The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-06-07
HOME MATTERS.
Meeting About Hitching Posts

toned in our last the city council held special
meeting, in the course Of which q communities
ton from DR.. Hathaway, the city health officer,
was read calling the attention of the city council
to the street cutters around the court house, and
suggesting their repair The council, instead OF
ordering the repair of the cutters, ordered the
removal of the hitching posts on the square, re-
garding them as the primary cause Of the bad
condition OF the cutters. Fully aware OF the
opposition of the business men on the square 10
the removal of these posts, as had been shown on
former occasions when their removal was at
tempted, the council having passed the order,
directed the street supervisor to carry ii into
effect early next mornng-so early indeed, tbe-
fore six O'clock that the deed was done before
the business men generally had walked up,
When the business men finally got around and
saw what was done, there was a general outburst
Of indignation. The fire kept growing hotter all
that day and the next parties of the square gen
orally sustaining the council and business men
on the square going for" them.
Monday morning the following handful was
found posted about the streets:
"lf you would help to save the city from lis
destroyers, attend meeting of citizens at the
court house on Monday evening, June 2, 1878.
This looked like, and was construed by the
Mayor and aldermen to be Il direct attack upon
themselves. They naturally did not like the idea
of being held up as the "dcstroycrs" of the cty's
prosperity, and they made up their minds to
capture the meeting. When the time for open
ing the meeting arrived the court house was
found jammcd full of people. The aldermen
were out in force with all their friends and
spokesman.
Mr.. Andrew Lynch moved that Mayor Boyle
take the chair The Mayor declined, ON the
ground that as he was one of the body the meet.
ing had been called to denouncc he could not
consistently preside at court organized for his
own trial. Z. F. Bull, Esq, was next invited to
take the chair. He also declined, on the ground
of not sympathising with the object of the meet
ing VIM. Osman, editor Of the FREE TRADER
was next nominated as chairman who accepting
the position, the meeting came to order and
e. W. w. Blake, Esq, was elected secretary.
Andrew Lynch, Esq, stated the object of the
meeting. The handbills calling had been post
ed at his direction. He believed the removal OF
only convenient place where farmers coming to
town to do business in the stores could hitch
their teams and be in sight Of them, was in.
furious to the interests of the city, as it would
greatly ncommodc the farmers, irritate and an.
noy them, and drive them to neighborng and
rival towns. Mr.. Lynch concluded by propos.
ing the following resolution;
Of ,ln a;t, -,
ordering the removal of the hitching posts
around the public square was unwise and un.
called for.
Mayor Boyle justified and defended the action
of the council The posts were unsightly, the
main thoroughfares about the square filed with
teams was inconvenicnt and often dangerous
and the bad condition of the CUTTERS caused by
the horses hitched at their edges, was dctrmen
tai to public health.
w. X. Dewey, Esq, was the next speaker. He
gave the council credit for being honest in theil
motives, but thought they had made bunder
The pools around the square were nothing. There
had not pail full of water stood there two hour.
at time all last summer. Instead of frettne
about such triie, the council could be better
employed i'm cleaning up our dirty alleys, tho
stagnant pools along the canal &c.
+. F. Bull, Esq, next took the floor. He made
long, rambling speech about the duty of the
council not only to keep horses off the square
but was for cleaning up all the streets and alleys
about the city, draining off all the stagnant pools
and filling up all the sink holes everywhere and
making Ottawa n perfect little country parlor
for ncatncss He wound up by proposing the
following substitute for Mr.. Lynchs resolution;
Resolytd, That the action of the city council in
ordering the removal of the hitching posts
around the court house square meets with the
cordial approval of this meeting, and we hope
that they will continue in their good work until
all the nuisanccs in the city are removed and OF
tawa rendered the clcancst and hcathicst city in
the state.
Mr.. Lynch, liz response to 4 statement Of Mayor
Boyle that the hitchng posts had been removed
on the recommendation of the health officer, read
that officers communication to the council,
showing that he had made no such rccommen-
datiOn.
Mayor Boyle returned to the charge rcitera.
ting his arguments on the ground of public
health, &c
The question was put on adopting the substi.
tutc Of Mr. Bull, and there was 4 clear prepon-
dyrancc of ayes in its favor
The meeting then adjourned