The Portland daily press., 1878-02-05
CITY AFFAIRS.
Regular Monthly Meeting of the City
Council.


Council.
The regular monthly meeting of both board:
| of the City Council was held last evening and
the following business transacted:
BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
An order was passed making the Mayor and
auditor of the city, ex-officio, the commission
ers of the Portland & Rochester Railroad sink
ing fund in place of the present commissioners.
The fund being invested in city bonds and in
custody Of the city treasurer, the duties of the
commissioners are simply for the investment of
the income of the funds, which now amount to
about $77, 600.
| The committee on licenses reported on the pc.
| titions of Mr. E. Carter and others for relief
| from such heavy license fees, that the petition
| be referred to the next city council.
The ordinance additional to the ordinance
relating to Evergreen Cemetery to allow citi-
zens of Deering to purchase lots in the Gene
terry at the same price as paid by the citizens of
Portland was laid on the table.
The committee on streets reported on the pe-
tition of c. w. Goddard for the Strengthening
of the line of Congress street in front of the
City Building, that the petition bs granted on
condition that the heirs of F. O. J. Smith will
refund the sum of $400 paid them for damages.
Alderman Cushman opposed the action pro.
posed in quite lengthy remarks.
The report was afterwards accepted.
The list of newly elected officers of the fire
department was submitted and approved.
The resignation of e. FL. Hanson as clerk of
Ward was received and accepted.
The treasurer was ordered to execute deeds
of land on the corner of Weymouth and Port
land streets and also lot adjoining the same
on Portland street.
The committee on streets reported that the
petition of f. G. Patterson aud als, for the
acceptance of the new street leading from
Vaughan street, be referred to the next City
Council and the report was accepted.
Petitions presented and referred-Of Patrick
Shehan for permission to erect wooden
building on Congress street; of d. 81. Brown
to keep fish market on Federal street; of
Joseph browne for the removal of stable
near his residence on State street; of w. H.
Rnby for abatement of taxes for sidewalk on
Plum street; of B. Wren for permission to
erect wooden building on the corner OF CLARK
and Danforth streets.
Orders Pdssed-That the subordinate city
officers who are required to furnish annual re-
ports be ordered to submit their reports on or
before ths 4th of March next; that the city
treasurer be and he is hereby authorized to
destroy by burning all coupon bonds and cou-
pons attached to same that have been regis
tered and cancelled, and that list of said
coupon bonds giving numbers and denOmina-
ton of each dates when issued and payable and
the number of coupons attached to each bond,
also number and dates of the several registered
bonds issued in lieu of said coupon bonds can
celled, be prepared by the treasurer; that the
auditor of accounts be authorized to allow and
charge to the proper appropriation; and be it
further ordered that the auditor of accounts be
ordered to transfer at the close of the financial
gear, the balances of unexpended appropria-
tions to moneys unapproprated" and with the
same to balance the accounts where the expen-
ditures have exceeded the appropriation, so far
as the same may be adequate to the purpose
and to make all necessary transfers of appro-
priations for closing the accounts of the year.
The order from the lower board in regard to
the payment of $500 to Alderman Greely for
superintendiug the building of the Fore street
wall was read by the Mayor. Mr.. Greely said
that the Mayor told him at the commencement
that it was no more than just that he should
have some.compensation and he would abate
his taxes for him if the assessors were willing
The Mayor denied emphatically that he ever
helu Oui any sucn luducemenG 10 Mr. Or6eley.
He said it was beyond bis power 10 do SO if he
wanted to, and furthermore it was unlawful
for member of the city council to receive pay
for his services.
Mr.. Greeley said that he knew Of members
who had regular contracts aud were making
percentage on them.
The Mayor said he did not know Of any such
cases, and if he (Greeley) did it was his duty to
report the matter.
After long discussion the order was refer
red in concurrence.
COMMON COUNCIL.
An order was presented for the repair of the
spare steamer No. 2 at cost not to exceed
$500. The order was referred.
The petition for the changing OF the lice Of
the +. o. j. Smith lot was tabled.
Other papers were passed in concurrence.
JOINT CONVENTION,
w. III. Ssverns was elected city constable.
The declnation of A. X. Shurtleff as valua-
tion commissioner was read and accepted.
Alderman Cushman named G. Fl. Fling and
Alderman Haseltine j. M. Kimball for the
vacancy A ballot was taken and resulted as
follows