The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-11-10
CITY Council.


c Not much interest was conferred in thu
o council meeting on Tuesday evening last
n notwtns landing there was a full board pres
I ent and the session was as long as usual.
, First thing after roll cGll the bridge com.
, mittee asked and obtained permission tC
have Mr.. Eocn J. Ward address the couuc
. upon the subject Of the new bridge. Mr.
Ward is the gentleman whom the committee
desire to select to make plans aud spccihca-
, tons aud superntend the construction Of
7 the bridge when It Is built. The reason Tor
wishiYg him to speak at this time, before the
regular order of business was called, wa.
r that We was obliged to return to lis home in
} Marseilles during the evening. Ills remarks
were to the effect that there we're three
= kinds OF bridges which could be put up--an
all iron, combination Tor wood and from,
, and an all wood The cost OF a combination
structure woald be about two-thirds that OF
iron. Bat If a cheap affair was decided on &
wooden bridge could be put up for about
S25 900, perhaps a little less, but the life of
, such structure would be only about twenty
years. But if something good and durable
, was ucsHtu, bOlutlHlUU tudl, WllH oIuluuIy
good care would stand for fifty years or
more the cost would be from $3j TO $40 per
lineal foot. In combination bridge the
woodwork would need to be rc.placCd every
ten years, but the iron would stand As long
as an exclusively iron bridge. By an iron
bridge Mr.. Ward meant wrought iron, for
cast iron was not practicable for several
reasons which he gave. The north abut.
ment is in poor shape and would need re
building, and it would be advisable to build
an abutment at the south end of the trestle
work on the south bank and lengthen the
bridge by putting in another span.
During the course Of the evening the
council voted to employ Mr. Ward to make
the plans and specifications at a consump-
ton of Sc per day for making the plans
(about ten days. the specifications to be free
in case he is retained to superintend the con-
struction of the bridge.
1t was also ordered that the authorities
should have power to borrow So, 900 by issu.
ing bonds bearing per cent interest, paya.
bic on or before May 1st, 1885.
During the several votes taken to arrive at
these conclusions, Aid. Thomas voted mo-
he alone of the council believing that the
present structure could'be repaired.
| The bridge" business was the principal
action Of the evening. The other measures
presented were about as follows:
An ordinance was presented adopting the
"Revised Ordinances of 1883" but it appear
ing that there were ordinances contained
therein not previously adopted by the coun-
Gil the ordinance was withdrawn and the city
attorney was directed to furnish each men,
Der of the council with an unbound copy of
the book for their examination.
The fire committee reported the purchase
Of 800 feet of new hose at a cost of one DOL
lar foot, but if paid for within 80 days a.
discount of ID per cent. would be made
The purchase was approved and the clerk or
dered to draw his order for the same less the
discount, when directed to do so by the com.
mittee.
A liquor license was issued to James
Walsh, La Sale street, near Main, who pro-
poses to sell liquors in connection with his
groceries hereafter.
\ report from the sidewalk commissioners
recommended that the assessment against
G. j. Smith of nearly two hundred dollars be |
cancelled and that the city build the walk
inasmuch as the"walk was Of no value to Mr..
Smith himself and was to those citizens who
went up the west hill in the First Ward. So
much of the report as released Mr. Smith
was adopted aud the balance Of the report
referred to the street and alley committee .
with power to act II took two votes to get
the matter into the hands of the committee,
each time by the casting vote o: the mayor.
On motion Ben. Jones, watchman, will
hereafter receive $40 per month instead Of
S35, as heretofore, The advance being made
in consideration of Mr.. Jones rendering the
city additional services in the repair of.
machinery, &c.
Officer Robinctt, Of the police force, was
also raised to full pay by vote OF the council
Mayor Allen called attention to the defacc
ment of the soldiers monument ana asked
that some protection be afforded II was
unanimously voted that the finance commit
tee should cause to be erected substantial
and appropriate IRON fence around the monu-
ment.
City Attorney Boyle rendered a statement
in regard to the city'S rights under the new
law to its portion of the road and bridge tax.
On motion Of Aid. Hull the proper authori-
ties were directed to proceed under the law {
TO secure the city's rights in the case Aid.
McDougal wanted to amend so as to except
a certain 5000 which the commissioners had
raised to improve the condition of the aque
duet bridge. The sentiment of the council
was against him, however, for the others
said if the commissioners want to throw the
Illinois bridge on the city, now that it is cid {
and worthless. they might as well give US
the Fox river bridge, which is also wholly
inside of the city. If the law was good for
one stream it was for the other and so the
amendment was rejected.
Once more the Sidewalk question came up. !
Like Banquo's ghost, it would not down" {
1t presented itself this time in an order to
the marshal TO notify the trustees Of the