Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-07-04
Council Meeting.

NGTON INTE
Council Meeting.
CITY HALL, July 1, 1885.
Council met. Present, His Honor the
Mayor; Councilmen Gavin, HOWELL, Homer,
Russell, Taubman, Winsor and Williams.
The mayor said, this is q called meeting,
called by Messrs. Russell and Howell.
| Mr.. Russell stated that the meeting was
called to consider q petition of the saloon
men and some necessary improvements.
Mr.. Howell read the report of the improve
ment committee which was submitted atthe
last meeting Of the council.
Mr.. Taubman said he thought this an IN
usual proceeding to call up q report filed at q
previous meeting, to do work deferred by
that meeting. He had heard talk on the street
of rotten logging the council for having so
many meetings. OF course that was not
really intended, but it showed what the peo-
pie thought of so many council meetings. He
was opposed to these called meeting.
Mr.. Howell wanted the council to sppro-
pirate certain sum for repairing the places
that needed it. and not put the responsibility
on the improvement committee, when it is
known that there will not be revenue enough
to do all the work that will be asked.
Mr.. Russell said there was necessity for
, immediate wrok, and that the council should
take action upon the proposed improvements,
and explained why, at some length.
Mr.. Williams moved that the report be
adopted and that the committee be instructed
to make the improvements.
Mr.. Winsor said he did not think 1t could
he legally lone In that way.
Mr.. Homer moved that the council appro-
pirate not to exceed $3.50 to make the i'm
provements contemplated in the report.
Mr.. Benedict made q personal attack on
the chairman of the committee saying that he
wanted the control of this work In order to
favor certain pets. Tit mayor reprlmsnded
the city engineer severely, and made him
take his seat. 81.
Mr.. Homer's resolution was adopted uuan-
imously.
Mr.. Winsor offered the following:
Resolved. That q committee Of three be
appointed to confer with the board Of educa-
ton with a view of opening the square on tho
corner of South and 18th streets, for the uses
Of q public park. And also to see whether
the conveyance by the city to the board Of
education was made legally and by authority
of law.
The resolution was adopted.
The chair appointed Messrs. Winsor, Taub-
man and Russell.
Mr.. Russell submitted q petition from the
saloon men Of the city praying for q reduc-
ton Of their license one hundred dollars per
annum.
The petition was received and filed.
Mr.. Russell introduced an ordinance to re-
duce dram shop licenses one hundred dollars
per nun
Mr.. Taubman said it was too late in the day
to pass that ordinance. 1t could not take ef-
feet for six months, all licenses being already
due and issued. Mr.. Russell had tied his hands
by the passage of the ordinance passed at the
last meeting for immediate collection of the
licenses.
Mr.. Russell thought the ordinance would
be the law If passed. He thought the coun-
cllmen six months ago only voted for the
amount In order to get the county court to
make q certain reduction. The court lower
ed its license 5000. The saloon men claim
that the city put one hundred dollars more
upon them than was agreed upon.
The ordinance was then read q second
time, by its title.
The city attorney said that the gentleman
had not even read the ordinance the first
time, therefore it was not properly before the
council.
Mr.. A. j. Hall then read the ordinance at
length, and made an argument in fsvor of the
reduction of the license as asked by the sa-
loon men, as their attorney.
Mr.. Winsor said he had been nine months
in the council when the council saw that the
county had raised the license from $3.50 to
$500. All the councilmen said the city should
have that revenue Upon assurances from
the county court, and promises of the mayor
and councilmen, after three days Emporium
ing Of the court, it reduced its license ON con-
dition hat the city would fix the license at
$500. The court required pledges that the
council would not repeal its ordinance, and
the mayor promised that if the court would
reduce Its licence he would veto any bill that
was passed by the council to reduce the city
license below $500 for six months. Licenses
In other towns range from 5000 to 81, 500 in
Missouri; Moberly had it at $1,000. Very
few of them are as low as 5000. The
average is about $1,000. We cannot 20 back
on our pledges to the county court.
Mr.. Russell said that he had stated to the
court that the council was opposed to high
license, and would so act unless the conces-
sion was made that was asked, and that he
Understood no pledges had been made by or
to the county court.
Mr.. Hicklin SAID, he was q member of the
committee. On the third day the committee
got q hearing from the county court. With
several citizens to aid them. The court asked
the pledge of the committee that the ordi-
nance would not be repealed. They demanded
1t in such emphatic terms that the mayor
. agreed to use the veto power to check any
reduction of the license. 1t was done at tho
request, and demand of tho court. not of indi-
vIduals. Mr.. Hicklin said it would be q vio-
lation Of good faith to reduce this license. HI
argued against the reduction of the license on
business grounds.
! Mr.. Hall argued in favor of the reduction
on economic grounds, stating that the present
license would drive out three or four saloons.
Mr.. Taubman said, "If Mr.. Filing and Mr..
Hale would not raise the license they may
lower the county license. The city bears
the expense Of policing saloons. and should
have the higher license"
Mr.. Homer moved that the rules be sus-
pended and that the ordinance be read a third
time and put upon Its passage.
The question being upon the suspension Of
the rules the ayes and nays were called for.
Ayes, Gavin, Homer, Russell, Williams
nays, Howell. Taubman, Winsor. Lost. Not
the necessary two-thirdst to suspend the rules.
Mr.. WinsOr offered the following:
Whereas, The Lexington Water Company
has formally announced that the supply OF
water from the we'll, on the sandbsr, is in
sufficient, and they are therefore required by
their contract to build the two reservoirs
specified in section 4 of the ordinance estab.
fishing the waterworks. Therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That the ordinance committee
be instructed to draw up an ordinance in
compliance with section 4 Of said waterworks
ordinance requiring said Water Company to
i build two, reservoirs capahla af hnldin0 ono