The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-17

Council Proceedings.
, The monthly meeting 81 the council adjourneC
, on account OF the circuO @ was held On last Fri
day evening, with all present except Wilcox.
q \ communication Ia the nature Of a petition L
, the council from Miss Barbara 4 Morgan. ask
Ing compensation for INJURIES sustained by mean
E Of defective sidewalk something over u yea
} ago, Was read and on motion laid on th'
table.
Fines reported imposed during the month o
August were $7l, Of which $50 have been col
, lectcd
A petition from the commissioners Of high
ways requesting that they be permitted TO con
struct a bridge across Fox river below the
aqueduct and within the limits OF the city Of o.
tawa, and that they be authorized to eIpend The
money for building the same, was read. aud on
motion OF Aid. Blskc WAS received aud prayer
granted.
Aid. Griffith made u verbal report In relation
to the CONDITION Of the Cass street cuvert and
bridge, stating that the work was progressing AZ
well as could be expected, and moved that the
clerk be authorized To draw an order in favor OF
the contractor for $500. The mayor suggested
that some one should look into the matter and
see what had been done and in what manner the
work thus far done WAS conducted. Iobert said
that this is matter Of considerable importance
and that quite u sum Of money was invoved in
it, and he was Of opinion that the report OF the
COMMITTEE on that work should be In writing, 80
that it could be referred to hereafter in case Of
any objection to It, McDougall asked the clerk
TO refer to his minutes and ascertain for his in.
formation the manner in which the contract was
| originally let. The mayor then stated that the
bond had been executed and the contract award
ed to MIR. eagle, but for some reason unknown
Mr.. eagle got scared and wanted to get out Of
it, and the committee let hun out Of II, contrary
to hs order. The contract was placed IN the
hands OF the city clerk rs custodian aud also the
bond, and they were taken out OF the clerks
hands and given up. II considered the bend
sufficient one to compel The faliiiment of the con-
tract telegraphed to Joliet aud got dispatch
saying stone could be Land ON boat next Monday,
auu uuuded the dispatch 10 the chairman OF the
street and alley committee before they gave up
the contract" The clerk here read the pro.
ceedings OF the meeting at which the contract
| for the building of the cuvert Was let. In al.
swer to Il question from McDougall, the clerk
stated that the contract with the present con.
tractor WAS about 80 in excess OF the contract
with Mr.. eagle. HUecker stated that the bond
and contract were surrendered at the time Of the
letting OF the new contract, and the committee
! thought ii best to lei Mr.. eagle 20. 1T WAS all
We could do with HIM. We have got good man
| there and h. does good work" Griffith said Mr.
| eagle told him he WAS anxious to be released;
that he could not get the stone; and consequent
| ly the committee concluded 10 release him. He
was q poor man and every councilman knows he
could not I'LL the contract. The difference in
amount between the bid Of this ma1 and that Of
others is about $40 more. The mayor remarked
that the reasons alleged BY MIR. eagle were not
truthful ones; nevertheless, the council thought
differently, and on motion OF HUlccker the clerk
was ordered to issue an order in favor Of the
present contractor Of the culvert on Cass street.
On motion Of Mr.. llollecker the salary of Au-
gustus Smith, the bridge tender, was advanced
$40 month in consequence OF the further duty
Of attending the Jefferson street bridge.
ANTICIPATING TAXES.
Blake presented an ordinance drafted by him
and the city attorney providing for the manner
Of issuing warrants upon the treasurer Of the city
lof Ottawa, drawn in anticipation OF taxes, taking
the business out Of the hands of the may no
seems to have been drawing such orders without
Instructions from the council and putting the
matter in the hands OF the finance committee 1t
also legsliZes orders already drawn. McDousall
stated that there is no money in the treasury and
that there were some debts which will mature
soon and it will be necessary to borrow some
money under this ordinance TO pay Oft The old
loans. The attorney stated that he took the
statutes, which showed authority on the part of
the city to issue those warrants by an ordinance.
~ examined it carefully" he said, land sup
posed that we could draw any ordinance, and it
would have ne greater effect than the statute.
have drawn an ordinance In nearly the exact
phraseology Of the statute. You draw those war
rants for the purpose OF anticipating the taxes
that you have already levied; and for what pur
poses for the purpose, Of course, Of paying your
debts; debts that are due and debts that in
The future You may contract. This ordinance
here Ia drawn SO that 1t necessarily would cover
every point. don't think you could draw one
now to exchange ii for one already drawn. You
draw these for the purpose Of borrowing money
in anticipation Of debts which you owe and
moneys which you have IL the city treasury, and
am satisfied the ordinance covers everything, |
and do not see how you could draw an ordi |
nance otherwise, for IL is almost exactly in the
language Of the statute, and you draw those and
you borrow your mOrey and pay your indebted |
ness, perfectly legal and perfectly proper" Nc
Dougall stated that the warrants in the bank |
now we're drawn in antici patton of debts and they
have matured, and 1t is now questionable wheth |
er the council can draw orders to pay these or |
ders that have already been drawn in anticipa' |
ton OF the indebtednesses that are now matured, |
and think for that purpose 1t Is perfectly proper
that section three OF the one drawn nv himself
he made section two Of the ordinance drawn by
the city attorney. Blake moved that the ordin |
ance as presented by the city attorney be adopted
McDougall moved that the ordinance rs offered
be amended so as 10 insert the section offered by
him as section two, and the section two Of the
ordinance as read be made section three, which
motion was seconded. Hobert suggested that
there has been some blind work done here. Blake
stated that il there had been any blind work 20
ing he knew nothing OF 1t; that he knew moth
Ing about this matter until to day, when Mr..
Nash called on him and said there should be
some arrangement made to borrow money for
the city. llohert stated that he had been In
formed by parties who are particularly interest
ed and the council oil knew that this extra sec.
ton put in by Mr.. McDougal is to cover the
money we owe the First National Bank so "a TO
relieve the bank from little shakiness Oh these
order, they have in their bank; that they
the money without any authority from
the city, and II there Is no authority on our rec
ords to borrow that money those orders pref.
ty slim. The mayor said that was right, and he
" anied to say that the city attorney had never
posted him how TO get money! ~ know" he
said, "our city council has been very foolish to
throw away money to pay bills and when it was
not there had TO borrow it, know Mr.. Rich
olson has borrowed money in the same way, and
whether there Is any written authority for 1t
know not: but | do know that custom has made
IL law with this city council, and they know II
we'll that MAYORS have borrowed money in this
way, and that the mayor and city clerk have been
borrowing money for years in this way" Ho {
bert said But has not the council conferred