The Portland daily press., 1894-08-03
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Special Meeting Of the Board of May
or and Aldermen.

Alderman Thompson Resigns from the
Committee on New Buildings-Per.
mission given shannahan to blast on
New High st.-City Solicitor to lake
! Steps to Prevent Murray from Erec-
ing Wooden Stable on Federal st.
| There was a special meeting of the
Board of Mayor and Aldermen held yes
terday noon, at which several important
matters were decided.
Mayor Baxter presided. Aldermen
MCGOWAN and Smith were absent.
DYNAMITE ON HIGH ST.
The first matter to come up was the
| presentation of petition from Shanna-
han for permission to blast with dyna-
mite and gunpowder at No. 1872 High
street. Mr.. Frank Robinson appeared
for Shannahan. He said his client did
not ask permission to store explosives
on High ST., but to keep enough for
daily blasting purposes.
Alderman Dam thought Mr.. Stamina
AActa S14Ooid W PSA A11oSSeA w hOSP UuC
plosives there if he was careful
Mr. Shannahan explained that he re-
ouired about five or ten pounds of dyna-
mite for his daily blasting at High St.
He didn't mean to store the explosives
there He explained that he had a box
made especially to keep dynamite in.
Alderman Little recalled the fire at the
place occupied on High st. by Mr.. Shan
nahan last year when it was discovered
that there were explosives OH the premis-
es and no permit to k eep them.
Alderman Thompson said he under
stood Mr.. Shannahan wanted to with
draw his old petition, presented at a
former meeting, and present the present
one in it's place.
On motion of Alderman Randall the
petition was SO amended.as to permit
Mr.. Shannahan to keep from five to ten
pounds OF dynamite for daily blasting
and the explosive to be brought to the
spot, No. 1872 High ST., early in the
morning, and such as was left over re-
moved at night. and as amended was
granted.
THE MURRAY STABLE.
Alderman Thompson called attention
to a transaction by the Board on July
2Sth last, where petition was granted
Murray Bros. to build wooden livery
and sale stable on Federal street, in
direct violation of the ordinances. He
said tbs committee on new wooden
buildings went thoroughly into the mat
ter at the time, had along evening ses-
sion, when all the interested parties were
heard, and as result the committee had
been unanimous against granting this
petition. Yet in violation of this ordi-
nance the Board granted that petition,
and evidently by misunderstanding of
the facts. He read from. the ordinances,
showing how clearly they refused to al
low such a building as the Murray Bros.
proposed to erect in the fire
district Other parties had been re-
fused like privileges by the committee
who had taken pains to treat all alike
when they attempted the erection of bull
dings in violation of the Ordinances.
Great stress had been made that this
building will be safe; that it
will be covered with iron and that it
will be great improvement over other
buildings now on the street. Grant this
to be all true. still neither the committee
nor the full board of aldermen have any
discretion in the matter. 1t is matter
of city law. He was sorry theTaldermen
from Wards 2 and were not present, SO
they could take part in the discussion.
He moved a reconsideration of the vote
granting Mr.. Murray's petition at the
last meeting.
Alderman Little seconded the motion.
Alderman Randall was In sympathy
with the committee, but the rules of the
board required reconsideration of
ing, at which it had passage, and this
was special meeting and one heldTafter
the last stated meeting.
Alderman Little then moved suspen-
sion of the rules, which could be done
by a two-thlrds vote of the board, and
the reconsideration of the petition The
motion failed by a vote of three in
IaVor 60 Two Opposeu-MeSsrs. Dam
and Peters voting no-which was-aot
-thirtls-vote.
Alderman Thompson then said that as
he mad given great deal of time to the
committee, and had endeavored to faith
fully follow out the city ordinances, he
would resign his position on the new
committee, as it was useless to
do business in this way.
Alderman Randall said he had not
made his remarks in opposition to the
committee, but simply because he didn't
think as one wrong had been done in
granting the petition another should be
done in violating the rulessof the board
Alderman Thompson said he under
stood that perfectly, and had no fault to
to find with him, but he insisted on re-
signing.
Later Alderman Thompson offered an
order that the city solicitor take proper
steps to prevent the building of a wooden
building on Federal street, to be used
as stable, contrary to the city ordin-
ances. The order had passage.