The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-10
RULES FOR THE POLICE.
The City Council Directs a Code TO
Be Formulated for Their
Guidance.
An Investigation Of Recent Fire
Department Changes In.
Ordered Also,
Expert Report on tho City Treasurer's
B~OOks-The Weighing of Coal
Complained Or Etc.

Mayor Curtin called tho attention of the
city council at last nights meeting to the
matter of formulating a sst of rules for the
regulation OF the police department. This
matter had been referred to the committee
on police last fall some time. The retiring
city marshal had referred to the absence OF
rules as probably responsible for many
things complained of last year. He sua'
gssted that the committee on police take
the subject up. A motion instructinR the
committee TO do 90 was adopted.
The following was received from Alfred
N. Richarde, ex-drivsr of the city hall hook
and ladder: II have the honor to state
that on the third day OF this month l was
discharged from the fire department of this
city by g. +. McKinnon. the chief OF said
department, seemingly without any cause
or reason whatever. stating at the time
that he discharged me that he had to
discharge me- therefore respectfully ask
md demand an investigation by your
honorable body as to the reasons why ! was
discharged from the said department."
Alderman Howell moved to refer the mat
ter to the fire department COMMITTEES. Al
derman Lissner moved to amend by send
ing it to The judiciary committee. His
amendment was adopted. A little later
Alderman Mo ris moved to reconsider the
reference. He said he did SO bscause he
thought each department should be allowed
to attend to its own business. He read nm
, xt act from the ordinance regulating the
fire department, to the effect that tho mar
for %cause.'' and that he must report the
Suspension md the cause et the next NEST
of the council. Alderman Hanley. chair
man of the fire department committee. said
that committee had no desire to go into
the matter, and were perfectly willing to
leave it to the judiciary committee; He
suggested that the committee on lights
would be the proper body. as the council
wanted some light on the subject. The
reference to the judiciary committee
was reconsidered and the matter sent to
tho committee on fire department..
Experts Brett and Campbell submitted
their reports on the books OF the former
city treasurer, James E. Walker. They say:
after n thorough examination n careful
checking we find that the business of this
department of the city government has
been conducted in q CAREFUL and systematic
manner. We have examined the Office of
tho city olefk and find the office and rec
and the vouchers in the vault filed carefully
and systematically. The books of the city
treasurer and city clerk we're kept in q neat
and concise manner" In the city treasur-
er's office they called attention to a $3.50
warrant charged in error to the general
fund, whereas ii should have been placed
tn the account of the 6re department fund.
The former city t~reasufer's report, already
published, was received and approved. The
city clerk reported SIG. 488. 10 of warrants
drawn during April and $12. 1914 returned
by the oity treasurer a. paid.
George A. ZwanziR, inspector of Weights
and measures. submitted q report in which
he said: Il find the ordinance providing
for the appointment OF an inspector OF
weights and measures and defining the
duties of the office inadequate, a. it seems
to me, to meet the purposes for which it
was intended, especially in respect to pro-
tection to purchasers OF articles required:
or measured. The difficulty seems to be In
the evasion of its rrovislons. moro par-
ticularly by vendors OF wood. coal and hay.
Much complaint comes from consumers of
coal and wood throuRhout the CITY. express
ing dissatisfaction with respect to tho
weights and measures palmsd off upon
them, in many instances, py vendors of
those articles. / am informed that sundry
excuses are made to them by the vendors
for not being able to furnish the city weigher
o. mspsurer's certificate of the correctness
of the amounts delivered. even when re-
quested 80 to to do, and that as q rule more
Wood or coal ia pnid for than ia received,
In Justice to the denlers in coal l will say
that find their scales correct and believe
that m honest weight for an honest dollar
would be given if the principals would do
the weighing themselves, but az a general
rule l find other persons. not responsible or
reliable. attending to that part of the bust
plant from the consumers of coal. The
information which get from city weiRhsrs
convinces me that In many instances The
load has been tempered with to the loss Of
the consumer. ReweighinR has proved that
fact. The like evil exists in the sales of
hay. In a number of instances I am In
formed that large and heavy wagons and
hay racks nave been substituted for the
lighted ones presented to the city wsiQher
for his certificate. Word also to me
that certificates for ono day. not taken up
by the purchaser, have bean used again and
again on succeeding days for smaller loads"
In conclusion he suggests the advisa-
of the ordinance that the evasion of many
of its provisions may be curtailed.
The council approved the following
bonds: G. B. Garrett. city treasurer. for
$75, 600. with S. @. Ashby. A. M. Hotter. L.
w. knight and d. A. g. Flowerrse as sure
ties; s. H. MoIntire. city clerk md attor-
ney. for $1,000. with Frank Baird and s. q.
Ashby sureties; 7. Z. Crutcher. police mag
istrhte. for $1,000. with c. K. Wells and
John L. Murphy suretics; w. H, MCCAIN.
city marshal, for $1,000. with Sam Alsxan.
der. II. c. Wallace and A. j. Steele sureties:
d. j. McNally, building inspec.o:. FOR
$1,000. with Thomas dilohrist w. +. San
ders, James Sullivan, 3. Q. Ashby, John Il,
Murphy and W. q. Prsuitt suretiss; John
Koontz. street commissioner, with Mike
and H. c. Burgard s~ursties,
Tho committee on at set grades reported
to bring Sixth avenue to the cstab-
lished grade between Beattie and Raleioh
streets would take a cut of over Ave fear.
This would seriously damage some of the
property in that locality. In view of that
fact tho committee recommended that a
cut OF fifteen inches be made. Ii was pot
to hive 1t done right away, but
only to have it established. SO that those
improvements would know
what grade to conform to. The report vas
adopted.
Attention was called by the MAYOR TO |
that ~impounded stock was not |
Advertised. At present the only
notice Ia that posted nt the city matahal'e
office, whore 1t remains while the owners
nre scou ing the country for the lost anil
On motion Of Alderman Fuller il
was decided to have the CITY marshal ad.
vertise such i%mpounded stock In the news
papers.
The citizens of Lenox asked TINT some-
thing be done to stop the grazing of cows
horses on their premises, tho dumping
Of refuse in the gulches nearby. md tho
Of shooting gun on the hills over
the place, many bullets from which
fall dangerously ncar children. Their
was referred to the Seventh wnrd
and the city marshal for immedi-
ltc action.
Annno thu bjIla oydoved mid war. tbs