The Portland daily press., 1895-02-11
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The overseers Bill Referred to Next City
Government.

A special meeting of the city council was
held Saturday evening to take some action
on the proposed bill to be presented to the
legislature providing for new plan or
eleoting assessors of the poor. At the last
regular meeting the bill passed the upper
board four 10 two, Mr.. MCGOWAN not voting
at his request, but the councilmen non
concurred.
In the board of aldermen. Saturday night
the mayor was in the chair. Absen AL
derr.en Peters and Smith.
The mayor said that at the last meeting
committee of conference had been asked
by the lower boal d .Rand what action should
he taken. Alderman MCGOWAN observed
that he would like to see the endorsements
on the bill from the lower board. He then
moved that committee of conference be
appointed in concurrence.
In the common council. Messrs. Johnston.
Mcdonald, Slower, and Kent were absent.
The motion for committee of conference
with the upper board was concur ed in and
the committee met, composed of Aldermen
MCGOWAN and Little. Mess1s. Payson. lis
ley and Henry. After an hours iscussion
Mr.. MCGOWAN reported that the committee
eminent.
der:
''Ordered that on and after this date the
committee on accounts, be and are hereby
Instructed not to approve any bills; nor the
city auditor or treasurer, to audit OF ap-
prove.any bill contraeed in violation of the
statutes, reading as follows: No member of
any city government shall be interested di-
rectly or Indirectly in any contract entered
into by such city government while he is a
member thereof and contracts made In vlo-
lation hereof is void.n
Mr.. MCGOWAN stated that source OF the
existing inequalities in the management ol
the almshouse was the unbusiness-hke man
ner of making purchases for the INSTITUTION.
The whole ,netifod is characterized by faV-
oritism, in open violation of existing laws
forbidding members of any branch OF the
city government selling goods to the cltS.TA
glance at the monthly bills contracted by
the oyerseers of the poor Will show that oO
per cent. if not indeed75 per cent are bought
of many of the pres ent members of the as
SCISSORS. This is all wrong. and should be
stopped.
Alderman Thompson was very much OPP
posed to the proposed order and said i
have read something to the effect that the
board had been doing the business of the
almshouse and hospital in a way that was
far from right. But the men on that board
are, as far as l know, honest men, even
though there is so much dissatisfaction.
Under the circumstances / shall not vote
for any such order.H move hat the order
be laid OF the table. -
Alderman Little seconded the motion, and
said that he was not in favor of the pas
sage of an order rejecting in any way on
the committee on accounts.
Mr.. MCGOWAN said in reply to Alderman
Little that there was no reflection upon the
committee on accounts. The city council
was greater than ITS committees, who as
a rule are willing TO receive instruction. We
are here face to face with the statutes and
the law should be respected and obeyed.
The mayor then put the previous motion
of Alderman Thompson to lay on the table,
which was carried. by yea and nay vote.
to l, Mr.. MCGOWAN voting no.
A fter the committee on conference re-
ported that the oyerseer's bill be reported
to the next city government the lower
board adjourned.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Alderman Little presented a petition
from W. H. Willard. SO Pile street, for
wooden building. Referred.
The aldermen went into licensing board
and Alderman Randall presented a petition
from George A. Hawley and brother Ter
license for a bowling alley at $40 Congress
street.-The Oren Hooper building. Grant
ed