Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-01-25
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The Saloon Men Enter a Protest
Against the Increased License
nder Ordinance No. t2i.
A Committee Appointed to Draft
Resolutions of Sympathy with
the Butte Sufferers.

regular session, the mayor presiding, and
full board of aldermen being present.
The minutes Of the preceding meeting
having been read and approved the clerk
read communication signed by some
twenty saloon men and liquor dealers
protesting against the increased city IL
Cense levied under ordinance No. 12l,
passed at the last meeting cf the council.
and asking that the provisions of the
ordinance relating to the liquor licenses
he reconsidered They alleged that they
were already paying very heavy IL
cense to the county, and that the condi-
ton Of their business would not allow
of their paying the increased city license
without great hardship to them. They
admitted that the distribution Of the IL
cenee money paid between the county
and the city was not just one, but
thought this ought to be remedied with
out increasing their burdens.
Alderman Fitzgerald moved that the
petition be referred to the ordinance
committee.
Alderman Sullivan thought there was
no use in doing this as the ordinance
committee had already expressed their
views, which were embodied in the pro
visions of the ordinance.
Alderman Joscelyn moved that the
communication be laid on the table in
definitely. He said the council had gone
all over this matter, and if the saloon
men were being taxed too high they
should make their complaint to the
county commissioners, who levied tax
| OF S125 quarter on them while the city,
which mad the power to fix the license
at the same amount, let them off with
$50, less than half the amount they
paid the county.
The mayor remarked that he thought
it strange that the saloon men should
pay Sl2o per quarter to the county with
out grumbling and then kick about pay
ing $50 to the city, on whom devolved
the chief expense of looking after them.
| 1t was finally decided to refer the
communication to the committee on
taxes and licenses, consisting of E. G.
Hansen, F. d. Joscelyn and David Will
Jams.
The city treasurer requested the city
to furnish him with new set of books.
He desired to make some changes in the
method of bookkeeping and wished to
have his books kept more after the man
ner of the county treasurer's Office,
which, he state d, Was better and more
detailed system. The matter was re-
ferred to the printing committee with
power to act.
The city clerk submitted his monthly
report showing the expenses of the va
rious departments for December, and
which is published in full in another
column.
The city treasurer also made his
monthly report, which checked with the
clerks report.
The mayor stated that he had tele.
graphed the mayor of Butte expressing
the sympathy Of Great Falls with them
in their great disaster and offering tinan-
cial aid, and had received telegram of
thanks, but declining financial assistance
as unnecessary. lie thought, however.
that the city council should at this, their
first meeting, give more formal express
SIGN to their feelings of sympathy with
their sister city by the passage of resolu-
! tions on the subject.
On motion the following committee
was appointed to draft suitable reeolu-
tiops, which will be presented mt a
special meeting Of the council this after
noon called for the purpose Of passing
| them: Aldermen Fitzgerald. Young and
| sullivan.
| Alderman Williams asked if any steps
were necessary to see that this city was
| IN no danger from the storing of large
quantities Of explosives, and the mayor
stated that about three weeks ago the
chief of the tire department had in
spected all the buildings where such ex-
p!osives were kept, and had reported to
him that he found them all living up to
the requirements of the ordinance, and
no danger existing.
/
| Butte explosion several parties had told
him that explosives in large quantities
we're kept in certain Easements in the
city and he had investigated the state
menta and found them totally without
| foundation. Only one firm in town
handled giant powder and they only
kept two boxes on hand. and this
was kept in an iron safe outside
the building. None of the firms
handling gun powder kept any large
quantity on hand. The largest amount
he found in the possession of any one
"rm was 100 pounds and this was also
kept in an iron box outside the building
where il could be easily removed in case
of fire. He had satisfied himself that
this state of facts was the usual one,
and had not been made since tho Butte
disaster.
| a resolution was passed creating a
special garbage fund. Attorney Larg-
gent reported that the Injunction case
brought by the water company would be