Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-09-10

OFFICIALLY SLAUGHTERED.
Yankton's Electric Light
Project Done up by
the Council.
An implied Refusal 10 Grant Asked
fer Privileges Shuts off
the Light.
Last Nights Council Proceed
ings in Detail-Action of
the Company at So
Days Meeting.
LAsr NIGHTS couNoIu.

There was q meeting of the cit
council last evening, mainly for discus
sion and action upon the proposition {
the electric light company for a frau
chise.
That the situation may be understoo
as it exists it is proper to state tina
Aldermen Grow, Balmat and Noona
and the city attorney oppose
Offering any encouragement to the cleo
trio light company and aimed rather t.
smother the enterprise han to assist il
The balance of the council reflected pub
lie sentiment in q desire to aid the move
ment 80 far as it lies within the powe
of the council.
The proceedings opened with the sub
mission of an ordinance granting the
electric company q franchise, by Alder
man Bruce, OF the special committee ap
pointed to consider the matter. Thil
document was not submitted as a report
but informally. 1t was framed by the
attorney for the electric light company
In the title of the ordinance existed a
clerical error by which the WORD
"for" had inadvertently been substituted
for the word within" To this Alder
man Noonan objected and Alderman
Eruce Immediately moved to substitute
the word within" for the word for
and fine moflpn UaG Eaaop1el
Alderman Noonan feared that the
amendment could be construed to mean
all the lights within" the city.
AT the request of Aldermfn Grow the
ordinance was again read. He had not
been present at the first reading and
wanted to hear it.
Alderman Bruce explained that the
ordinance was the original ordinance
upon the subject, with some chang IS and
it was before the council for further
changes. What was most wanted was
immediate action.
Alderman Noonuu-"T think the word
within would include the whole city as
well as the company"
Alderman Bruce-"Wbat word would
you %suggest?"
Alderman Noonan-"I don't think the
city has anything to do with the matter"
After some discussion as to whether
the ordinance was before the council
the chair (acting Mayor Piles1 ruled
that it was.
A vote was taken upon the motion tic
amend the title to the ordinance as
by Alderman Noonan and the
motion was defeated, Aldermen Nonnau,
Grow, and Balmat voting in the mega
tive. AldeIme Gilman and Bruce in
the affirmative and the others rot
Alderman Gilman suggested that the
light company was perfectly
to correct any grammatical error
III the proposed ordinance.
AT this iuncture Alderman Grow x
pressed warm indignation over the
proposition of the electric light company
and violently charged the company with
an attempt to bulldcse the council. He
denied the right of the company to
Introduce a form of ordinance of their
own construction for the consideration
Of the council aud characterized the
movement as an effort to infringe upon
the rights of the poor, of whom he was
IN humble, but honorable representative.
OF course ell this was entirely irrele-
want and had no bearing upon the
question before the council, aud after
time Alderman Branch, securing q
chance to lift up his voice, remarked
that he didn't see what this was all
about.
Alderman Max explained that the
committee had not agreed very
we'll in its consideration of the matter.
Alderman Balmat understood that the
council had no power to grant an exclu-
siye right.
Alderman Grow could not recover fro m
hostility to an ordinance drawn by the
electric light company and proposed to
blot out of existence the entire docu.
ment. With a tragic touch to his m
FASHIONED accents he said: .'They made
it. We have a city attorney for such
work. It is his business to draw mp
ordinances. What in hell do we pay
him ior?'
Alderman Gilman explained that the
ordinance was drawn by the company SO
as to convey to the council an under
standing of their wishes in the pre-
misses. The council had q right to grant
it OF to refuse to grant it. It was
action that tine light company asked for.
II the council decided adversely the
representatives Of the company would
go home and abandon their attempts to
the electric light in Yankton.
There was no attempt at bulIdozing in
the movement. 1t was 8 PLAN, simple
proposition for a privilege which could
be easily understood, The council
should discuss the matter fairly aud
calmly as business men.
Alderman Brauch-"It appears to me
that We all shoot before we get the gun
loaded"
Alerman Bruce moved that the
electric light company be permitted to
correct the error in the title of the
ordinance. This was adopted.
~ ..aaN-L- H.If+H
The council was now ready to begin
consideration of the ordinance ana by