The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-01
THE CITY LEGISLATURE.
Alderman jackson and the Inspector
Of Weights and Measures
Resign Offices.
The Aldermen Squarely' Refuse to
Pay Treasurer Walkers
Bill for Extras.
Colonel Lookey Discovers an Error and
Tells tho Alderman What He
kinks of Them.

A bare quorum was present at the meet
ing Of the city council last evening and NO
business of unusual Importance WIS trans
acted. A subject Of general interest dis
posed of was the question as to the power
of the city to enforce orders for sewer CON-
nections. The health officer has expert
euced much difficulty in securing these con
neotions and asked the city attorney for an
opinion. That official states that the city
has full power to enforce this provision
under section 8. Art. X. and section 10, Art.
VII of the city charter. The health officer
recommends that all business houses and
residences on the line Of sewers or within q
reasonable distance have connections.
The claim Of City Treasurer Walker Of
5000 for assessment work and four months
clerk hire was finally disposed of by the
report of a special committee refusing TO
allow ii. The reasons given are briefly
that the assessment 10 not a special re-
quirement of the city treasurer but
under tho ordinance is a part of his
duties. The claim Of $500 for clerk hire
comes under this head. The report pre-
sents several suggestions. The committee
believe that the city treasurer should be
paid a specified salary and given a commits
sion on license fees collected. It 10 also
recommended that the funds be lent out at
interest upon advertisement and sealed
bids. II this is lone upon the plan em-
ployed in other cities il 10 believed that the
interest from these funds would fully pay
the city trsssurer's salary. The report was
adopted with but one dissenting vote and
the Recommendations we're referred.
VN-~ nd uASonr ~oAni~nA avn n
cepted. Alderman Jackson, Of the Second
ward. resigned because he will be out Of
town until next fall. A. q. Votaw resigned
the Office of inspector of weights and meas
ures. In almost all instances he has found
the scales Of 'business houses correct, but
there have been many protests against pay
ing fees for this purpose The late inspec-
TOR recommends the repeal Of that part Of
the ordinance relating to scales other than
those for hay q COAL.
The ordinance committee made a report
amending section 8, article l. chapter VII.
Of tho revised ordinances relating TO assess-
intended to cut down the expenses for pub
fishing the tax list and provides that this
list shall be published in but one newspaper
of general circulation, which shall be cho-
sen as the official medium by the commit
tee on printing. The rules were suspended
and the ordinance was adopted.
A claim of Farson Leach " Go. for 1916
interest on city warrants after the city
treasurer had serve notice he would pay
them was disallowed.
Col. Richard Lookev's temper has not
improved to any great degree. A commun-
ication from HIM last evening corrects an
error in the tax list and says that this is but
another evidence of the determination on
the part of certain city officials to harrass
him in every way possible and cloud the
titles to property in which Mr.. Jockey is
interested.
Mr.. Jockey says that from past expert
ence and unfair treatment by the city coun-
Gil he can scarcely expect fair treatment, or
that the honorable council will have this
error corrected, yet he thinks il barely pos
sible that there may be enough men in the
council who have sufficient sense of JUS
tics to order an investigation.
At the next meeting the aldermen will
submit to the council a list Of voters from
which to select Judges at tho city election.