The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-17
THE MAYOR HAS 4 PLAN.
He Reads Message to the Council
on the Crippled Financial
Situation
And Suggests the Abolition Of the
City Warrant System Now
in Vogue.

AA Won u0.
He Recommends Calling an Election ia
Issue Bonds What the Aldermen
Did Last Night.
It looked for time as though the regu-
lar council meeting would go by default
last night, but about eight O'Clock quorum
struggled into the council chamber When
Mayor Bradford raped order Aldermen
Dunn, Brown, Richards, Wilmer, Lissner,
Spencer, Hartwig, Theme and Hanley.
Garrett dropped in about an hour later.
The session was short and business-like.
Rev. Bishop Brewer presented petition
signed by A. j. Davidson, w. A. Chessman
and few others setting forth that there is
strip of land adjoining the st. Peters
hospital which, according to the plat of the
city, is 4 part of jackson street. The trus-
tees of the hospital claim the ground and
say they have a quit claim deed to it: that
by mistake in making out the plat this
was included as portion of the street,
while in fact it will never be available for
street purposes, as just beyond it in direct
line are several stone houses. which the
city would have to buy and destroy in
order to make q roadway. 1t being
designated on the map as part Of Jackson
street, the petitioners, including Bishop
Brewer, asked that the council relinquish
by deed any claim to it, as the trustees of
the hospital will need the ground in the
near future in adding a wing to the hos
AL AL At,~ Tn u%ro
would not connect in any way with this
fraction of ground.
A recess was taken to examine plat
which Mr.. Brewer had with him. On mo-
ton of Dunn the matter was referred to the
street and alley committee and city engi-
neer for further enlightenment f. .. With IN
The street and alley committee reported
favorable on the petition asking for the ex-
tension OF Spencer street to Florence-a
distance of about 200 yards. In order to
ascertain just what property owners are
willing to donate ground for the extension,
the matter was referred back to the com
nlittee, with instructions to obtain the de-
sired information in black and white.
The light committee reported that the
electric light company would furnish four
lights for the court house clock tower at the
the rate of $3.50 each per month. The
idea of the city assuming the cost of main-
once sat down upon. It was claimed that
the county could better afford this luxury
than the city, which needs all the money it
can get just now. Only few people would
be benefited, and experience would show,
said Alderman Theme, that the light can
clock. and even though it could. nobody two
blocks away could see tho time.
1.-The city is now paying $1,000 a year
for lights" said Alderman Lissner. land
the county is doing nothing. They never
do help the city out, and don't propose to
add $768 per year to the expense" The
whole matter was laid on the table.
The light committee reported adversely
on the petitions for electric lights on Davis
and Broadway and on Fifth and Beattie,
and their report Was adopted.
resolution by Alderman Hanley calling
port for the edi6catton and enlightenment OF
the public, the status of the city council
with the new cemetery association, was
adopted. The mayor appointed one alder
man from each ward, Messrs. Theme,
Garrett, Hartwig, Dunn, Richards, Con-
molly and Gallagher, and A. S. Douglass as
a representative from organized labor,
from which body the resolution emanated,
and N. w. Mcconnell of the cemetery as
ISOLATION.
City engineer reported that L. F. Evans
Son. the contractors during the work of
grading HOWE street, have completed 81
cubic yards of rock work. at 81. 10 per yard,
which he estimated cost $4Os1O and this
amount was allowed to the contractors,
petition from residents in the neigh
borhood asking for a sidewalk on Ninth
avenue was referred to the street and alley
committee.
r. Jockey was granted special permit
to build bay windows, not to project more
than two feet, on his new building on Sixth
avenue.
At the last meeting permit was granted
G. L. Vawter to build kitchen projecting
across the alley in the rear of the Mer-
chants hotel. Upon complaint of ]. r. San
structed the building inspector to have
work stopped until the council could inyes-
tigate. MIR. Sanford addressed the council
last night and said if the permit WAS not
revoked it would be impossible to drive
teams down the alley. He promised to get
h petition from all the property owners
along there, and the matter was carried
over until the next meeting. Mayor Brad
ford then read the following:
Gentlemen of the Council: Since the as
sessment Tor the current year has been com
pleted and the rate of taxation determined
upon, the question of the municipalities
finances has received to some extent nv
consideration. You will recollect that
upon the 1st day OF May, the beginning of
TINS administration, there existed floating
Indebtedness of S9O,655.7l. added to which
Is the subsequent issue of warrants to date
making total of $3.50, 1857 bearing in
terest at the rate of per cent. per annum.
1t was and is now a question whether this
Indebtedness, caused wholly by permanent
lmproyeman ts, shou be liquidated by iss,1
ing bonds bearing 4 Or 5 per cent. interest
and extending over term of years, CO.
extensive with the benefits conferred or,
wiping out said Indebtedness by an increase
of levy.
In dealing with this question We should
take into consideration the future IF our
city: WHIT Their it will forge ahead aud oc
cupy the posltion it, by nature, should oc-
cupy, o. will dwindle into obscurity and
lower it's proud head in humility before the
onward march of enterprise, as will other
wise be exemplifed in some new exponent
Of the art of progress that will, by the fact
of our inactivity, spring into life and pluck
from Us the supremacy in everything that
goes toward creating a metropolis ] do
not hesitate to entertain the belief that
Helena, by her distinguished representa-
tives in this honorable council assembled,
will take that step that will lead her for
word on the road to greatness as the lead
ing city of the future. as we'll as in the
past. IN this rich country of the northwest;
that as she has come to the
forks in her path that she will we're
to the right and adopt the policy that,
without peradventure, will bring to her the
fruit she 30 richly deserves by reason Of her
natural location, her wealth and refine-