, 1891-12-23
ern city no larger than the city oil Chey-
eune."
A Taik with the Mayor.

ana SAID tnaL WnlIe tue Ieouit VI tne uleet
Ing was a foregone conclusion from the
first, he was satisfied with it. His duty
was to uphold the ordinances. He In.
tended to do this no matter whether the
person was rich or poor. If the city coun.
ell was disposed to override him and act
otherwise he had no complaint to make so
long as they assumed the responsibility.
Under date of Aug. Is, there was in
troduced in the council an ordinance
which, while it re.established the old per-
manent grades, at the same time con-
ferred upon the city engineer the authori-
tY to give Temporary grades. The wording
is somewhat ambiguous. By some this
is held to apply to the residence pare Of
the city alone; by Others that its applica-
ton is general. This ordinance was We
toed by Mayor Bresnshen. He based his
objection chiefly on the third section,
which reads as follows:
That temporarily and until the streets
within the residence portion OF the city
are brought to said grades, /. shall be law
ful for the city engineer to give temporary
grades to owners Of lots, for their SON
yenicnce and use for the time being.
The MAYOR in his veto message said:
For the past fifteen wears property
owners have been compelled to lay their
sidewalks TO the established grades OF the
city, but under the shadow of this
ordinance the city engineer can give a
temporary grade which may he two OF
fhrea taat ahnua tho established graAa and
thereby damage the property owner who
has been compelled by the city to lay his
sidewalk to the established grade. Hi,
only hope or redress would be in a eour
OF justice with a suit for damages against
the city. To avoid this trouble anG
annoyance to the taxpayers | recommend
that the temporary grades, if given,
should be limited to that portion OF the
city where there is no grade established.
l also recommend that a penalty be
added to the ordinance. As it reads at
present it only establishes the grades and
makes nc provision for fines or punish
ment TOR violation of the ordinance after
the grade is established"
The ordinance was passed over the
mayors veto but at a subsequent meet,
ing, when the mayor was absent from the
city, the council adopted a resolution that
the city engineer be Inhibited from giving
temporary grades to anyone laying twelve
foot sidewalks.
When the mayor noticed that the side
walk about the opera house block was
being laid above grade he asked City
Engineer Bond If he had given Senator
Carey a temporary grade. The city en-.
gineer replied that he had not. He of.
icially reported that the sidewalk was eight
inches above the grade on the eastern APP
proach aud twelve and three-auarters a
Capitol avenue and Seventeenth street
The mayor then instructed the city mar
shall to notify Senator CareY's representa-
tive that the sidewalk was above grade
and that it must be lowered to comply
with the ordinance. Work was sus'
pended pending Senator Carey's return
home from WASHINGTON.
Work started up as usual yesterday
without further ado. 1t was being done
on the grade established to suit Senator
Carey's own convenience. City Marsha.
Schnitger promptly ordered the WORK
stopped. Louis Kirk was then started
out to drum up a special meeting of the
city council. at which that body assumed
the responsibility OF giving Senator Carey
liberty to do as he pleased.
Every one of the interested property
holders have complained to me-" said the
mayor. Il believed the thing of granting
a temporary grade was wrong. There is
no more reason why a United States sen
stos shvaIa b sraGtod this special prive-
lege than the humblest citizen il tte com
muuity. What is sauce for the goose
should be sauce for the gander. My
business is to enforce the ordinance and
if the clts government is going to play
favorite the city council may assume the
responsibility of it for | won't"