The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-01-01
An EXCITING MEETING.
The Proceedings OF the City Council
In Full.

make report of the proceedings OF the
City Council, when the matter of dis
agreement between the Council and
Mayor Bogcrt came up, on his letter to
the Council, giving his reasons for not
signing the warrant drawn in favor of
Alden, on his street grading contract.
In our previous review we commented
ON the reasons. saying that the first
objections were not tenable, but that the
last was worthy of consideration, in that
the warrant should not issue. because
the terms Of the contract had not been
complied with. We give below the re
port of the Street Committee, the report
Of the City Engineer and the action had
thereon. The CHRONICLE in comment
ing on these matters has no personal
feeling in the matter, nor desire to init
mate that the Mayor is but following out
his convictions of duty. as he sees it, but
rs public journalists to present the facts
and draw its own conclusions. Our pre-
vious review was based upon the assump-
ton that the Mayor had a right not to
sign, and that he had a veto power to
exercise in matters affecting the general
| public, but on examining the charter and
ordinances in pursuance thereto, we
| cannot find that he is invested with any
such power, that in case of "a tie vote in
| the Council he has casting vote, and
that in the matter Of appending his sig.
nature to warrant ordered to issue, that
| he has no more discretion than the City
| Clerk, He has no more right to refuse
to sign a warrant than has the Chairman
of the Board Of County Commissioners
to refuse to sign warrant ordered to be
issued by the Board. In that matter his
duties are simply ministerial.
REPORT OF CRY ENGINEER,
Bozeman, NJ. T., Dec. II, 1888.
TO The Honorable City Council Of the CT.
of BOzeman:
I'm the contract with Walter J. Alder
for the grading of Broadway and MaiI
street, from Front street to First Street
the work was to be completed accogdin!
to the plan adopted by the Council, ant
on record at the City Clerks Office
would report to you that the work ha
been done in a workmanlike manner
and conforms to the plan with two ex
ceptions. On Broadway, at the inter
section Of Mulberry street, the grade wa
lowered one foot, with the consent of tn
Street Committee, but no change has &c
been made On the plan. If the Counci
will order the change made on the plan
| will make the necessary correction OF
Main street Between Bozeman and Blacl
streets, the excavation on the south sid
has not been taken ont to the grade @
the gutter, ON account Of frost. Til
amount left amounts to 43 cubic yard.
The total amount Of earth moved o.
Broadway, 1920 cub. yards. The tota
amount on Main street, accordiDgto plal
$3.50 cub. yards. Work to be done o.
Main street, between Bozeman an
Black streets, 43 cub. yards. Total worl
done on Main street, 1887 cub. yards
The change made on Bridge, improve
the grade, and lessened the work,
Yours respectfully.
SAMUEL BUSDocK,
City Engineer"
REPORT OF STREET COMMITTEE.
To the City Council Of the City Of Boz
man:
GENTLEMEN We, your Street Com
mittee, respectfully beg leave to repor
that we have examined the work don
by w. J. Alden, under his contract date
September LIST, 1888, for grading Mai
street and Broadway within the limits c
said city, said work having been don
| e3eepr1on OF forty-three cubic Yards OF
earth mentioned by the City Engineer,
In his report hereto attached, dated Dec
tn, 1883. We further recommend that
said work be accepted and paid for, in
accordance with said contract.
Respectfully submitted,
WALTER COOPER,
NELSON STORY,
Street Committee.
(Aote.-The other two members of the
Street Committee, Messrs. Rouse and
Davis are not in the territory
Upon these reports at a special meet
Ing, warrant was ordered to be issued
to Contractor Alden, which his Honor
the Mavor, refused to sign, giving his |
reasons therefor, and heretofore publish
cd. On Friday night last a special meet
ng was called, and upon meeting, the
'b]ect OF the meeting was asked for.
Mr.. Story arose and stated substantial.
as follows: That a case had been pre.
ented wherein the city credit had been
ndangered, that just and equitable
III had been allowed by the City Coun-
il, and that the Mayor had assumed the
nthorlty of vetoing the bill, that the
leetlng Was called to provide some way ,
y which the business OF the Council ,
'uld proceed and the city credit protect =
J. and SO arranged that important bust i
ess would not be blocked by one person, ,
1t the Mayor or whoever it might be. Il
In the same connection Mr.. Koch Il
ated that the Council had learned n
rough the newspapers that the MAYOR
a hled communication to the Coun, ~,
MIR. Story moved that it be read. The ei
TX then read the Mayors communica- al
n. o..
dr. Koch moved, seconded by Mr.. til
oper, that the communication of the nc
yor be not received. Mr.. Koch stat II
as reason therefor, that the Mayor gr'
entirely exceeded his authority. tel
neither Charter or Ordnance gave ly
any such powers, and that the exer. SUI
OF the veto power was an assumption me
he part Of the Mayor, that materially prt
rfered with the legitimate business wa
ne Council and injurious to the civ two
lit. Mr.
+. Anderson followed, claiming that Mr.
Mayor should have veto powers, and ina
1~yfYt,f TO