Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-03
THE CITY LEGISLATORS.
A LONG AND TlResoME SESSION.
Devoted mostly 10 Discussion OF Viola
tioRs OF the Liquor La~ and
Charter Amendments.

Council was held last night with the Mayo
I presiding and all the Aldermen present "a
eept Asssrs. Pierce and Patterson. III.
Straight street; referred 10 The Commiite,
on Sewers. A communication from Mr. "a
l.. COfhnbury, asking the Councll II Il reali,
believed that the matter OF changing the To-
cation of the wood and hay market is OF ~
little Importance as 10 be beneath its notice.
hle. A petition from Rev. Benz. L. Sargent
asked the Council 10 take action to remove
tax-t title from lots owned by him. lie paid
the tax but has lost the receipt; referred 10
Committee on Ways and Means. The Mar
shal was granted further time in which Ia
collect amounts due on the IagraSe street
paving roll, Coldbrook street paving roll,
the roll for opening and widening West
street and the jefferson avenue paving roll
The City Clerk reported receipts of his Of
fee for the month of February as follows;
From quit claims, Sl0.90. MarsLal's sales.
S23S,6T; Second avenue grading roll, $94 60;
licenses, $500. Total, S367.l7.
The Comptroller reported claims and ac-
counts to the amount of nearly Sf,Go0. which
were ordered paid. Clerk of Police Court
Tozer reported Basiian D'oogle, Julius
kieinwachter and \. C. Johnson as having
been convicted of violating the liquor law
Aid. killean moved that the report of Mr.
Johnson's case be disposed of first. Carried
a IL.
accepted and placed on file. The motion was
carried. Some of the Aldermen. who here
tofore have voted in favor of revoking licen-
ses for violation of the law. explained that
they voted in favor of simply placing the
report on file for the reason that without
full board present il was useless TO move TO
revoke a license. The only negative vote on
the motion TO place on file was that of Aid
Grady. The other cases were disposed of IN
the same manner, and Aid. killean
offered resolution directing the Clerk
to discontinue making such reports 10 the
Council. for the reason that the resolution
under which they were made had not been
fully complied with. 1t requested the Board
of Police and Fire Commissioners in addition
TO the persons convicted of violating the
liquor law TO report the names of persons
who owned houses or blocks and rented them
TO lewd women. He said III support of his
resolution that the Board of Police and Fire
Commissioners had list of the persons who
rented buildings or rooms to such persons.
but had not seen fit 10 accede TO the request
of the Council 10y reporting them, and there
fore he contended that the reports which
concerned only one class of violators
of the law should be discontinued.
The resolution was debated al
great length, being supported 10y Aldermen
Killean, Nester. Brenner and DeGraaf. and
opposed by Aldermen Gilbert, More. Parm-
alec and Yates. The opposition had a little
the best of the debate but they lacked num-
bers, and the resolution was adopted by the
following vote: Yeas-Alhright. Brenner.
DeGraaf. Grady Klllean, Launiere, Nester
and Saunders-S. Nays-CreQue, Gilbert.
More, Whitney and Yates-6. When Aid.
Yates was called he said that he might vote
for the resolution if il was not for the fact
that Its adoption would cast reflection upon
IT
replied that the resolution was not intended
to reflect upon the actions of Mr. Tozer:
that there was nothing in il that ever implied
censure of that officer. Aid. Brenner took
occasion TO make a plea for the saloon
keepers. He did not believe that they we're
treated fairly, nor that last Monday was
legal holiday. He said il was beyond the
power ofany man OF set of men TO change a
mans birthday from Sunday to Monday.
The City Attorney reported that the charter
did not agree with the State law in regard to
placing fagmen at railway crossings. The
charter gives the Council authority to order
the fagmen, bat the State
law leaves IL in the hands
of the Railroad Commissioner. He ex-
pressed the opinion, however. that the pro-
visions of the charter could be enforced. and
read letters from the Commissioner. saying
that he did not deem fagman necessary at
the Watson street crossing. The monthly
report Of the Police and Fire Commission
for February. containing estimates for the
expenses OF the departments for March. wac
read and placed on file.
Upon recommendation Of the Committee
on Claims and Accounts. the claim of SMILEY
& Earle of 80, for legal services in the
case Of the City vs. Hardman. was ordered
paid. Also. the account of Prof L. II.
Streng. sl1, for copying the rain fall record
Of the past fourteen years, for the use Of the
Board Of Puhlic Works. Bids for TIE
buildings obtained by the city BY the open
ing and widening of West street. we're read
and referred to the Mayor. With power 70
art. The Bene avenue sewer roll vss taken
from the table, additional appeals were an
nonced. anj il wa laid on THE table for ons
week. The COMMITTEES - Vlso1n al srgeais
were referred. viH meet 81 TIE committee
rooms, for the purpo=e - considering tie
appeals. ~ 10 O'Clock Thursday evening.
On request Of Aid. Nester the Clerk read
TIE proposed suendineuts 70 ttss city char
ter - introd8ced il the Legislature. ~ Rep
resentafive For5- The amendments wsrs
discussed. buf no acti0n vss taken. AID
Gilbert offered = resolution rror35ing for
TIE advertising a tbe eitg bali bond. ia de-