The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-31
CITY SOLONS IN SESSION
Engineer Harper Receives an lntima.
ton 10 Rustic.
AS to Bootblack and News Stands
The Work OF Building Up and
Tearing Down Sidewalks
and Distinctions.
BY the standards Special Wire.

BUTTE, July 3.-The city council met in
regular session this evening. In the alb
sence Of Mayor Walton, Alderman Muel-
Ter presided.
The meeting was not as protracted as is
usually the case, but II was characterized
by the accustomed vigor with which the
council takes hold of business.
Last week the fire department was
treated to a course of admonitory sprouts.
This evening the attention Of the council
was more distributed, but City Engineer
Harper received more than an ordinary
share of the councils periodical prodding.
The council had been for some
time discussing the a~dvisability of
putting a portion of Granite street to
grade and were about to instruct the city
clerk to advertise as usual for bids, when
Alderman Lynch arose and said that there
was no Use of advertising for bids unless
the city engineer provided specifications
and drawings Of what was to be done.
Several people, the alderman continued,
had been 10 Harper and they could get no
satisfaction as to tho contracts. No
draughts of the work had been made and
the grades were altogether unknown. No
man could bid on work under uch condi-
lions and yet there were plenty here who
wanted such work.
Alderman Stewart reiterated the COM
plant Of the previous alderman. A mar
had complained to him that he had been
to Mr.. Harper. and finding no plans or
specifications drawn was unable 20 bid. i.
City Clerk Gilligan added to the grist of
complaint by saying that he was at a loss
To know how to advertise for lack of spec
ifications n drawings. Whenever he
did advertise he was unable to answer the
questions of applicants for the same
reason.
A resolution of an admonitory nature
was proposed when Alderman Cowan an
nounced that as chairman of the streets
and alleys committee he would imme-
diately wait upon the city engineer n
present to him the complaints, so with
this understanding the city engineer was
allowed to escape.
The other subject that principally rom
sumed the time of the council was how to
dispose of the small news stand now in
process of erection near the northwest
corner of Main n Broadway. About
two weeks ago the council had without
much hesitation given permission 10
erect "a news stand at thisp point.
Alderman Cowan first opened up the
matter by inuuiring about this structure
which, he saiu, projected fully four feet
onto the street and was certainly in the
fire limits.
Alderman Barrett wanted TO say some
thing on this matter too. He had made
the motion permitting the construction of
the stand, but he had made il with the I'M
Outstanding that the structure was not to
exceed two and one-half feet in width.
ON this Point Alderman Shaw differed
with Alderman Barrett. for he thought the
petition specified four feet as the width of
the stand.
Alderman McDermott was of the opin-
ion that the whole council could not grant
PERMISSION to build anything projecting
AN inch onto the sidewalk.
Alderman Condor thought that the
action of Alderman Barret was rather
peculiar. He had been the one To make
the motion and was now the first to com
plain.
This assertion Alderman Barrett indig-
nantly denied, saying that while he did
make the motion he was not the first TO
complain.
After order had been restored and the
misunderstanding explained, Alderman
the council 10 what he considered a gross
inconsistency in conduct. When
this ordinance regarding distractions
was first passed, he and Alderman Me-
Dermott had rome through the city and
compelled their personal friends to take
i'm watch signs and boot signs from II to
Is feet high and therefore quite out of the
way. After this action, were they To
allow boot black stands and similar struc-
lures to block the street? These were
surely of no advantage to lot owners n
were a clear disadvantage to pedc strians.
W M -, 'tsa ~ tt-
action he moved that the city marshal he
instructed to remove from the sidewalks
all Instructions of this character.
Alderman Condor protested against
this action as an outrage. While he did
not favor the erection of such structures
and would W. voted against this per
init, had he been there. yet q that the
council had granted the petition and the
man had gone to the expense of building
the stand il was an outrage and robbery.
-
to allow him to maintain the stand long
enough to defray In expense of its con
struction. Some one thought the builder
had forfeited his right by building the
stand wider than was specified. But
upon reading the petition, 1t was found
that no width whatever had been speci-
fled.
1t was then proposed by Alderman
Shaw that an order be passed. but that a
notice of ~ days be given. A compromise
was finally struck on go days and there
the matter rested.
Important action was taken looking Ia
the improvement of hat portion Of
Granite street lying betweep Main and
Wyoming streets. Ii was the sense of the
council that this piece of highway ought
TO he improved immediately, and as the
street had been put above grade by the
road commissioners that the expense OF
putting away the superfiuous dirt be
borne by the city. With this understand
ing the matter was referred 10 the com
mittce on streets and alleys with power
Another important action was "A resolu'
ton by which all bids for G ~ contracts
are hereafter To be accompanied 10y n Ger
titled check for % per cent of the amour
of the bid.
Permission was given Martin Stephens
to move the building on the corner oi
Park and Montana streets To the wes'
side of Montana street on condition thai
the petitioner file a bond of S5,OcD To NOV,
the building outside the city limits within
100 days.
Arizona street from Mercury ia utal
avenue and Utah avenue from its junction
with ARIZONA TO the city limits were or
dered graded, the city 10 bear half the cx