The Portland daily press., 1889-04-16
SPECIAL CITY GOVERNMENT MEETING.
hearing on the Petition for an In
dustrial Building.
The Aldermen Vote Not TO Appro-
prlate the Money Asked For.
The Congress Square Church spIre
Question Settled.

A special meeting Of the City Council was
| held last night for the purpose of granting a
hearing on the petition Of the Board of Trade
| for the erection by the city Of an industrial
| building; for granting an adjourned hearing
on the Congress Square spire question and
| for the transaction Of such other business as
might be presented.
In Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
| Mayor Melcher presided and the full board
was in attendance.
INAUGURATION DAY.
| Alderman Shaw introduced the following
order which was passed.
That a committee to consist of the Mayor anC
| two Aldermen with such as the Council may join
| be appointed to provide for the suitable public
observance by the city OF the Tooth anniversary o.
| the Inauguration OF George Washington as the
| first President Of the United States, on Tuesday
4 April 80, 1885, the cost OF such observance moi
| to exceed 5000.
On the part of the board of Mayor and AL
dermen the Mayor appointed Aldermen Shaw
and McCann on this committee.
RULES AND ORDERS.
The Joint standing committee on rules and
| orders reported recommending the following
| changes;
First-To add two new Joint standing commit
| tees one on city engineer department and one on
assessors department, each 10 consist OF one al
| derman and two councilmen.
SecOnd--TO amend Sect. 2, page lS, by adding
| the words "a report other than disagreement
| shall require the assent OF majority OF the com
| mittee from each board"
| out the words "by majority" Ia the second line
and inserting same in the seventh line after the
word "motiOn."
Fourth-To repeal the special rule on page 26
and enact the following in its place: All ques
tOns Of order not herein provided Tor shall be DE
| from the char, upon the cali OF one member in
/ the Board OF Aldermen, or two members OF the
| Common Council or joint convention; such appeal
| shall be decided without debate.
Received and placed ON file.
ORDERS.
The following orders were passed:
That the City Marshal be directed to cause to
be enforced the ordinance relating to the lcens-
That the Mayor cause to be prepared plans Of
the estates on Long Island, that the estates may
be more equitably assessedi the expense not to
exceed $500.
sewers be fixed at s1.75 per day q 10 hours
| Laid on the table.
PETITIONS.
The following petitions were considered:
OF John Higgins to move office building. Grant
| ed and bonds fixed at $500.
a
| Fern avenue, Long island. Referred.
of citizens for an arc light on east side of Emer-
OF II. M. Thompson to erect wooden building.
| Referred.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The adjourned hearing in regard to the
| Congress square church spire question was
| called Mr. Trefethen of the parish commit
tee, stated that the repairs on the spire had
been completed and that Ii was stronger than
ever before. Inspector of Buildings Redl0n
stated that he had examined the spire and
that in his judgment it was, as stated,
stronger than ever before. After some dis
cussi0n, on motion Of Alderman Hobbs, the
hearing was closed.
Mr.. Burns, the truant officer, was granted
leave to withdraw his petition asking that
his salary be fixed at $500 for the year begin
ming April 1st.
A communication was received from the
| Portland Board Of Underwriters calling at
| tention to the four story building onRichard-
| sons wharf, and protesting against the compile
ti0n of the same unless the exterior shall be
| covered with metallic clapboards or shething
| The Mayor appointed as special policeman
without pay II. j. White for the remainder
/ of the municipal year.
The bond OF John w. Smith as constable
| was approved.
| A communication was received from the
board OF assessors representing that without
| proper plans of lands on the islands iG is i'm.
| possible TO fix proper valuation on said
| island lands, asking that plans be furnished
Received and placed on file.
Papers from the lower board, excepting
the ones referring to the pay Of the city la
borers and drivers, were passed in concur
| renee.
In Joint Convention.
| A joint convention was called for the pur.
| pose Of granting hearing on the petition OF
the Beard of Trade, asking for the erection
| of an exhibition building by the city. Mayor
Melcher presided, and after stating the pur.
pose o. the convention called upon the City
| Clerk to read the petition.
The Common Council rooms were full OF
people who were much interested in the peti.
| tion, and they listened attentively to the
reading of the clerk.
S. L. LARRABEE, ESQ,
| After the petition had been read Mr.. S. L
| Larrabee, in behalf of the Board Of Trade,
addressed the convention. "The petition
before you" said Mr.. Larrabee, ais the peti.
tion of the Board of Trade. 1t asks you to
erect building on the Market lot to be used
as armorles for the military companies, for a
public hall and for other municipal purposes
| The board would not come to you with this
petition to appropriate this large sum unless
there was demand or some purpose. Ex-
Trade in regard to 1t. First the city owns the
lot 1t was purchased by the city in 1866 for
1900. The next allegation Is that the oc
cupancy Of the lot is now Improbable to the
city. In 1880 a building was erected upon
the lot by the city at a cost of $1,000. 1t has
been occupied eight years, and the gross re.
ceipts were $500, an average Of $500 per
year on cash outlay of S53, 500. That is
only about seven mills on each dollar ex-
pended. Its present occupation would be
rn1 Hill
profitable. But am told that the receipts
have increased. The gross receipts are now
$50.
The next allegation is that the present oc.
cupancy Is little less than nuisance. In
1879 and 1880 this lot was considered public
prevent that nuisance But the city sold
| that land, on which now stands the "fy''
markets, and nuisance has been maintained
there from that day. The building Is now
occupied by two retail meat markets, three
wholesale agents and one fish stall. The
rest is used as storeh0use. The three pub
lie entrances are locked. During the winter
a veterinary surgeon occupied a part Of the
building and treated sick horses in a stall
next to the markets in which provisions
sold.
| The next allegation is that there exists a
| necessity of neat, cOmmodious city market.
| The present building is unsuitable for that
| purpose. The situation is said to be not a
pIOpcL OuC. nllh obkCCb 10 tuc CcuLI6 OI Tile
city, and there is where market should be
aintained.
There are FIVE military companies in the
| city. Tive are provided with armories by
the city at an expense of $1,000 per annum
and two at an expense of $500. The other
has no armory. but 1t has a claim upon you
and it should be rovided for. Fifteen hun
,dTed d0llors per year is per cent upon $50,
000 Is 1t economy that you should sit In
/ your seats and vote $500 per year for the
| maintenance of the military companies In
| their present unsuitable quarters when fol
that money you could provide larger hall
| Build your building and when your lease OF
| the present armories expires put the military
| companies in 1t.
| A large and commodious hall is needed for
| the celebration of public events Such hall
| could be used for the exhibition of the city s
industries If it should be needed for that
| purpose.
These then are the reasons for asking for
such building. First to provide a public
| market; second, provide an armOry for the
military companies and third, public hall
| for the celebration of public events; and il
/ could be used for other municipal purposes.
| For many years the county of Cumberland
has been demanding Of you better accommo-
| dations for its county officers. All are
| crowded in their present quarters, and they
must have more room. The probate court
| room is a little better than dungeon These
are things, gentlemen, which you must con