The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-11-16

geSt1Ou 10 no AWAY Will oui City SoN-
eminent met with the general approval
of our citizens during the campaign for
the election of members of the Legisla-
ture, and as the latter body will o
have to act upon such a proposition, or
on the question to amend our city char
ter, we again refer to the subject. We
argue. in favor Of abolishing the city
government for the a that it Is a
''white elephant'' on our hands, costing
our taxpayers about fifty thousand
dollars per annum, aside from the fines
collected and the money realized from
licenses.
Before weenter uponthe discussion Of
this topic, and lest the city ring and its
friends may assert the contrary, we
may properly say that we do not look
upon it as a political or personal one.
The expenses of running the city gov
eminent amount to nearly fifty thou
sand dollars the present year, and all
we have to show for it is the water
works, which have cost only about eight
thousand dollars, and n few cross-walks
and plowed-up, muddy streets. The
question arises: Can we do away with
this system of local government, and
still have law and order, and protection
to life and property in Cheyenne. We
answer this in the Affirmative and point
out the way to do it.
We propose to re-enact the Town-ln-
corporation Act of 1871, which law
was repealed in 1873. This act provides
all the necessary machinery for the
keeping of the peace, Furnishing Offend
ers against the law, the establishment
and maintenance of a fire department,
and other public beneficent institu-
tions. by means of slight amendments
this law may provide for w~ater-works,
gas-works and similar enterprises-all
this without putting our Taxpayers to
a dollar Of unnecessary expense.
We give herewith a synopsis of the
Town-Incorporation Act of 1871:
Section /. Repeats all special charters
granting municipal powers to any town
or city in this Territory, and provides
that all the municipal and police pow
ers exercised within the limits of any
town or city shall he prescribed by this
act.
Sec. 2. Prescribes the method of Or
ganizing under this act-by an applica-
ton of a majority of the voters, ad-
dressed to the Governor of the Terri
tory.
Secs. 3 and 4. Provide for the pun
ishment of misdemeanors and supplant
the several city ordinances in relation
to the public peace, cleaning of streets,
preventing of fires, ETC., etc.
Sec. 8. Provides for the election of
two justices of the peace and three con-
| stables.
Sec. q. Describes the duties of the
officers.
Sec. Z. Gives the mode Of procedure
in all trials under the provisions of this
act.
Sec. 8. Relates to the disposal of
fines collected under this act, and fines
to be paid over to the county treasurer.
Sec. 8. Prescribes the fees allowed to
these town officers, and provides that
none of the fees shall be taxed to or
paid out of either the county treasury
or out of the fines collected, but shall
in all cases be collected from the de-
PENDANT.
Sec. 10. Provides n penalty for neg
lect ofduty ETC., of Justices Of the Peace
and Constables.
Secs. IL, 10, and IA. Relate to the
Fire Department.
Sec. IL. Describes the duties of the
county Assessors under this act.
Sec. 10. Gives Justices of the Peace
and Constables n salary, in addition to
their fees. The former 800 per an
mum, the latter $500.
Sec. 16. Provides for Imprisonment
in the county jail, when in default of
payment Of fines; prisoners to be
worked Oh the streets, etc. Also, hints
of the cost of subsistence of prisoners,
giving county commissioners full power
over this expenditure.
Sec. II. Forbids the paying of any
fees or salary to County Treasurer,
Collector of taxes, Clerk or County At
torney, for performing any of the duties