The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-09-11
Cit,v

On Monday, but convened on Tuesday
evening, Mayor Woods in the chair and
Aldermen Mccarthy, Schnuettgen, Fail
lon, Price, Ingersoll and Getchell
present. The minutes OF the
special meeting in which the
council ordered the suits with re-
gard to school lands withdrawn and the
same transferred TO the Rapid City, Mis-
siouri River and st. Paul railroad, was
read. a petition from many taxpayers
was received and read. 1t approved the
action of the council in the matter Of
school lands. Mayor Woods, who was
absent at the time OF the special meeting,
announced his veto OF the Instructions
of The council. We give the veto in full:
RAPID CITY, S. D., Sept. s, 1891.
Of the City Council OF Rapid City,
South Dakota.
Upon examination OF the records kept
by the city auditor during my absenc+,
l find that on the 31st. day OF August,
this council was convened by the then
Acting Mayor, P. B. Mccarthy, at which
time a resolution was passed author
izing the City Attorney to withdraw
suits o pending Ill the Supreme Court
OF the State to recover lands that belong
to this City for school purposes,
must gentlemen, dissent from your
official acts This fund and suit has
been handed down to us as a trust for
our schools and should be sacredly guard
ed above and beyond every other inter-
est. 1t is not u matter we have the least
right to tamper with. Besides it would
do no good whatever to pass this reso-
luton, as any tax payer on the school
Board could and would apply to rein
state these cases and continue the prose-
cution OF them to a final decision. This
whole matter looks to me like d few men
for a purpose, want the earth
but want someone else to as
sumo the responsibility OF deliv-
ering it over to them, knowing well
they could not holdit after delivery. But
to sum up, the whole matter gentlemen,
it is illegal, wrong and unjust to allow
them to take from'our school fund the
little that has been left it. This city to-
day, that should have a school fund
sufficient to support our schools without
d dollar OF tax, is now bankrupt as far
as the school fund is concerned: and
lands and lots so generously provided
by acts OF congress, have from time to
time been gobbled and squandered by
INSCRIPTIONS, dishonest men; and to be
plain, by a set of theiving officials, and
now by your acts you propose to turn
oyer illegally the little that is left to aid a
asJames NJ. Woods,a AS acitizen, 1 willgive
as much and will probably do as much
for the Rapid City, Fort Pierre and St.
Paul Railroad as anyone connected
Herewith. 1t is an enterprise that should
be encouraged and sustained by this
people and is OF more Importance to
them than any project which has been
inaugurated in the last decade. 1t has
now and will hereafter have my hearty
support and every encouragement that l
con possibly give to it as a citizen, will
be unselfshly given; but as Mayor of
OF this CITY I shall and will until next
May, protect every interest that has
been handed down by those pro-
ceeding me. l think that there
is nothing that could be pre-
scented to me put upon the plea OF
a benefit to our city, that l would not be
willing to approve, but when asked to
prostitute an official trust, it is some
thing that I cannot and will not do. 1
do not doubt that the motives that
have actuated you in the passage Of this
resolution, have been unseltish and for
the best interests OF the city as you see
it, and l hope gentlemen, that time will
demonstrate to you that the position
that I have taken is an honorable one.
At least, Ihave examined this matter
from its legal bearing and find it ID only
childs play on our part. The Railroad
conld not hold it. orany more Oft, than
they could put to practical uses. 1t has
been stated and / believe reliably, that
the parties interested will not relinquish
could the city do so. We are gentlemen,
servants Of the people and should the
people at the polls demand the dismiss
sal OF this suit, it would certainly have
our serious consideration. We will say
that without sufficient investigation
and thought upon this important sub
ject, a majority may be today in favor
OF a Dismissal OF this suit, but after
proper investigation and consideration,
we are fully OF the belief that a majority
Of our people will sustain us in this
action. Should they note do 80, we will
have the satisfaction OF doing u duty
az we see it. JAMES M. WooDs.
On motion OF Alderman Mccarthy the