The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-04-05
CITY Council,

City Council
The city council held its regular month
" meeting on Tuesday evening last all the
members being present except Aid. Bry-
ant, of the fourth ward, who was detained
at home by sickness. Considering it was
the evening following one of the most ex.
citing township elections ever held in OF
tawa, il is a matter of congratulation that
there was any business attended TO at all
by the council, and il shows the interest
the mayor and aldermen take in city AT
fairs.
ELECTRO-PHoTO
Before the council was formally called
to order Mayor Allen gave each alderman,
with the photographers compliments, a
COPY of photograph taken by Mr.. Sher-
man, of Elgin, by electric light, the subject
being His Honor" himself, Later in the
evening vote of thanks was rendered Mr..
Sherman for his remembrance OF their
visit to his gallery on the evening of Jan
uary 22d
C., u. l. p.
The mayor also stated that the matter of
a Waterman at the railroad crossing near
the aqueduct had been placed before the
Rock Island company, and that the wishes
of the council would be complied with,
EAST SIDE PASTURE.
A petition of Jacob Glenn to fence and
occupy as pasture IA portion of Water
street con the east side Of Fox river, known
in the past as the circus grounds was read,
and after the subject had been canvassed
pretty thoroughly it was referred TO the
street and alley committee, with inStruc-
tons TO report at the next regular meeting.
FIRE!
Before the council convened il was sup
posed that no question would come up
likely to create much Of Il discussion, but
"behold what great fire small spark
kindleth." or words 20 that effect. J. \.
Sbuler presented petition asking permit
to erect a frame building with tin roof "a
GOOD dwelling house it was to be- on the
west side of Clinton street, adjoining Mrs,
) Cashmans.
Aid Hull moved the prayer of the peti-
ton be granted, and argued ably in favor
of encouraging the erection of good build
ings in Ottawa. He said Ottawa was not
as large as Chicago and the laws relative
to the fire limits should not be so rigidly
enforced we were in less danger of sweep
inc CONGREGATIONS. Let US encourage
erecting good buildings by granting just
such petitions as this
AID Hoban opposed the motion. He said
it was unjust to grant some persons these
privileges and withhold them from others.
He referred to his own case where he was
compelled to put up brick building and
soon afterward another man was permitted
to build frame barn within sixteen feet Of
him. He was in favor of either changing
the fire limits or compelling all to build ac-
cording to the ordinance.
Aid. McDougall moved to refer the
whole matter to the building committee
with power to act,
Aid Hull opposed the reference as he
was a member of that committee and his
views were fully known. He was in favor
of strictly enforcing the ordinance in the
business portion of the city, but he did
want to encourage the erection Of fine resi-
dences in Ottawa.
Thereupor the mayor called Aid. Grif-
fifth to the chair and spoke earnestly against
any further infringement upon the condi.
tons of the ordinance. He didn't want
any more big fires like that Of September,
1881, at which time nearly every person in
the city thought Ottawa was doomed to
sure destruction.
After some further talk of this kind the
ayes and hayes were called on the motion
to refer which was carried by a vote of
TO 4.
The mayor then asked for some one to
move il repeal Of the ordinance creating
and the next petition was taken up.
This one proved to be
FIRE BRAND,
1t was signed by Gates II Feehan for per
nit to build "A temporary shed, eight feet
high, at their feed yard on Clinton street,
to he used for storing lime, &c.
The warmth of debate that had about
subsidized from the Shuler petition again
sprang up As in the previous instance
Aid. Hull was in favor of granting the
asked for privilege.
Aid. IIoban said it was just these soft
spots in the city council that induced per
sons to send in such petitions.
City Attorney Boyle was called upon for
: his views upon the question whether the
council ly majority vote could grant
these permits under the ordinance. He
said they could.
ITitII Urantnl 10 600 Ottawa NAL "a