The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-12-04
Common couneil.
From The Press.

Regular meeting Monday evening,
Nov. 80, Mayor Smith presiding, with all
the aldermen present
Accounts were presented amounting
to $654.66, all of which were allowed !;
$205.S4 were for water works bills.
A receipt was presented from the coun-
ty treasurer showing that 5000 had been
paid to the city treasurer as liquor taxes;
placed on file.
The street commissioners report for
the past week was presented and &C
cepted total amount expended for la
Dor and material, $5l.71.
A report was presented by the secre-
tary of the water board showing the
receipts and expenditures from Oct. %
to Nov. 80 !; accepted and ordered print
ed
The city attorney reported that the
Mary Il. Mullen case VS.. the CITY, had
been noted for trial at the December
term of court, the party having the adj
was familiar with the csse, he wished
the council would instruct him to secure
Mr.. Lyons services. Thereupon the city
attorney was instructed to procure the
ASST lance of G. r. Lyon.
lie SDcCldl CC w w uOul W 40
referred the petition of j. III. Copas ask
ing for bonus of $4,000 for the purpose
of erecting a packing house, ETC., in the
city, made the following report which
was unanimously adopted:
To the Hon. Mayor and Common Council
of the City of Owosso:
Your committee to whom was referred
the $4,000 bonus solicited by j. ii Copas for
th1a IF hnildinn q larpQr and
extensive plant for his pork packing bust
ness, would respectfully report that your
committee has interviewed said j. III. COpas
and has submitted to him the following
questions and was answered by him as
herein stated
@. 1. DO you agree to locate this proposed
plant inside the city limits?
A. Yes, sir.
ca. Where do you propose to locate the
same?
A. Have not determined yet; somewhere
on the river bank.
O.. 8. How many buildings do you agree
to build and of what dimensions?
A. Cannot tell how many buildings,
about three times the capacity of my present
plant
@. 4. Do you propose to build brick or
frame buildings?
A. Partially brick and partially frame.
q. 5. How much do you agree to invest
in building and plant?
A. Somewhere about $12,00
@. 8. How many hands do you agree to
employ all the year around in this establish
ment?
A. About twelve men.
Q. Z. How many hands during the pack
ing season?
oil h hands
@. 8. About how many months do you
consider that season?
A. About three months.
@. 0. When do you propose to commence
to build this plant?
A. Next spring.
@. 10. If bonus be granted will you agree
to furnish good and sufficient bond in the
sum of $1,000 that you will fulfill all the
agreements and promises herein stated to
the best of your ability?
A. | will not agree to give any bonds.
hereby certify that the answers TO the
above qustions are correct and that / will
abide by them if said bonus is granted, to
the best of my ability.
(Signed) JOSEPH III. CoPAs.
Owosso, Nov. oath, 1891.
After due and careful consideration, your
committee would respectfully report un-
favorable for the granting of said bonus to
the petitioner by vote of this council for
the following reasons:
LIST. Your committee do not consider the
proposed plant as submitted by Mr.. Copas
extensive enough nor the number of hands
to be employed sufficient to recommend to
this Council to grant said required bonus,
neither do we think it would meet the APP
prevail of our tax payers generally.
Tho patitiopar rafncac RI piVQ cqticfoa-
tory bonds and surety for the fulfillment of
his agreements and promises.
Sd. 1t is without question Illegal for the
City Council to appropriate city funds or the
tax payers money for private enterprise.
4th. Any Alderman voting for the appro-
priation of city funds for illegal purpose be-
comes personally liable. (See Dillon on
| municipal corporations, Sec. 730, 732 and
| 1867.
Hence your committee would therefore
recommend that as said j. III. COpas does
not contemplate nor propose to erect these
| buildings and plant before next spring. that
said bonus demanded by him for that pur-
pose be submitted to vote of the citizens
and tax payers of the City of Owosso at our
next April municipal election.
Respectfully submitted Nov. 80, 1891.
S. LAMFRoM,
| Committee, nj. IL. PARKER,
j. A. BEEBE.
The committee reported favorably on
the petition for the opening of Ryan
street from Chapman to Cedar street
and the city attorney was instructed tC
have a new jury drawn.
The committee on public lighting re-
ported that as the contract for city light
ing would expire at the close of the year
they thought that some action should be
taken towards making contract for the
coming year, and they also recommend
ed that ten additional lights be put w
the coming year, making 30 in all, pro
vided the electric light company got the
contract; also that bids be receive ed fo
both gas and electric lighting the city
and city hall the coming year. On mo
ton the report was laid on the table fo
one week.
| Moved that the bill of M. Walker TO-