The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-04-06
DIR CITY FATHERS.

1t was Harriet Martneau, we believe, VINO
@ after visit to Washington in relating her I'M
c pressions of the federal city, made the remark
g which has since become trite, that "the pubic
I buildings were much larger than she had
. imagined and the men much smaller Were
I it legitimate 10 compare small things To grca,
ones we should be tempted to confess to Il
kindred disappointment on dropping IN a' IA
spectator, on Tuesday evening, for the first time
, in two or three years, at "A session Of our city
Z, fathers, ont of Il passing fancy to see how the
old thing works" There are some men OF
and IIoban, and some that are physically speak
ing rather lightweIghts; but neither, we ap-
prehcnd, can be Justly gagged intellectually by
their corporO-lty.
The council being called to order the clerk
was directed to read the minutes Of the last
meeting, when it was suggested that perhaps ii
would be better first to call the roll and a,ccr-
tain whether aquorm was present 1t was as
scented to, and the roll call happily demonstrate
ed what was obvious enough to the eye without
! that tormality.
Then the Mayor directed certain rules ofbus-
/ mess to be read, pretacing them with some an
mated remarks to the effect that while h. was
mayor these rules, as well as all the ordinances
of the city, should beenforced with The utmost
cxactness and rlgor There was no use vast
ing time here adopting ordinances and making
orders, and not enforcing them, &c.
Then a few petitions were read and disposed
Of and reports Of standing committees" were
announced as next in order "Streets and al.
leys,' finance" public health" &C. each had
reports to make, but after Just having heard
the rule read that standing and select commit
tees shall in all cases report in writing and
the stout assevcration that every rule shall be
"rigidly enforced" it was rather surprise to
notice that every committee (and there were
halt dozen Of them reported verbally and We
must be permitted to observe in rather slip
shod way at that Here also occurred an in.
cident that was rather diverting. Among the
rules we had heard read was one to the effect
that questions for discussion can only come
before the council on motion duly made by
some member and seconded by another, and
then distinctly stated by the chair. "Strcets
and alleys" had reported the appointment of
certain bridge tenders and the chair" with
out further ceremony, announced the question
to be on the adoption of the report; AL in
favor say aye" Here a member sprang to his
feet and intimated that he had something i'm
poItant to say on that question The chair,
apparently under great excitement, pronounced
him ont of order and directed him to take his |
seat The obstrcperous member refused. The
jangc grew hot and furious, and was at last
Gained by the abstreperous member appealing
from the decision of the chair in which the
chair was sustained. The joke lay in the fact
that no motion, regularly made and second.
ed was before the body, and the Ghair and OBJ
Streperous member were equally out of order
The obst. member subsequently still pertina.
ciously out of ORDER took occasion to state that
been the custom for the street and alley COM
mittcc to receive bids for bridge tenders and to
lay them before the council for action; that to
his certain knowledge one or two bids had been
handed to the present committee at lower rates
han were now paid and he desired to know
what had been done with them. Decided to
be out of Order-too late.
Lastly, we notice, by the reading of the min
ltes, that all the officers provided by the char
er and ordinances to be appointed by the
Mayor at the beginning of each municipal year
had been duly appointed, except the city
printer" which the Mayor had decided to let
10 the lowest bidder The charter requires all
orders ordinances, &c. of the council to be
published in the corporation newspaper"
and the ordinances direct the designation of "a
weekly paper published in the city" as such
corporation newspaper and fixes the publishers
fees or scale of prices. We confess ourselves
hopelcsSly and profoundly bcfogged as to the
Of the Mayor TO set aside the ordin
lncc Of the city on the subject and to cytempo-
rizc new ordinance to submit the city print
ing to the lowest bidder
Upon the whole, an hour in the lobby of our
city council is not always hopelcsSly dreary
There Is occasionally much to amuSc, and the
mind now and then is startled by conumdrums
,likc this LAST that furnish food for pcrpexcd
thought
April fool day passed without any notcwor-
thy incidents in Ottawa. Either our fools are
all dead or the concoctor> of ingenious Jokes
had lost their cunning. In Chicago the best
hoax of the day was played on opposite the