The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-09
City Council.

cause and effect OF your discomfort
City Council.
On Tuesday evening the city council con
,cned in regular session, full board beng
present.
In response to petition of the highway
commissioners of Ottawa, the former ACTON
Of the council requiring the township to pay
into the city treasury one-half of the funds
collected for road and bridge purposes upon
oroperty within the city limits was rescinded.
The finance committee presented the re-
norris of the several officers of the city, which.
were duly approved and ordered published.
The license committee reported in favor OF
granting bowling alley license to II, NJ.
Bodwcl.
City Attorney Boyle, to whom was referred
the matter of raising the sidewalk in front OF
the Methodist church, on Jefferson street,
submitted an opinion to the effect that inc
council had control ovcrits streets and alleys,
and that il may raise or lower any grade
when done in good faith and that when
Grade is once established the contiguous prop
crty owners should construct their sidewalks
in accordance herewith.
Alderman McDougall, from the special
committee appointed for the consideration Of
the Mayors communication submitted to the
council some time ago, presented report
embodying the following propositions
Many of the sidewalks pretended to be re.
built and repaired under the ordinance Of
December 3, 1882, are still unsafe. Walks
have been constructed Of ashes, and are only
two to four feet wide They are without
curbing, and the surface is uneven. The or
dfuances provide for the use of brick, stone
and plank only in constructing sidewalks. In
many cases plank walks have been repaired
by attempting to fasten the piank8 to rotten
striugcrs. -FOUR committee
recommend, list, Il vigorous prosecution OF
he sidewalk suit now pending; I'd, ns soon as
sming opens, that thoroughly competent
person be appointed sidewalk commissioner,
that under his direction notice be served upon
all property holders whose walks are not IN
good repair, and upon their failure to repair
ar build as required by such notice the city
cause such walks to be repaired or built and
proceed at once to recover the cost thereof I'm.
der the provisions of the act above referred
To Your committee believe that 10y pursuing
this course all sidewalks in the city may be
placed in excellent repair as soon as the
weather will permit in the spring. Your
the subject of material to be used in the con
struction of sidewalks sufficient, aud recon-
mend its enforcement
Your committee have given special attention
TO that portion of the communication OF the
MAYOR which refers to the matter OF stock
running upon the streets, and are OF the opln-
ion that the streets ought not to be used for
the purpose of pasturing stock, The streets
were dedicated to the public for the purposes
of travel and not pasture. 1t is said 1t will
be u hardship to some poor people To prohipl
the pasturing of stock upon the streets. In
Aurora and other cities where stock Is pro
hbited from running upon the streets, the
fences are being gradually removed and the
expense Of maintaining Them saved The law
Of the state precludes stock from running at
large and we see no good reason why we
should suspend the operation OF the law N
this city. We recommend the amendment Ia
this ordinance suggested by the mayor
We have considered the recommendation
concerning the appointment of building
committee, and concur Herewith. Sufficient
attention has not been given to Fire Limits
"Buildingsn and Sidewalk Grades, largely
because there is no standing committee hay
ing special charge of these matters. We re-
commend the adoption of an ordinance Great
ing another standing committee, To be know
as II Building Committee, upon which shal
be conferred such jurisdiction over these mat
tiers as seems best.
In regard To that question of the communi
cation which refers to the erection OF bulletin
boards, your committee do not concur. W
believe the matter of supplying bplletil
boards may be safely left to private enterprise
We think rigid enforcement of the ord
nance on the subject of bill posting advisable
The vote to adopt the report resulted in
tie, and was decided by the mayor votn
"aye." The city attorney was instructed
draw an ordinance restricting cows from rui
ming at large, in accordance with the terms G
the report, Aldermen Thomas, White an
Hoban voting in the negative.
The matter of employing counsel to assi'
the city attorney in the case of Mathcr V. I'll
City was referred to the law and ordinanC
committee to make the necessary arrange
ments, subject to the approval OF the council
At this time the city attorney presented u
ordinance restricting stock from running I
large, which, after much voting, amendin!
&C., was adopted.
The subject of licensing kerosene peddl,
received considerable attention, and motto
TO withdraw the matter from the license con
mittee and instruct the marshal to enforce II
ordinance in regard TO peddlers was lost
the negative vote Of the mayor.
II appeared by this time as though Il
council were determined to make the may,
do all the voting, for report of the tnan'
committee adverse to paying the claim
William Stevenson against the city for cos
expended by him In 4 recent city case vi