The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-08-09
ASSISTANT ENGINEER.

posed, 81; cOIlcClCu ia CASH, 60 IA JAM ~
worked out, ?; appeal /, discharged, .; arrests
ASSISTANT ENGINEER.
Atthe July meeting, w. b. Hall was instructedto
Recommend man for assistant engineer. He
recommended Frank b. Logan, and Catlin moved
o confirm. Now to the majority OF that council
he name of Logan is like a red flag founted in
.he eyes of a BULL and slaughter was fixed up
The qualifications of the man were not consd-
cred in the least, for eX-policeman Becker was
shortly afterwards suggested for the place. Muir
ply gave the cue by saying he had been rejected
before as incompetent Catlin suggested That
the duties were not the same as the Engineers
Murphy said it had been tH'lcd over before ana
Shuer had said he was inco II etent! Oi course,
that ultimahon ended debate and Logan's head
fell, only Phelps, Catin and Griffith voting to
confirm.
THAT MACHINE.
Griffith called for a report on that scavenger
machine. Hollecker said nothing was done be
cause none of the committee thought that the
city was in shape to buy; they thought also
that there was no use for il. Griffith and Hull
Thought it 'curious" that committee should
sie TO itself the authority to refuse to obey the
council, expires Instructions. White thought
he city ga, Gul q >cAycu-"r Grjiii'u said there
was no way to do the WORK without oftcnseto the
public After more talk, during which the COM
mittee got several good raps on the fingers, the
matter was postponed.
SUCTION HOSE.
Catlin, the only member OF the fire committee
| said the M. II. Swift" suction hose was badly
| cracked and in case of fire might collapse. As a
! new one would cost from $40 to $40 however
| he wanted to confer with the whole committee
before recommending action. w. b. Hall said
it was liable to crack open at any time, and he
knew of no way to fix it,
FIRE WARDEN.
Murphy said Mr. Henry Wolf, who had been
appointed fire warden, declined to serve. His
appointment was, therefore, reconsidered when
Murphy moved to make eX-policeman Becker
warden and nightwatch at engine house. Crit
fifth thought as the city had got along so farwith-
| out this warden, it could in the future. AS for
Becker-he doesn't know much about the bust
ness Catlin agreed with Griffith, and thought
Becker no more fitted for the place than himself
and he knew nothing about it. If any man is
hired he ought to be a practical man; and he was
opposed to making an Office for one man. Becker
is of no use as fire warden; Waterman can be
had for less money; and Becker can't run fire
engine. Murphy withdrew his motion.
D WATER POWER BONDS.
, Phelps brought up the subject and the attor-
ney read an opinion in which he stated he thought
he saw way to get out of paying the bonds.
Phelps wanted the council to take some action
in the matter before the annual appropriations
were made. 1t is certain we shall have to pay
the Hackett bonds and the Others held by out.
siders Catlin said the only question was wheth-
er to compromise with the Eamcses or not. Their
offer can't remain open indefinitely, OF course,
this year nothing could be paid on these bonds,
but the foreign bonds must be provided for. He
. is against any more litigation in which the city
is nearly dead sure" to lose. The attorney said
he believed that if the city could prove that
Hackett and the foreign bondholders had notice
of the use the bonds were put to, they could be
beaten Phelps said some members had said
Eames paid only 80 cents on the dollar for the
bonds; the fact was he had paid 100. Murphy
wanted to know il money was then worth more
than GO cents Catln said that, if true, did not
affect the ctys liability. Further he wanted to
70 on record as opposed to further useless litiga-
ton and the expenditure of money on costs, the
interest meantime going on at 10 per cent or
the Games bonds 100000 are not due for years
interest 10 per cent. But Eames is ready to
settle at n reasonable figure. He has heard 1t
said there is "ring' in the council to pay the
bonds, whether or no." If there is he would
like to know the conditions Of the divide" But
of course such statements come naturally, no
r&atter who or how honest the men advocating
: the payment. He had no interest I'm the bonds
aside from the general interest which he believed
calls for their payment without further litigation
The committees plan of payment was to pay the
$4,000 and accrued interest held by outsiders,
amounting to about Sc, 900 during the next two
years Then by paying the Eameses $4,000 a
wear for the following ten years the entire debt
would be paid. The mayor said the actual run
ming expenses this year had been less than 81 900
a month. If the same economy was continued
by failure councils, the debt would not be bur-
densome Murphy wanted public meeting to
relieve the council of some of the responsibility.
Phelps said it had none. The debt had been made
and the only thing to pay it to the best ad-
vantage, now the courts say We must pay Final
action was postponed until last evening.
CRAWLING STREETS.
Hull asked for the crawling of Clinton street
from Main to the public landing-three blocks,
used by hay and coal men; the work would also
employ needy men. Griffith said If that street is
graveled he wanted two blocks on Main street,
from l. Strawns to the ravine graveled; also five
blocks in the seventh ward from the school house
to the gravel road II Is the worst road in the
city and he thought it better plan to FIX up
-
streets in town, when short of money. Phelps
ysnted the whole matter postponed, but he was
sIs down on ''by large majority" Hull's mo-