The Portland daily press., 1875-12-07
CITY AFFAIRS.
Regular Monthly Meeting of the City
Council.

Both branches of the council met last even
ing
BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
All the members of the Board were present.
Reports of CommitteeS:-Report of Street
Committee referring the following petitions to
the next City Council, was adopted: j. I.
McCobb ct ais. for wood pavement on EX-
change street, of j. N. Winslow for cross walk
on corner of State and Congress streets, of S.
Il. Spring ct ais. for continuation of wood
pavement ON Spring street; report OF the Claims
committee referring the petition of Gar
dinerlDyer & Co. for further compensation for
constructing sewer on Brown street, referring
the same to next City Council, was accepted;
report of same committee making same refer
ence to petition of the police that their witness
fees be allowed them, which was accepted.
Orders Passed: Order directing the Treasur.
er to pay $125 to VIM. o. Friel for land fenced
into the school house lot on Casco street; order
directing the Treasurer to hire S34, 500 to pay
interest on P. & R. Railroad bonds; order appro-
priating $1,000 to pay land damages for street
on Peaks Island.
Petitions Presented and Referred:-Of Mich.
ael Sheehan for permission to erect a wooden
building on Adams street; of Wm.s Rand for
same on Green street, of j. r. AverIll for same
on Ellsworth street; of Robert Costello for Ii
cense to sell gunpowder; of w. ii. Harris,
chairman of the Executive Committee of the
Maine Poultry Society, for use of City Hall for
exhibition; of Joel Whitney for authority to
construct dwelling house on Franklin street.
An order appropriating $4,000 to streets,
$500 for public buildings, $2500 for schools in
addition to the amounts already appropriated,
caused considerable discussion. On motion of
Alderman Perry the order was amended by
substituting $4,000 in the place of $4,000, and
as amended the order was passed There was
aigreat degree of reluctance manifested in
passing the order.
Alderman Brunei presented an amendment
to Sec. "a of the ordinances relating to health,
by inserting "eight" in the place of "two" be-
fore the word years in the last sentence, so
that it shall read as follows: "The corpse of
every person eight years old and upwards shall
be conveyed to the place of intermenti in fune-
raj car" The amendment was adopted and the
ordinance as amended was passed to be en-
crossed aud sent down.
The resignation of w. L, Fitch as Truant
Officer was received and accepted.
COMMON COUNCIL.
The papers from the upper board received
concurrent action. Quite debate sprang up
over the additional appropriation for streets.
Mr.. Cunningham criticised the present man
agement and thought the street committee did
not have sufficient control of the matter.
IN CONVENTION.
A convention was constituted to elect subor-
dinate officers. Thomas A. Bowen was elected
Truant Officer, receiving II votes of 26 cast.
A. w. Lovejoy received 4, j. L. Shaw 2, W. H.
Murch 2, scattering 1. While the ballot was
going on, Councilman Cushman said that he
could not accept the office. His business pre-
vented his acceptance. He eloquent ly appealed
to the Republicans to vote for Mr.. Lovejoy.
Mr.. Cushman is from Ward 4
A committee was next appointed to receive,
sort and count votes for Surveyor Of Lumber.
The first ballot resulted in the election of
Councilman Cushman of Ward by vote of
IA to - for Mr.. Merrill. Mr.. Cushman ex-
pressed his heartfelt thanks for the unexpected
honor, but he suspected that the salary was
small, since his, the dominant party, patrioti-
cally cared for all offices having an emolument
rill was unanimously elected. The Convention
then dissolved.
MUsEUM.-The play of Jack Sheppard" be-
longs to class which it is useless to criticse.
Its avowed object is to show up the evils of an
idle and dssolute life, and Jack serves as the
awful example. But as often in plays and
novels of the kind, the sympathy goes out too
much to the wrong-doer, and his punishment
becomes cause for regret. The play was writ
ten at time when Dick Turpin and Claude
oe tbo Is
crime, and the purpose of it was to show the
other side of the shield. How far it falls short
of its object can easily be seen by comparing it
with "Oliver TWIST story which pictures the
squalor and wretchedness of criminals in a
manner which excites horror and disgust.
The interest of the play centers in three
characters, "Jack,' jonathan WildD and
''Blueskin." The other characters serve to fill
in the picture and carry on the under-plot
Miss Timers Jack was vivacious and enter
tanning. The reckless daredevil manner of
the handsome goung man was given to perfec-
ton, and she excellently filled the author
conception. Mr.. Arnod's jonathan Wild,''
the hero of Fielding's novel and the veriest
scoundrel that ever lived, was forcible, pic
turesque, and finished impersonatien, suffi-
GENTLY repulsive to meet the requirements Of
the part. The strongest character of the play
after all is 'Bueskin." In this Mr.. Curtis
gave one of his most mirth-provoking and &C.
centric representations, and kept his audience
in high good humor all the time he was on the
stage. 1t is ona of the best things he has yet
done.
The play is worth seeing as curiosity, as an
example of style of drama once much in
vogue, and as affording opportunity for three
excellent characterizations. 1t will be with
drawn after Wednesday night to make room
for SOLVER Twist"
MARINE DISASTERS.-Capt Blake of the