, 1892-11-11

FUN IN THE COUNCIL
City Engineer Lemons Salary Bill
Held Out.

Councilman TaIcOtt DenOunces the
Extravaganza of the Engineers
Office-An Ingenious Method TO
Enforce Payment of a Claim.
Just before the council adjourned, last
night City Engineer Lemon arose from
without the rail and addressed the mayor:
"Your honor, would like to ask why
my salary account for the month of Oc-
tober was not allowed by the committee on
bills and accounts"
Wasn't it allowed along with the other
bin?"
"No, sir. 1 did not hear it read"
The attention of all present was at once
fixed upon Mr.. Talcott, chairman of the
committee mentioned, who rose in his
place at this juncture.
1.-The bill is here on my desk, ">said he.
81 kept it out because Mr.. Lemon has not
settled for that Sixth street matter"
This announcement acted about like a
thunderclap from clear sky. Those who
were disposed to be sleepy suddenly mani
tested an unusual interest in their sur
roundings.
Mr.. Lemon again addressed the chair,
urging that the Sixth street matter had
nothing to do with his salary account. He
maintained, also. that the bill had never
been presented to him.
Mayor O'Brien suggested to Councilman
TalcOtt that he had hardly taken the prop
er course in the matter ana advised that
the bill against Mr. Lemon be passed upon
by the council and let that body take such
steps as were deemed best to insure its pay
ment. ThereupOn Mr.. Talcott said that
Mr.. Lemon had been duly notified about
the bill, out that he had claimed all along
that he did not owe anything.
Some of the cOuncilmen who were unable
at the moment to recall the exact nature of
the difficulty asked for information. They
were told that it related to the expense of
filling in Sixth street in front of R. B. Nc
Causland's property, amounting to $4,000.
Councilmen Frisch and Phipps the other
members of the committee on bills and ae-
county, promptly informed the council
that Mr.. Lemons bill had been kept out
without their knowledge, and they ex-
pressed themselves as decidedly averse to
such methods. Mr.. McBratney also
thought Mr.. Talcott should have brought
the matter up in some other way.
Il move you, sir" exclaimed Mr..
Phipps, that Mr.. Lemons bill be al
lOwed'
Second the notion said Mr.. Frisch
promptly.
Mr.. TqlcOtt was red in the face by this
time.
II don't believe that Mr.. Lemon will ever
pay that bill and there are some council
men here who intend to see that he don't
pay it."
''Out of ORDER" and the chairman raped
the table vigorously with the gavel.
On the roll call all the councilmen except
Mr.. TalcOtt voted to allow Mr.. Lemons
bill.
Mr. Frisch arose Indignantly and ad-
dressed the council:
"YOur Honor" said he, 81 don't think
any man ought to be allowed to make such
1nslnuatiOns about a member Uf this coun-
Gil as we're made just a moment ago.
ID
oh he didn't mean anything by that, "
said "his honor"
Move we adjourn"
Second the motion"
Carried unanimously.
The moment the counCilmen again be-
came private individuals they began to
give expression to the pent up feelings in
unmlstakable terms. Mr.. TalcOtt de-
nOunced the extravagance of the engineers
office, but denied that he had any person
al feeling against Mr.. Lemon.
II held the bill out" said he, conhdenti-
ally, 'just to see what he would do about
Members of the council fingered about
the council chamber for quarter of an
hour, discussing the situation. 1t was de-
clded that it was eminently proper for pro-
ceedlngs against Mr.. Lemon to eminate
from the council rather than from the chair
man of the committee on bills and ac-
counts.