The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-08-15
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

were entertained with dialogue between
Chief of Police Taylor and Councilman Lee,
in which personalities wore indnlged in quite
freely. The controversy grew out of dis
pute az to the allowance of bill claimed by
! Taylor to be due for work performed some
+! time ago for the city, but which the street
committee had refused to o. X. Some time
ago the council passed resolution requiring
that all bills incurred for the improvement
of streets should be authorized and audited
by the street committee. Councilman Lee,
who is a member of this commit ee, claimed
that the work for which the bill was pre-
sented had never been ordered by the com.
mittee and refused to O. K. the bill. This
statement was contrsdicted by the chief OF
police and, until the mayor raped for or.
der, the conversation between the two be.
came both loud and animated. Fortunately
the only ammunition used was jawbone, and
neither of the contestants was injured.
During the reading of the minutes, sew
eral counciImen came in and took their seats
and when the journal had been read the
only VaCdDC SSdG WAS Gud1 vi
Peet, who came in later.
The first matter to come up for consider
alton was the report of the FIRE and water
committee. 70 it had been referred, at the
July meeting, the matter of investigating
the needs of the city in the way of addi
tional water facilities for fire purposes.
Their report was quite lengthy one, show.
ing that careful pains had besn taken in the
discargs of their duty. They recommended
the putting in of 30 new hydrants. These
were to be well distributed over the city
and would afford protection in the outlying
additions They also advised the abolish
ment of six of the ten hydrants now in
use.
A motion to accept the report brought
forth a spirited discussion that lasted como
time and which was participated in by
most of the members present. Councilman
Lee asked to be informed as to the contract
price per hydrant. This, it was stated,
was $3 per month, and under the present
contract the monthly cost to the city for
the "a plugs would be $l02.
Samuels opposed accepting the report, be
lieviHg that the water company should be
given a new franchise. He thought that
the council was fooling away its time in
considering the matter under present con-
ditions. If tie plugs were located as rec.
ommended by the committee they would
be of no benefit because the supply of water
through four inch mains would be made.
quate. He said the company should be
met half way like men. The company had
not the money to extend their plant as rap--
idly MS would be required under the recon-
mendation Of the committee, but that they
would do SO as fast as possible. He be-
lieved that a compromise could be effected
and the matter amicably adjusted to the
best interests of all concerned, if the com.
mite would meet the members of the
company and confer over the proposition in
a business like way.
Councilman Flett, member of the COM
mittee, laid there were two classes of citi-
zens in town. One claimed tho council
could force the water company, under the
existing contract, to extend its plant at the
request of the council. The other class be.
lieved the council were powerless to enforce
any demand against the company. Out of
respect to the opinion of the former citizens
he had been induced to sign the committees
report. He thought the demand should be
made on the company in order to deter
mine what they proposed doing. In any
event, the acceptance of the conu1ittee's
report would not interfere with future ac-
sions of the council, and what was neces.
sary at this time was to determine the mum.
Der of hydrants the city wanted and their
location.
Councilman Greffoz, also member of the
fire and water COMMITTEES believed there
was no necessity of compromise. If the
water company coAld not be forced to Gem
ply with the contract, then there was no
reason why it could force the city.
Davis, alss ons of the fire and water
committee, said careful investigation of
the matter had been made and thought it
impractical for the city to attempt getting
along with less number of hydrants than
was recommended in the report. He be-
lisved that the suburban portions of town
were Just as much eutitled to fire protection
as any other.
Finally an aye and no vote was called for
and all voted aye with the exception of
Samusls, who voted no.
The street committee to whom was re-
ferred the matter of licensing bill posting,
reported by ordinance, which was subse.
auently passed without amendment. The
ordinance provides that no person shall dis
tribute dodgers, hand bills or other adver.
tising ma tier within the limits of the city
of Corvallis unless such person has first been
granted license for such business. The
is fee fixed at S. per quarter, and tho PEN
atty for failing to comply with the ordinance
is fine of from S. to 500 for each offense
or imprisonment In the city Jail
When the allowing of bills was reached
Councilman Greffoz objected to the July &C.
count of the water company, and, upon
motion, it was referred to the FIRE and water