Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-06-16
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.


last night Tie Ciofk read oommunioa-
ton from The Mayor setoing the action Of
the Council IN granting saloon Incense 10
" 4. ~ alsh al s71 South Division street, and
giving as has reasons therefor, that
the location was IA residence ueIghboT-
hood and al present without police proteo-
ton Aid CreQue moved that the oommu-
uieauou be received and placed Ola tie. Aid.
Saunders moved that that action % the
Council he sustained, Notwithstanding the
veto Of tie Mayor ON motion of Aid. De
Graaf lhe matter was laid upon the table. A
communication Was read from Mat Neleh.
stating THAI he wa- ready % prove tie truth
of the charges made by hIm that members
OF the Board of Health had unlasfully
received money from the clt3 scAyenscrs by
three reliable -cayengtrs hO are willing 10
testify under oath. Referred - the Special
Committee on Health. The Street Railway
Company asked permission 10 lay track
from Canal street through tOldbrO0k street
and Plalnttld avenue to the D., @. ii. 4 ~.
depot Referred 10 the Committee on
Streets. The Ideal Dlme Museum managers
asked permission 10 stretch banner across
Monroe street Refused. Assistant Prose
cutting Attorney Carroll asked the
Council TO designate place where
boys may battle IA the river. Referred 10
the Committee on Buildings with power TO
act The Council acce pted al invitation 10
ride IN the procession on tbe Fourth Of July.
Fire Marshal Lemon reported that Jacob
Nagele had violated the fire ordinance by
erecting a wooden building on Louis street.
opposite the Michigan House barn. and ask
eli that he be prosecuted. Referred 10 the
Committee on Buildings. The Fire Marshal
also reported that occupants Of the
Luce and Putnam blocks on Mon
roe street were violating the ordinance
by storing straw and paper In the blocks and
alleys and asked that he be authorized 10
that the Mar~hal had authority 10 prosecute
without instructions by simply making com
plaint 10 the attorney or ms assistant. Re
ferred TO the Committee on Fire Depart
ment Accounts TO the amount of nearly
5000 were ordered paid, - recommended
by the Controller. Charles l.. kathbun,
Clerk of the Superior Court, re
Charles W Holden as his deputy to act from
July to Sept ], and asked that his com
pensation be fixed. Committee on WAYS
and Means The Board of Public Works re
ported the water works fund exhausted and
II was ordered replenIshed by transfer of
$500 from the water works income fund.
Several contracts for public improve
Public Works were ordered executed
10y the Mayor The Committee
on Streets reported IN favor of improving
Third avenue and the report was adopted.
The petition for the Improvement of Finney
street was referred back To the petitioners
for additional signatures. license was
granted Joseph Meyers TO keep a saloon at
the corner OF Canal and Bronson streets.
Committee on Ways and Means reported in
favor of rejecting the bids for the city pnpt-
ing in Holland and German papers and
recommending the plan of notifying persons
who are ASSESSED for public i'm
pTovements 10y way of postal card from
the City Treasurer. The report was adopted.
Aid. Gilbert. a. chairman of the Committee
on Ways and Means, read a statement show
ing the condition Of the several funds IN the
city treasury. which was placed on file and
ordered printed. Aid. killean, OF the same
committee. offered a resolution providing
for a special election TO occur on Tuesday.
July T. to allow taxpayers TO vote upon the
question Of issuing $4,000 in bonds. TO
raise funds for procuring an additional sup
ply of pure water. and TO lay mains for the
distribution of the same. Adopted.
The Committee on Lamps reported in favor
of accepting the proposition made by the
Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power
Company 90 light the city with electricity
on the tower system at a cost of $1,000 per
year. the city TO own the towers al the end
of five years. Aid. Gilbert opposed the
adoption OF the report and gave his reasons
at length He SAID TO adopt the report
will not be acting in accordance with the
will Of the people a expressed when they
were allowed TO vote upon the matter To
adopt the report means higher taxes.
Our taxes now amount TO one-third of the
interest on money and 20 twenty per cent of
the rent of the best property and 10 more
than tins on poorer property. / do not op-
pose the scheme in the interest Of stockhOld-
ers IA the Gas cor pany any farther than
they a. taxpayer Do not want % see money
thrown away. I o adopt the report means
that the Council vi j try to oblige the people
10 pay for the towers by paying an extra price
for hrhts for the term of FIVE
years. when the city is 10 own
the towers ! am convinced that the system
Is a failure IN Detroit II has been tined
there for one year. and now there Is reeO-
luton pending IN their Council 20 provide
for advertising for bids 10 light their city by
gas and naptha. We al know that tower
lights can not give satisfaction on shaded
streets. and in Eve years from now We viii
have many very denseiy shaded streets in
tins city. probably more than any
other city IN the county. pow
erfnl Erht on tower in
shaded street IS not ~ as mucn use AZ a rlsh
candle near the Sidewalk There wil very
likely soon be- improvements IN TIE electric
hghts. which vIl allow them 90 be- placed
near the ground. and it may then be advls-
able 20 use them. Until then / think II bst
ter 81 trY 90 get along With orr present sFs-
tenn. with some aodItl0ns 10 o. certainly
safer and more ia accordance with the vill
e=fe5.~ He then read hst 0f
bBsiness men Who had signed p rernon-
STRANGE against toe adoption - the system.
and =aid the list ctuld be greatly increased