The Portland daily press., 1895-03-09
BROKE THE CONTRACT
With the Deering Electric Light
Company.
THE LAST CITY GOVERNMENT
MAKES ITSELF FELT.
Aldermen Hanson and Pierce Lead the Re-
voIt-Alderman Small Gave Warning of
ACCESSIBLE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the CITY
Omcers-&1OOO for a Civil Engineer.

Possible LaWsult-oaieFies OIL the City
Omcers-S1OoO for Civil Engineer.
Last evening the present city council of
Deering held it's last meeting. The entire
board was in attendance. The most impor t.
ant business was the unanimous vote to
break the contract with the Deering
Electric Light company
Alderman Hanson read the report of the
Committee On lights to the effect that be-
cause they are assured that the lights are
not up TO the required candle power. tnat
they are not maintained all night long and
that the contract with the city is not being
fulfilled the committee recommends that the
contract with the Deering Electric Light
company be broken.
Alderman Berry moved that the report be
accepted and recommendations adopted.
Alderman Small said Well. this is a
little mite sudden He thought the lights
were bad enough ami that there should DO
a remedy. But he also thought the first
thing TO do was o make contract with
some other company and then break the
contract.
Alderman Hanson said that the subject of
electric lights had been bone of conten-
tion for the entire year. The committe had
cards printed and distributed among citi-
zens SO that they could report 60 the clerk
when the lights were out. These cards
came pouring in By tbs dozen.
There was meeting with the Marsh
Brothers, who provide the lights. and they
declared that the lights could not be out
because they patrolled the streets every
night. IF they did patrol the streets every
nil coi In bar
have done it with their eyes Shut
He mentioned several cases of lights hays
ing been burned out and not replace for a
long time. When one was replaced Alder-
man Berry said that he had fully made up
his mind that the contraet3 was not being
fulfilled and that the city WAS not getting IFS
moneys worth. s3pa
Alderman Small said that he knew there
had been trouble, but he dreaded a lawsuit,
and that would be the logical result of
breaking the contract. If the committee
thought they had sufficient evidence to
warrant ii. then let them go ahead and
break it. But because the aldermen voted
to break it. that didn't necessarily break it
Alderman Pierce said that the citizens of
Deering were paying for electric lights that
they didn't get. On January 23rd and gath
he went over the entire route of electric
lights. He. found an arc light gone on For st
avenue, and on otter streets twelve were
BACKED. six CT which he thought were
burned out.
February 26th. in company with City
Clerk Jones he came to the city building in
the night and what do you suppose we had
for lIght?" u 9 took cut his cigar lighter
and lit it.. That all we had. There We're
,,r.A ls,vt,f Nl,nf q
a. M. there were no Lights
The same thing happened on the night OF
February 2Sth. He and City Clerk Jones
came to the City building at 1870 in the
bring the Board of Registration books.
AS before, they found no light. He went
up there to the power, plant and heard no
We're We're out it Of oil. Now said Alderman s
Pierce, that contract is not being fulfilled.
We are not getting the lights that we pay
for and !. for one. shall vote to break that
contract Immediately"
He offered an order that the contract be-
tween the City of Deering and Mars b
make contract elsewhere for lighting
the city. IL
Alderman Hanson seconded the motion.
At this point Mayor sawyer suggested the
disposal of the report of the committee and
it was voted that ii be received.
Then the vote was taken on Alderm an
Pierce s Oru6r, ana CdrFIeu UNANIMOUSLY.
and the contract with the Deering Electric
Light company was broken. 8ts
SALARIES OF CITY OFFICERS. y
Mayor Sawyer read a communication from
Otis Brown Of Pleasant street. stating that
he would accept the office of street commits.
sioner for $T00 year and give his whole
time to it.
Alderman Davis, before the order provid
ing for the salaries for the coming year was
called up, thought that the communication
from Mr.. Otis Brown. offering to take the
place of street commissioner for $500 a year,
ought TO have some consideration as that
offer might affect the salary of the street
commissioner. He was supported IN this
suggestion ana after the reading of the OF.
der providing for the salaries of the city
officers moved that the salary of the street
commissioner be reduced from S10OU as
stated in the order to $500. This was
carried.
The bill for salaries as finally amend ed
I cad as follows:
In Deering the outgoing city Cover me MT
fxes no salaries or the city officers for the
ensuing year. The salary bill as passed /
as follows:
Mayor. S2t(
CLERK, Collector and Treasurer. l5O(
(The CLERK, Collector and Treasurer turns
ali the fees of his Office, amounting to
over $500 annually, into the city treasury.
Street Commissioner, he to furnish driv-
ing team, $9tI
City Solicitor. 20i
City Physician. 25t
.ianitOr, 1850
Assessors, So per day
Oyerseers Of the poor for time
actually spent, Sc per day
Board Of Health, each S5C
Ballot Clerk and Ward Ofhcers,
for time actually spent, So per day.
Chief of Fire Department, 1M
City Auditor, 100
City Civil Engineer, 10Ct
The changes from the original order in.
cludes the reduction of the street commits
sioner's salary fl ON $1,000 to 5000 and of the
ia nitors from $500 to S150. Also it was
amended SO that the Board of Health should
not expend moro than SIS in expenses.
After much discussion there was added tc
the list provision of $1,000 Tor the salary Of
q city civil engineer this Office to lie made 4
permanent one. Alderman Redlon sup
ported his motion hat the salary be Sl3oWtI
The civil engineer to provide bis own assist
ant.