The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-09
They Convene in Helena to Frame
a Better General Incorpo-
ration Act
Will Combine the Good Featuros
OF tho Code and the Pros
ent Law.
Mayor Mantle, of Butte, Presides Over tho
Convention, Which Meets mt
Tho Helena.

Nine of the towns Of Montana wero rep
resented at the convention of mayors
which met at The Helena last night. When
Mayor Mantle of Butte. who issued the cali
for the convention. called it to order last
night at O'Clock the following gentlemen
were present. Daniel Dwyer. mayor of Ana
oonda. ii. +. Titus. mayor of Philipsbur0,
+. II. 1alcott. mayor Of Livingston. @. M.
Webster, mayor of Grent Falls, George l..
Ramsey, mayor Of Bozeman. Frank Coney,
mayor of Deer Lodge, CEas. Padley mayor
Of Dillon, Frank Higgins, mayor of MIG
sonia. John 9. Curtin, mayor of Helena,
CITY Engineer Otdiey of Great Falls, CITY
Attorney j. w. Gotter of Butte, Aldermen L.
s. Wilson aud &. W. Highsmith OF Bozemnn,
Alderman Lissner of Helena, II. McMurphy
of Butte. On motion of Mayor Curtin
Mayor Mantle was made chairman of the
convention, and Mayor Higgins, of Mis-
soula, was elected secretary. The chair
mai stated his object in calling the gentle
men together. as outlined in his call, An
examination Of the municipal law provided
Tor In the new code now before tho lcRisla-
tnre convinc ced MIR. Mantle that it would be
quito an improvement on the present mu-
nioipal incorporation aot. but at the same
time good many mayors and city attor-
neys have expressed dissatisfaction with it.
The law as it now is he considered to be too
narrow. That had been the experience in
Butte. He believed that it should be
broadened. and he thought it was q good
idea for those interested to get together
and consider amendments which in their
judgment would be best.
John W. Cotter. city attorney of Butte,
addressed the convention at Mr.. Mantle's
request He said there were some good
things 4 the code relating to municipal
corporatione. but did not think She
present. one. With some amend
ments he thought the law now in
force could be made so as to give better sat-
isfaction. One of the principaI amend
ments he urged was that mayors should be
elected for two years instead of one. He
said man could Just about become famil-
lar with the duties OF the Office in one year
and then generally went out. Another
thing was that the salary was too small. In
Butte the mayor received $500 year.
The salary of that officer should be
within the discretion of the council and not
to exceed $1,000 In the proposed code law,
with regard to street grading, it is provided
that 30 per cent of the cost of the improve
ment should be assessed to the owners OF
abutting property. Mr.. Cotter's idea for
an amendment of this is that the property
benefited should bear its proportion of the
expense. Some provision should also be
made to divide towns into street sprinkiinQ
districts, and providing for special taxation
to defray the expense. Provision should
also be made for street paving
Police commissioners should be had. Mr..
Cotter said one WAS needed especially in
Butte. board of public works would also
be good thing. He objected to the
proposed law making police magistrates
ex-ofilclo justices of the peace and giving
them jurisdiction over certain criminal
otienses under the state laws, unless the
state paid part of the officers salary. The
provision of the codo law prohibiting tho
issuing Of warrants OF the contracting OF
indebtedness unless there was money in
the treasury was also objectionable and he
did not believe the code commissioners iu-
tended that there should be any such
restrIcton.
He referred to the decision Of the
supreme court in the Jockey Walker CASE
III which the court makes suggestions az to
the method of collecting city taxes. In the
proposed code the city treasurer ia made
tho city tax collector. 1t should be amend
ed SO that the county treasurer should COL
lect both county and city taxes, which
would simplify matters very much and be
less expensive.
The convention will meet at 10 a. III. TO-
day at The Helena and proceed to frame a
bill which will contain the desirable fea-
lures of the present general municipal in
corporation act and the proposed codes.
Helena Is not especially interested in tho
convention AS 1t is working under a special
lnco poration act, as stated by Mayor Cur
tin last night.
he use of the council chamber at the
city hall was rendered to the convention by
Mayor Curtin, Alderman Lissner. of the
First ward made an offer of the parlors of
the Mineral Springs hotel. Thanks we're
returned to both of the pentlemsn