The Portland daily press., 1864-07-12
City Affairs.
In BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN,


Monday Evening, July IL.
In the absence of the City Clerk, who was
| sick, John T. Hull, Esq, was chosen Clerk
pro TEN.
orders PdsSed-Appropriating $500 for
| the purchase of the Morse lot on Bracket
street; appropriating 500 for the purchase of
lot adjoining the City farm, owned by the
heirs OF Abigail West; for the Strengthening
OF Congress street from Casco to Oak streets I:
refunding Mrs David Drnkwrter $3.50. said
amount having been paid by her for the privi-
lege Of entering the City dran-which priyi-
lege she did not avail herself Of; authorizing
the City treasurer TO hire sum not exceed
ing Si43,OOO, on term OF time not exceeding
twenty years, the same to be appropriated TO
the payment of notes given Tor monies last
year TO pay bounties of soldiers: adding the
sum oil $4,000 to the assessment of taxes
the same to be as reserve fund for addition
al appropriations, and to be made: that the
appropriation OF $4,000, in payment for the
Morse lot and the lot at the City farm, be
charged t. the reserve fund.
Reports of Committees-0f Committee on
Public Buildings-in favor OF purchasing the
Morse lot on Bracket street; of same COM
mittee-adverse to erecting temporary gal
lery in TIE new City Hail; of Committee on
laying out new Streets-that they had laid out
a continuation of Preble street; of Joint
OptCiHl 1Niutitftltt Ou Ndtt LdDhS--tlAt the
same are inexpedient at present.
Petitions presented and referred-Of Chas.
Staples ct ais, for lamp on Commercial
street, at the entrance of the passage-way
from ork street TO Browns Wharf: of officers
and members of Falmouth Steam Engine Co
NO. :, TO be reinstated as a company, without
pay, until new steam engine is purchased.
The ordinance in relation TO the compensa-
ton OF the officers of the Fire Department.
having been correctly engrossed, passed to be
ordained.
Alderman Stewart offered an order, remov-
ing Harris G. Barnes, ESQ.,, from the office of
Chlef Engineer of the Fire Department, and
declaring the Office vacant, after the passage
OF the order, and until successor shall be
chosen. The order was passed by the follow
ing vote:
feas-Aldermen Donnell. Hayes, Smith, Messer,
Stewart-5.
:. Hags-Aldermen Beal, Moody
The Mayor decided it to be a two-thirds
vote, as required by the City charter.
Aldermen Beal and Moody commended that
it was not two thirds of the Board of MAJOR
and Aldermen.
These objections were overruled by the
Mayor, who said that he had no vote except
in case of a tie. That he had no vote in the
making OF officers, and therefore no vote in
removing them.
In the Board of Common Council, the or
der was rejected, it not receiving the vote of
two thirds OF all the members of that branch
The following are the yeas and nays in that
branch on the passage of the order:
feas-W hiftemoe Howe, Soule, Burr, Novel;
Morgan, Gibson, Clement, Bailey, Phinney, Stewart
johnson, fhurston-18
Adgs-Hamblen President), Brown, Snowman
Gilman, Corey-5.
Subsequently the vote was reconsidered,
and the order was passed, in concurrence.
See proceedings of Common Council below.
In THE BOARD OF COMMON COUNCIL.
After the order removing Mr.. Barnes had
been lost for want of a two thirds vote, Mr.
Hamlen, President OF the Board, offered
preamble, resolutions and order relating to
the matter.
The preamble recites the proceedings in the
case. The resolutions are:-1st-That Mr..
Barnes printed statement is not sufficient TO
justify bis removal from Office by the City
Council; 2d-That the City Council regard
his course in rendering the accounts between
the Department and the United States, and
himself and the City, as wrong in precedent,
wrong in principle, and ought not to pass I'M
rebuked at our hands; 3d-Recommending
the passage of an order providing that a com
mttee OF three on the part of this Board,
with such as the Aldermen may join, be APP
pointed to adjust the gunboat Acacia account,
giving the Fire Department credit for what it
is entitled, and to deduct reasonable sum for
personal services rendered and responsible
lies incurred by the Chief Engineer, and that
Mr.. Barnes be required, on such adjustment
OF his account, to pay into the City treasury
such sum of money as may be found due to
to the city.
The resolutions and order were supported
by Messrs. Hamblin and Gilman. and opposed
by Messrs. Bailey, Ladd and Brown.
The resolutions and order were rejected
yeas ., nays II. ~
The vote on the order removing Mr. Barnes
was then reconsidered, and the order passed.
Yeas 15, nays MIR. Brown, Of Ward /.
changing his vote, and Mr.. Ladd, who was
not present when the first vote was taken,
having come In and voted yea.
Mr.. Bailey offered an order. declaring that
the order passed June 9th disbanding Fall
mouth Engine Co. No. 2, and Diminishing the
Engineer of the same. did not remove said
Engineer, as il was not done according to the
provisions OF the City charter; aud moved
that the order be laid upon the table. Car
ried.