Morning journal and courier., 1888-05-15
noARp oR eeuNe,hmnn.

A Good Deal ef Talking ssSMe hsAs
 NlGht-SeverRl Matters in Which the
 Board Did Net Concur with the
 Board of Aldermen Foafth oF
 July.
 There was quite number Of seats vacant in the councilmanie chamber at the meeting of that body last night
 Councilman Manning petitiened that sloe be appropriated from the contingent fund for national salutes on July 4, Councilman Campbell thought there should be music and made such an amendment, but the chair declared it out of order, Councilman Lane said there wasn't any band stand yet. It voted to give unanimous consent for the S10O appropriation.
 Then Councilman Campbell moved that S100 be appropriated for music, and as the chair thought such a matter should be re- ferred to the proper committee the motion was lost. It was then referred to the com mittee on appropriations.
 The petition of J. J. McMann for appoint ment as special constable was referred, while Frank Siebert's petition was granted.
 The Gibbs street matter came up and there was quite squabble over it. A re- monstrance signed by A. Holt, petitioning
 
 street committee to sidewalk and grade that street, was read, and after one or two mem- bers had risen to explain the remonstrance the chair stated that as the order or the street committee had not been read it would be best to wait until the order was reached and then discuss the whole matter. Quite batch of petitions were concurred in when the order of the street committee on Gibbs street was reached. The chair over- looked the remonstrancs and the order was passed before the friends of the remonstrance hardly knew it.
 Every member of the street committee wore broad grin at this turn, but 8 mem Der moved to reconsider so as to right the chair. Councilman Burton said he had been told that certain parties on that street were trying to get MT. Holt out of the street. The damages for the improvement were more than he could bear. He, had not seen MT. Holt.
 Each member of the street committee made 8 little speech explaining that three hearings had been given to the petition. Councilman Thompson wound up the testimony. He felt called to speak as it was sort of an "expe- rience" meeting. All agreed that it would be foolish to recommit the petition.
 The amendment to recommit the petition to the street committee was lost and the or der was passed.
 Some time ago Corporation Counsel Dris- coll was appealed to for his opinion as to the legality of the present method of top dress ing streets. He handed in his report last night. He says that the present system con sists of a uniform and even covering of broken stones, extending from gutter to gut ter, one foot in depth and rolled down hard. He says that hardening comes within the de- fnition of pavement and cites an opinion In Chicago assessments were made for gravel- ing streets and the Superior court held that the assessments were valid.
 Trlh hn # oiI has power, if it sees fit, to assess for 8 req sonable part of the cost of the present system of hardening. It also has the power to or- der such hardening to be made at public ex- pense without any special assessment against adjoining property owners. The present system of hardening is not equal to what is commonly understood as paving, and yet it is more than is commonly understood as ordin- ary repairs.
 Councilman Fleischner moved that the part relating to the work being done at public expense be accepted. Councilman Gessner moved that the report be accepted and vote of thanks be extended to the corporation counsel for his promptness. This caused laughter. Councilman Manning wanted it tabled for printing so that all could study it, while Councilman Martin retorted that it would be printed in the journal anyway, and anyone who wanted to learn it's phraseology by heart could do so then.
 Councilman Campbell remarked that all this talk was waste of time. The council had asked MT. Driscol for a report and he had given it. It was customary to accept it and on motion it was so voted.
 Alderman Winchelps resolution that Orange street between Humphrey street and Mill river be top dressed and hardened met with opposition. One or two said the people out that way were rich and could afford to pay for the improvement, but they were i'm mediately 6oored by Councilman Thompson telling them that they were perfectly willing to pay for it. It was voted to indefinitely postpone the matter. A vote to reconsider at this meeting was lost, and the petition will lay over for one month.
 Alderman Winchell's substitute resolution to Councilman Fleischner's, resolution on the sub-dividing of wards into voting dis tricts, which was passed by the board of aldermen, came up for concurrence.
 Councilman Fleischner said he could not see why his resolution was killed. The other board always killed anything of importance coming from the board of councilmen, which the other board looked down upon as an in ferior body. He thought the board of coun- cilmen knew just as much and several degrees moro. He favored the indefinite postpone ment of Alderman Winchell's substitute resolution. It was so voted.
 With most of the members out of order and several on their feetl motion to adjourn was lost.s A resolution by MT. Campbell ordering the street committee to see that the order for the top-dressing of Franklin, Ham, ilton and Wallace streets was carried out was passed. A motion to see that the order for recurbing and sidewalking of Hamilton street be done was carried, and the board adjourned.