1885. There were a good attendance at the council room last evening to witness its final organization and all were impressed with the necessity of soon providing more commodious quarters for our city legislature. The roll call donated [sic] that all aldermen were present and ready to proceed to business. Mayor Flint stated that he believed the course of the council last Monday evening so much of it as pertained to its reconve[a?]ning was irregular and that in his opinion that all that had been done by it after the regular adjournment was out of order and therefore null and void and should be stricken from the records. Mr. Hicks stated that he was of the same opinion and that he would move to strike that portion alluded to by the mayor from the records. Mr. Kelleher thought that the reconvening of the council was perfectly proper and thought that any one versed in parliamentary practices would agree with him. Mr. Conehay believed that the proceedings at the convened meeting were valid since the council had been called together by the mayor. Motion to strike out was carried 3 to 5. Returning to the general order of business the resignation of Mr. Gieseler the newly elected city treasurer was considered and upon motion was accepted. Mr. Kelleher moved that the office of city treasurer be declared vacant. Mr Conehay moved that Joe D. Mills be elected to fill the vacancy. Carried. The bond of Mr. Mills signed by the following gentlemen was presented: Anton Klaus, G. L. Raymond, C. M. Carr, Roderick Rose and Joe D. Mills as principal. Bond accepted. City Justice Hayward presented his quarterly report showing fines and costs for the past three months to have been $15.90. Court fees $15.00. Mr. Kelleher moved that the report be accepted and placed on file. Carried. Chief of police Schmitz presented his bond with A. A. Allen and Major Lyon as bondsmen. Also the bond of Will Ford as policeman was presented. Mr. L. Lyon and D. C. Buck, as assurities [sic]. Both bonds accepted and order filed. Mr. Miller, chairman of the street and bridge committee reported that the condition of the Fifth street bridge was bad and that he had instructed the city engineer to draft plans which if adopted would put it in proper shape. The committee on printing stated that he was ready to report. He presented bids from the Alert, Capital and Age which were as follows: Capital agreeing to publish ordinances at 25 cents per folio and to do the job work of the city at regular rates less 20 per cent. The Alert was to publish the ordinances at 40c per folio and to do the job work at regular rates less 50 per cent. The Age to publish the proceedings at 9c per folio and to deliver the job work at regular rates less 40 per cent. Here a lengthy discussion arose as to which was the lowest bid and no satisfactory conclusion being arrived at the matter was referred to committee on printing for adjustment. There is no question, however, but that the Capital's bid was the highest. As the Age has no job office, the question naturally arises, allowing for the sake of argument that the bid was the lowest, how can it afford to hire Mr. Burke to do the work and then give the city 40 per cent. off, and especially when it has agreed to publish the ordinances for less money than they can be set for by the thousand at regular prices. There is one thing sure and that is, that whoever does the city printing for the ensuing year will be poorer when he gets through than when he begun. The next interesting feature was the election of city attorney, which feat was performed to the satisfaction of a majority of the council and W. E. Dodge, after a pleasant skirmish between Mr. Hicks, Miller, Conehay and Kelleher. On motion of Mr. Conehay, Mr. McMillan was chosen city clerk by unanimous vote. The introduction of ordinances being in order, Mr. Miller startled even the reporters present by introducing an ordinance to licence the skating rinks to the extent of $200 per year. The salary ordinance, fixing the salaries of the following officers was introduced by Mr. Hicks: Attorney. $300; Clerk, $300 , Chief Police $70 per month: subordinate police $70 per month The introduction of bills followed, and upon motion of Mr. Kelleher the rules were suspended and the most of them allowed. On motion of Mr. Miller, T. F. Branch was elected city engineer. Mr. Conehay moved that a board of health be appointed. The following gentlemen were appointed as such board: 1st ward, T. F. Branch, 2nd ward, P. M. Daly, 3d ward, Pat Moran, 4th ward, Dr. Clo[e?]-, who was appointed at the suggestion of ex-alderman Carr, who was first named but preferred not to act. Upon motion of Mr. Miller their election was made unanimous. Adjourned, # The Taxpayers' Meeting. For some reason or other the attendance at the taxpayers' meeting last evening was not so large as might have been expected or desired by the friends of the organization. Notwithstanding the representation was good and a considerable interest manifest. The meeting was called to order by Hon. E. P. Wells. On motion of Mr. White, seconded by Mr. Sanford, Mr. Wells was made permanent chairman and Mr. Sanford secretary. The chairman of the committee on constitution stated that the committee was ready to report. After reading the report Mr. Kelleher arose and stated that he had signed his name to the taxpayers' union and now he would ask the chairman to define the term "taxpayer" in the sense of the organization. Mr. Wells picked up a copy of the Morning Alert and read a section of the constitution which answered the question. Mr. Kelleher—Then I am to understand that a man who only pays a poll tax cannot become a member of the union ? Mr. Wells in reply stated that the basis of membership as provided by the union would not take in a man who only paid a poll tax. It was thought that a man should have other qualifications than a mere voter to make him eligible to a membership in the union. He said that the question as to where the line should be drawn had been discussed to a greater extent than any other. He did not think that because a man simply paid a poll tax he was in the strictest meaning a taxpayer and that he should be entitled to as much to say as the man who paid a heavy tax, and yet so far as he was concerned he had no objections to having every one brought into the union. What he most desired was its success. Mr. Sanford moved that the report of the committee on constitution be adopted in order to bring it properly before the house for discussion. Mr. John McGinnis asked if it was the purpose of the organization to dictate to the city council what it should do! Mr. Wells replied that he did not like the term "dictate" and thought it had been very unwisely made use of at a previous meeting. It was not the purpose of the organization to dictate to any one. The motion to adopt the report as printed in the Alert was then put and carried. Mr. Green, whose election to the office of president took place, upon the adoption of the report was invited to the chair by Mr. Wells. Upon taking the chair Mr. Green stated that he hoped that all would work harmoniously together. He believed that every member had the interests of the city at heart and the only question was as to the best methods to employ to further those interests. Mr. Wells moved that a select committee of five be appointed by the chair to draft by-laws which would govern the union. Wells, Hewitt, Wade, Kelleher and Topliff, were appointed. Mr. Wade thought that there were several important matters to be considered. For instance we were just on the threshhold of a new city administration and the question of water works, gas works, etc , would come before the council. Mr. White very properly suggested that it might be well to wait until the organization had been effected before discussing outside business and would move to adjourn subject to a call of the committee. Carried.