The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-22
LOCAL LEaIsLATIoE.
The Council Opposes Board Of Public
Works-Ald. Himmslman's Resolution.
The Water Cases--Electrio Lights
Ordered Again--Other Matters.

was held Monday night. Mayor Pau In
the chair, and all of the aldermen being
present except Aid. Jorgensen. The
minutes of the last regular and special
meetings were read and approved.
A communication was received from
r. D. Hubbard & Co., reciting that in
1879 the company entered into contract
with the city for pumping water for IRE
and sprinkling purposes, flushing gut
kters and for city-hall purposes for
the sum of 81, 800 year; that the COM
panY was to receive extra compensation
for pnmping water used for other pur-
poses; fN,at water has been used for such
extra purposes; that in 1880 the COM
pany was ordered to maintain constant
pressure of forty pounds on the water
mains, which wAs outside of the con-
tract; that the contract provides that
when disagreement arises in regard to
the amount of the exESa compensation
for extra pumping the\oompany and
council shall appoint boa three
arbitrators who shall fix the.
extra compensation just. II
munication asked the council to
negotiations for the settlement OF
amount due to r. D. Hubbard 4 Co. !,
the extra pumping and which has never
been settled for These claims have ac-
cumulated for the past ten years and
while they have been before the council
for years no action has ever been taken
on them, being considered by the coun-
Gil as excessive. These claims amount
TO about 5000. The communication
was referred to the committee on claims
and accounts.
A Communication was received from
Burlingame & Hughes, attorneys for
Mrs. Eliza A. Silver, asking for 500
damages done to her Bunker Hill prop
erty by the proposed new road. 1t
complained that the action OF the coun-
ell and the city commissioners was ir-
regular as well as unjust The damage
consists mostly in cutting road through
her land and making retaining wall
necessary, and depriving her of a water
supply. Mrs. Silver either wants the
report of the commissioners annulled or
$500 paid her. Mr.. ]. M. Burlingame
appeared before the council and ex-
planned the matter and appealed in Mrs.
Silver's behalf. He asked the council
TO rescind its former action and to give
his client fair hearing. Referred to
the street committee to investigate the
matter and report to the council.
A bill of 81 for repairing wagon was
presented, caused considerable discus
sion and was referred to the street COM
mittee.
Mayor Pfau stated that the trial of the
water suits against the city had begun
and related the attempt to settle the
cases by the plaintiffs already published.
He said he had promised to recommend
to the council the settlement of the cases
at $50 each. At that time they did moth
day. morning they had come to him and
stated that they would settle the cases
for $50 each. Mr.. Pau stated that the
more he and the city attorney had in
vestlgated the matter the less they be-
lIeved that they had good cases. This
offer was made by him to get rid OF the
cases.
Aid. Hoerr stated that the plaintiffs
and their attorney were getting scared
and wanted to settle. He moved that
the city offer the plaintiffs $500 in the
aggregate to settle the matter, they to
divide among themselves. The motion
was carried, the only mo" being aid.
Johnson.
Aid. Schroeder stated that the Gas Co.
would be prepared by the next meeting
to make proposition for the city light
ing.
AID Johnson reported a conversation
with Mr.. F. L. Waters in which he
agreed to take 1928 each q month for
the electric lights up to 100 lights. he
moved that Mr.. Waters be asked to
turn on the lights.
Aid. Schiman thought that as the Gas
Co. had been asked % make a PROPOSE
ton and until that was received t'~ city
could 40 without the lights.
AID Hanna moved to amend
ing the amount 50 each a light. Aiu.
Schiman seconded the amendment.
Aid. Hillesheim wanted the city to set
the price, regardless of whether Mr..
Walters could afford to furnish the lights,
and if he could not let him refuse to &C
cept the proposition. He thought that
the city was getting along all right with
out lights.
The amendment was lost, ayes, Aids.
Hillesheim, Hanna, Schiman, Himmel-
man and Hoerr; noes, Aids. johnson,
Kron, Patterson, Pitcher, Pond and
Schroeder.
The original motion was then carried,
only Aid. Hillesheim voting against it.
The city engineer presented plan OF
the proposed pumping station, to cost
81, 200 to $500.
1t was stated that the city would have
difficulty in getting title to the pro-
posed location of the pumping station,
on account of the title being 80 much
mixed. 1t was stated that the land must
be condemned.
Aid. Schiman moved that the city en-
Il l.. 49, Ixva. Co. "a
for the construction of the pumping sta
ton, bids to be opened at the next meet
ing.
Aid. Zimmerman stated that he had
talked over the matter of Board OF Pub
lie Works and there was wide .diverg-
ence of opinion in regard to the appoint
ing power. He offered resolution ask
ing the Joint committee to amend the
charter making the Mayor the chairman
of the Board and the other two members
elected by the council. He said that he
himself was opposed to any Board. Aid.
Kron seconded this resolution.
Aid. Pitcher was opposed to Board
if the council was to appoint the MEM
bers.
Aid. Hoerr moved to amend that it
was the sense of the council that the
provision relating to the establishment
of a Board of Public works be stricken
from the new charter. Aid. Pond sec
onded this motion. The amendment
was carried, ayes, Aids. Zimmerman,
Hillesheim, Hoerr, Kron, Patterson,
Pond, Schiman and Schroeder; noes,
Aids. Hanna, johnson and Pitcher.
The resolution as amended was then
carried by the same vote.
Mr.. P. A. Foster suddenly appeared
before the council and said that the
"a 20 ont t,,odn NJ N oldorrnQn that
the water cases would not have been
brought had it not been for the attor-
news, and that the cases could not have
been settled without the permission of
the attorneys, were both false and the
alderman who had made them had been
previously told that they were false.
Aid. Hoerr attempted to call the gen.
tleman to order. He defended himself,
saying that he could prove that the
plaintiffs had to see the attorney first.
Mr.. Foster stated that under other
he might refer to the mo-
tives of certain aldermen in the matter.
In reply to question he said that he
had no right to settle for his clinets and
thought they would say rats to the
of the council.
A few bills were allowed.
The city attorney stated that one of
city precincts in the Fourth ward pclled
over 400 votes at the last election, and
that to comply with the law, action
should be taken to redistrict the ward.
The aldermen of that ward were in
structed to redistrict the ward and re.
port at the next meeting. The council
adjourned.
AMONG the bills allowed by our eco
nomical city fathers last evening was