The Portland daily press., 1883-06-05
CITY GOVERN MENT.
Regular Monthly Meeting OF the City
Council


The regular monthly meeting OF the city
government was held last evening.
In Board OF Mayor and Aldermen.
The full board was present and the follow
log business was transacted
The joint standing committee on accounts
reported that they had examined the Auditors
accounts and had found them correct. The
committee made the same report on the treas
urer's accounts.
The bond Of John L. Best collector Of offaI,
was approved.
The bonds OF the victuallers, inn holders
and pawnbrokers, who were grantad licenses
at the last regular meeting were approved.
The following licenses were granted:
Victualers-T. III. Hannegan, j. =. Miller
s. Fuller, Mrs. Daniel Blake.
Auctioner-W. ID. Jones'
Inn Holder-F. Boucher.
Billiard Hall-Vincent Richards.
The petitions OF 7. Hill Mansfield, Daniel
Black, Portland Packing Company and John
A. Lidback, to erect and maintain steam en-
gines we're reported on favorably by the chief
engineer and were granted by the board.
The Mayor and ex-Mayors Libby and Rich
ardson were added to the list of directors for
the Portland Institute and Public Library.
Samuel #, Hatch, Union Steamboat Co.
Ruei N. Field, Grand Trunk depot; Samuel
Cobb, Portland Smelling Works, Alexander
MoIlison at Curtis ship yard and Joseph NJ.
Talbot for contingent duty were appointed
special policemen.
Clarence Greeley was appointed policeman
to fill vacancy on the regular force.
The grade Of Sheridan street between Con-
gress aud Cumberland streets was established
according to the plan of the city civil engineer.
A petition of the assistant assessors for
extra pay for services rendered the city, in car
rying out an order Of the adjutant general was
referred to the committee on salaries.
The gas agent, Alderman Emery reported
that he had contracted with the Portland Gas
company for gas for the ensuing year at the
rate of $l.85 per thousand for street lamps and
S2.25 per thousand for public buildings.
The committee on street lamps were grant
ed mere time in the matter Of putting gas
meters on the street lamps.
An order was passed regulating the styles Of
uniform to be worn by the police. The princi
pal change from those worn at present will be
in the helmets.
The salary OF 1.-The judge of the Municipal
Court was fixed at $1,000 per annum.
CLOSING THE STREETS.
An order was introduced that the City Mar.
shal be authorized to close any street he may
choose when professions are passing.
sI.s l.. ~.
grounds that it was illegal. The power of
closing streets is vested wholly in the Board Of
Mayor aud Aldermen, and in his opinion they
had no right to delegate their power to 9th
ers. 1t was matter which needed much con-
sideration before steps were taken as the
rights of the people in the matter should be
considered.
The matter was discussed by the board and
the opinion OF the City Solicitor was called
for.
City Solicitor Looney gave as his opinion
that the order was clearly illegal. The board
has no right to delegate their powers to others
and the statutes put this power in their hands
alone.
The order was amended by inserting the
word temporarily" and stating the 22d of
June and 4th Of July as the days on which the
streets are to be closed aud was passed as
amended.
THE SINKING FUND AND TIE GRAND TRUNK.
A communication was received from Mr.. f.
r. Barrett, clerk and secretary of the Allan
tic & st. Lawrence Railway Company, stating
that the directors on May 26th, 1883, unani-
mously passed vote authorizing the Commits
sioners of the Sinking Fund, SO far as their
company is concerned, to refund to the Grand
Trunk company, the amount paid into the
fund January lst, 1881, on the conditions set
forth in the accompanying document.
The Grand Trunk paid into the Sinking Fund
January Isl, 1851. S42S ,502.oS, which they in
tended, with what was already in the Fund,
to make up the entire debt of the Atlantic s
st. Lawrence Railroad Company to the city,
viz: S7S7 600. The Supreme Court decided
that this was an improper payment and there
fore constituted no part Of the Sinking Rund; !;
that the company should have continued TO
pay into the Fluid S12 500, each six months, as
they had always done before (amounting in al |
to date to S62,50O, and interesD and that they
should also have paid the city the interest on
November .. of each year. The Crank Trunk
Company now proposes to pay up all the ar
rears of interest, due the city on its bonds,
amounting May 2, 1888, with cost Of suit and
interest at per cent, TO S125, ,404.70, to which
further interest is to be added to date OF pay
ment. Also to leave in the sinking fund the
So, 500 and interest And they ask the Com
missioners of the Sinking Fund, il they do
this, to pay back the sum which they paid into
the fund January 1st, 1881, as above stated
with interest at 8 per cent 1t has earned
more than 3 per cent The Commissioners OF
the Sinking Fund admit that this is Just, and
are prepared to do 1t II the city and the direc-
tors of the A. & st. L. consent. The A. s. st.
L. directors at a meeting held My 26th, 1883
gave their consent by passing vote like the
order herewith Submitted. The Commission
ers now ask the consent Of the city. This
order was prepared by Hon. W. L. Putnam
for the commissioners, to cover the require
ments OF the lease:
The order recites the facts given in the above
document and concludes:
Nov, therefore, provided said Atlantic &
st. Lawrence Railroad Company shall stimuli
taneously pay sara Guy Saiu SUN OF Si%o,sot'tu ~
and interest thereon from said second day of
May in the current year at the rate of six per
cent per snnum, and provided the directors of
said Atlantic & st. Lawrence Railroad Com
pany consent hereto, then the Treasurer of the
City of Portland, In his capacity of Treasurer
OF said Sinking Fund, or his successor In office,
shall upon the approval of said commissioners,
or their successors, refund TO said g. I. r. r.
company, or their order, the sum OF S42S, 500 0S
and interest thereon at per cent per annum
from January 1st 1881 to date OF said refund
ing, less the several sums of Sl2,5o0, each
above mentioned and interest thereon from the
several dates aforesaid to the date of said re-
funding, at per cent per annum, said treas
urer taking receipt for said payment"
The communication was received and order
passed in concurrence.
Papers from the lower board passed In con-
curreuce.
ORDERS PASSED.