The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-07
THE CITY LEGISLATURE.
The City Treasurer Ordered to Liqui-
date All Registered
Warrants.
A Man Who Wants to Furnish
Natural Gas, Crude Oil
and Hot Water.
InterSstine Report OF the Inspector OF
Measures, Weights and MIN
Outin Business.

The city council met in regular week.
session last evening and transacted the onl
legislation OF yesterday, notwithstandin
the fact that the state legislature is in Sci
sion. Mayor Bradford was absent. Dur
ing the early part Of the session Aldermal
Dunn, of the Seventh. occupied the chail
but President Steele appeared later and re
lieved him of the position. Alderman
Thompson wandered in a few minutes be
fore adjournment. With the exception o
Connolly, who is out of the city. all alder
men were present.
About the most important business wa
that of instructing the city attorney to pa.
off all registered city warrants when pre-
sented. There are many people in the cit,
holding the warrants who have neglected t.
have them registered. In consequence thu
long standing warrants, held mostly by til,
banks, will be paid.
The wish was expressed that the lecisla-
ture would soon get down to business ant
grant Helena a charter that will empower
her to issue new bonds and make needed
public improvements. This is impossible
under the limited provisions of the present
charter.
The police magistrate did a big business
in December. He reported 3a6 cases heard,
and $1.SG6.W collected in fines and costs.
The city marshal reported 372 arrests, nine
teen for state offenses. Prisoners did 134
days OF street work. worth SECS.
The water committee reported favorably
on a petition for water pipe extension on
sixth avenue, and the report was granted.
Alderman Gallagher said he had been mott
fled by the water company that the company
had completed its connection with Ten
Mile creek, and would at once make all the
extensions ordered by the council.
The light committee also reported favora-
bly, on a petition for an electric light on
Hannaford street and Remington avenue,
which was granted.
The auditing committee presented anum-
Der of bills, which were allowed. The
Helena Gas Light Il Coke company's bill
was laid over until the return of the chair.
mar of the auditing committee.
Mccarthy d King. contractors, pre-
sented a claim of $1.L79 for sewer pipe, and
S729.55 as an ltemized bill for labor. A
man named O'Brien said he had $25 coming
for labor. In view of this the council or
dered the treasurer to sell warrants suffi-
cient to pay cash for the bills of labor, and
to mold the bill of the contractor until all
labor bills are settled.
The chairman of the cemetery committee
wns instructed to lrsure the house at tie
old Gem stery for $50
MIR. l.. d. Beary. inspector of weights
and measures, made his first monthly re-
port. He says he measured about $50
cords Of wood and found that tbree-eiehths
OF the loads ran from one-eighth to three
sixteenth5 of a cord short. He has en-
gaped q horse and buggy mt 81 per day to
mako the rounds. He finds that there il no
penalty tor 1uIiure to furnish a purchaser
with a certificate. and secs 10 remedy un-
less the purchaser insists upon a certificate.
AS to milk. he says that within the past
week he found only three instances where
the milk was up to tho standard. He says
there should be sons law authorizing him
to cause the arrest of vendors OF gdulter-
ated milk and to have the milk duly i'll
spected and if found impure to destroy it
Thus far he has been unable to inspect
materials. This is expected any
day. He says that hardly a day GOES
by without some complaint about weight
shortage in coal. He finds a daily increase
In the amount of wood to be measured. He
body should be III the office at all hours Of
the day, and he asked for an assistant at n
salary not to exceed $75 per month. Wood
wagons were continually driving to the
office.
The report was received and referred to
the ordinance committee to investigate the
ordinance as it relates to the measuring of
wood.
The city clerk presented the following
report of warrants drawn during December,
1896:
IN the general fund S16111 m
One n tre .--..--.... 2.6as 10
on lhe sewerage iund -. -.+.-....+. tIg 90
Total warrants outstanding January LIST, 1891. are
as folio ys:
General fund SIZE. OO9 %
ERE fuha 3a,2f1 AZ
sewerage lund ...-............... $685. 10
Total s199. 359 Is
The Capital City band was allowed the
use of the city hall for practice on Monday
evenings when the council is not in session,
thomas OCOnnor and II. w. Brooks no
titled the council for the last time that
their ground had been damaged by dump
ing garbage upon it at the rate of thirteen
reviewed the case and were will
to accept the 500 reported
by the citizens committee. The matter
was referred to the city attorney with in
structions to advertise for cleaning the
ground of. 1t is evident that the council
will not pay the damage asked for. Alder
man Hartwig wanted to lay the matter on
the able. Alderman Spencer said he knew
4 man who would clean the ground off for
$3.50. Alderman Theme said if the CITY
had to pay any money out he preferred Civ
ing 1t to working men, and Alderman Iiss-
ner did not think the ground had been dam
aged at all.
Keenan, & Anderson, contractors, who
constructed the city hall addition, pre-
sented a claim for f237.55. saying their war
rants had been discounted III that amount,
and that their contract called for cash.
The claim was allowed and will be paid for
in cash. Hereafter all advertisements for
city work must state whether it il to be
paid in city warrants Or cash, and contract
ors will figure accordingly.
DIR. u. c. Brooke then startled the u
Gil with a petition for a twenty-five years
exclusive franchise for himself ard his
heirs or assigns, to supply Helena with
natural gas. natural hot water and natural
crude oil, all to be obtained from his
nrtesian we'll now being bored on Mount
Helena, two miles from the city. The water
committee has charge of the petition.
After much debate, it was ordered that
the chain gang be put to work to complete
the grading recently ordered on Logan
street, but which WAS stopped by the order
suspending all street work. A general dis
eusslon about street matters then followed.
1t WAS concerning Rodney street aud street
crossings damaged by the Helena Electric
company. 1t Was said that Col. Broadwater
had s,gnified his intention of paying for
the repairing of all the Main street cross
ings dam aged by reason Of the construc-
ton OF the electric railway. The street
commissions will be notified to attend the
next meeting to explain these matters.
The city marshal will investigate and
jackson street, known az the old hospital,
which is reported to be an immoral resort
in a respectable locality.
Della l.. Bowers has notified the council