The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-03-24
CITY AFFAIRS.
Special Meeting of the City Council.

A special meeting of the City Council was
| held last evening. The rumor got abroad that
the police were to be appointed, and there was
very large attendance of spectators. AS il
was the salaries occupied the attention of both
boards until late hour. The report of the
committee was not very popular. and the chair
man was the first to move an amendment to
the bill they reported. AS the result there is
not but little reduction from the salaries of last
year.
BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
f. w. Lawrence was granted permission to
erect modern buildings on Cross street.
The bond of Eli L. Wing as weigher of hay
was approved.
An insane case was disposed of.
The Mayor appointed and the board approved
the following named undertakes and special
policemen without pay: S. S. Rich, Charles
Ell. Blake, M. B. Melcher, Dennis Tobin,
Lewis Bunce. w. A. Stillngs, Henry S. Bennett,
Joel Merrill, William FL. Sweet, N. NJ. Morse,
J. W. Currier, Andrew j. Rich, j. M. Currier,
Charles Fl. Lunt, John E. Tobn, Edwin Fl.
Ripley, Mark Wiggin, S. G. Rundlett, Aaron
Pingree, james Jordan and John Dousher.
Petitions Presented and Reterred-Of Free
man Smith for compensation for damages
sustained by his wife falling on the sidewalk
on Oak street; of James P. Baxter ct ais for
the continuation of the Mellen street sewer to
proper outlet; of Fernald, Sawyer ct ais
that the ordinance in relation to the fees for
weighing hay be amended SO as to make the
fee thereof twenty cents per load; of o B.
Written and 1913 others for the placing of a
gas lamp on Congress street in front of Odd
Fellows Hall.
The license of Frederick Golf for sale of gun
powder was renewed.
The Mayor appointed and the Board ap.
proved Cyrus X. Bridges, City Marshal; James
S. Gould, Superintendent of Burials; Andrew
j. Rich, Superintendent of Forest City Gene
terry; w. j. Edwards, LIST Assistant Engineer;
Malcolm @. Pingree I'd Assistant Engineer
Herbert c. Robinson, Sd Assistant Engineer.
Orders Passed-That the usual monthly bills
OF the city be paid by the City Treasurer, as
may be passed upon and allowed by the Com
mittee on Accounts prior to the passage of the
annual appropriation bill; the Mayor is hereby
authorized to draw his warrant on the Treas
urer for the amount of the same, to be charged
to the proper accounts of the appropriation;
that the salary of the Mayor be fixed ct $1,000;
that the salary of the Judge of the Municipal
Conrt be fixed at $780,
THE QUESTION OF SALARIES.
The Committee on Salaries submitted their
report in the upper Board, which put the sal
aries very nearly the same as already publish
ed. After the Board had voted on the salary
of the Clerk at $500, Alderman Small present.
ed petition signed by large number of prom
inent business men asking that the Treasurers
salary be not reduced below $780, According
ly it was voted at that sum. When the Har-
Dor Master was reached another petition was
presented by Alderman Small and his salary
was put up to $780, Alderman Cushman then
moved to make the City Solicitors salary $500
instead of 5000 as reported: 500 was then
agreed upon. Alderman Haseltine then moved
to make the Marshaps salary $1,000 instead Of
$l4OO. Aldermani Cunningham objected to
giving the Marshal more salary than the
Mayor, but it was no use, an advance was the
order. The police were put up to $3.50, Liquor
Agent $500, Street Commissioner $3.50, Civil
Engineer $2250. Alderman Cushman objected
to advancing nearly all the salaries and cutting
down the Clerks. He moved to advance his
to $1,000 and it was carried. Alderman Cum
bingham then moved to raise the Mayors sal
airy from $1,000 to $1,000, but the Mayor object.
ed and the matter was dropped.
The bill was then taken to the Common
Council and the fun began. Nearly AL hour
was spent in ascertaining whether the items of
the bill would be taken up separately or acted
on together. Every few minutes molten
would be made to adjourn and the yeas
and nays would be called for. After continu
ing this thing for some time it was voted to
take up the several items. Every parliament
tary rule ever heard of and many others were
brought into use. Several attempts were made
to lay the bill upon the table, but they all
failed.
The first item 10 the bill which they quar-
relied withiwas the salary of the City Solicitor.
This was voted at $500 instead of $500.
Several attempts were made to change the
salary, but they all failed. 1t didn't
appear to make much difference with the ma
jority and 6if they could raise salary they
would cut it down-any thing to play havoc
with the bill. When the liquor agents salary
was reached every man appeared to be mad for
some reason. One member voted to put it at
$1,000, another at $25, and others ranged any
where between these two figures. On the
hours of keeping it open they were equally di-
vided. Some thought it should be kept open
"a hours each day, while others were of the
opinion that two hours each day was long
enough for it foreman open. Several favored
closing it altogether and Councilman SWEET
said that he moved to put the salary at $25 for
the purpose of closing it. After all the discus
sion this section passed in reconcurrence. The
steamer engineers mad their salary put up to
5000 and the bill was sent back to the upper
board for concurrence. The board voted to adj
here to their former action in regard to the Sec
tions in dispute
The bill then went back to the Common
Council, and on motion of Councilman An
drews the Council voted to adhere also, and
requested committee of conference.
committee was chosen, consisting of
Aldermen Walker, Haseltine and Cunningham
and Councilmen Chapman, Andrews, Haskell,
WIFI. Sargent and Knowlton. The committee
retired, and after short time reported that
they had decided upon $3.50 for the Solicitors
$1,000 for Street COMMISSIONS $3.50 for the
enginemen, and $3.50 for the second assistant
civil engineer. These being the points in
dispute, the bill as amended was passed in both
branches, and they adjourned at 1890 this
I1oi LILLY, dltcI d seSSlOu OF I'VE QOurS. Inc
following is the gist of the bill as passed:
SECT. 1.-The City Clerk shall receive $1,000
for city clerk and 5000 for clerk of committees
These are all the sums he shall receive from
the city as full pay ment for his services pro-
vided, however, he shall be entitled to receive
and retain fees arising from marriage certif-
Gates, copies of records, conveyances, sc.
SECT. 2.-The City Treasurer shall receive
$3.50, and he shall have two clerks, the first to
receive $1,000 and the second $50
SECT. 3.-The Auditor of Accop nts $780,
SECT. 4-The City Messenger $500.
SECT. 5.-The City Solicitor shall receive
$3.50 and all his expenses when out of town on
business of the city shall be paid. He is, how
ever to receive no further pay for extra services
required of him.
SECT. 6.-The Assessors to receive 5000 ach
and IRE required to keep their Office open six
hours each day.
SECT. THE assistant assessors shall receive
$3.50 per day.
SECT S.-The City Marshal shall receive
$500 and is required to keep horse and car
rage for the use of the department..
SECT. 9.-The Deputy Marshals shall receive
$500.
SECT 10.-The police to receive $780,
SECT. 11.-All money received by the police
department shall be paid to the Treasurer once
a month or oftener