, 1890-04-16
THE BID REJECTED.
Treasurer KeIley's Offer for City
Lands is Refused.
The Tracts Will be Divided Into
Blocks and Lots.
A Report From the Special Com
mittee on Street Lighting.

A hush fell over the council chamber
last night when Mayor Riner reached the
order of reports from standing com
mittees.
Eager, expectant eyes turned on Alder
man Merrill, chairman ofthe finance com
mittee when the tall, slender form of that
gentleman had reared its length above
the councilmen. There was no change in
the expression of the kindly face as he
announced that the finance committee
had unanimously concluded that the best
interests of the city would be served by re-
jecting the offer of A D. Kelley OF S43,.
96O for the city's l43 acres of land north
of the boulevard and west ofthe cemetery.
Treasurer Kelley was sitting in the
lobby and betrayed no surprise at the
announcement Most of the aldermen
had anticipated the result.
Mr.. Hebard moved the adoption of the
report. Seconded by Mr.. Richardson.
Mr.. Richardson.spoke at length on the
motion. The occasion was a proper one
for a full and free discussion of the entire
question Of selling the land. All realized
the Importance of the matter, for it IN
volved a large sun Of money. What
ever the action of the council the body
was liable to censure As the mayor
remarked a week since, They would be
damned If they did and damned If they
didn't" HastY action would be worse
than negative, for the interests OF the
city invited careful consideration and deep
thought. A mistake made in the matter
will not be excused. The land was
granted the corporation of Cheyenne by a
special act of congress, and the right OF
the city to sell it cannot be questioned.
Mr.. Richardson said he had talked
with a great many citizens about the pro
posed sale and found all thought the
price offered entirely too small.
The prevailing impression, as he had
gathered, was that the land should be
plated. There could be no objection to
this. 1t will cost the city little. The
total realized will be greater than the
offer under consideration. There is
manifest Justice ID this method. 1t will
give all an opportunity to invest. 1t will
give the poor man a chance to buy a
home. The people prefer this fair and
equitable method. Few individuals can
buy the two tracts, but hundreds OF citi-
zens will be glad to purchase a lot or
more. II profit is to be made on this land
the city should be the gamer. If any
single person secures the land | would
not envy our enterprising fellow citizen
who has made the offer. l do not agree
with many who say that he should be out
OF the field because he is an officer of the
city. If city officers are in a syndicate tc
cheaper city property it is wrong.
Mr.. Kelley tried to interrupt The
speaker at this juncture, but was called
to order.
Resuming, Mr.. Richardson spoke Of
the improperly of according Mr., Kelley
the floor to urge acceptance of his BIDS at
previous meetings and of his persistent
lobbying. Mr.. Kelley had pointed to an
empty treasury, but every councilman
was familiar with the financial condition
of the city. No one thought of selling
the land until quite lately. We have
managed to hold it and get along, but it
would be best to sell it now. Think
seriously before letting it go with only
one bid, and that not in strict conformity
with the published conditions of the sale,
MIR. Kelley had remarked that the boon
might fall. 1t it did he woull be a heavy
loser. But this is not a boom. 1t is Just
an outburst of confidence. We have oul
shops, our commanding situation, the
capital and diversified and rich resources.
The way to get the most money out oil
the land. MIR. Richardson concluded, was
to plat it as an addition to the town and
bring it within the limits so that ii
might be taxed.
Mr.. HebarA rose to say hat Mr..
Richardson had not voiced his sentiments
except as to opposing acceptance of the
bid. The land should be sold, but not
hurriedly.
There were no votes against the Hebard
motion to adopt the report OF the finance
committee.
To PAT IT.
On Mr.. Richardson's motion the city
engineer was instructed to plat the track
into town lots.
STREET LIGHTING.
Mr.. Bond made a report for the special
light committee OF himself, Mr.. Richard
son and Mr.. Merrill. He said there was
a demand for four new arc lights at these
corners: Tenth and ~Ilous,, Prtrican and
Nineteenth, Warren avenue nd Twenty
fifth, Twenty fifth aud 1homcs. If Il c
council authorize the addition Of these
four lamps and allowed the committee to
contract for three years with the company,
the entire Tw.nty-six lights could be
maintained for 500 per annun each, this
being S27.27 less per lamp han at present
paid by the city.
Adoption OF the report was moved by
Mr.. jerks.
Mr.. Hebard wished the matter consid.
cred with care. According to the commit
tee report the increased expense for the
light system for the year would be 81 600,
and the city, with the heavy expendi-
II