The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-17
CITY FATHERS
HEAVY HEARTS
II
When Viii We Nine Meet Again.
They Asked Each Other.
THE GOD OF WAR RAMPANT
Tears We're Dried andi Hot Words
Passed When the Blddipg on City
Printing wos coifadered


II was their last meeting but they
went at Il like men very much In earn
est--that H. the city fathers did. Every
member-0ne more, In fact. Sir. Brix.
the Third wards new representative
was In his seat when Mayor Taylor
cali~d game Sad Esid features were
those OF Young. Bergman and Scher-
neckau. The former and latter have
been In the council until they look like
H. and they Ieglslated last night for
probably the last time II was a touch
Ing scene
Mr. Bergman seemed very much af-
fected. The water pitcher ls placed on
his desk. and has been ever since Con-
comly's daughter was married 20 a
partner IN the concern that founded
this hamlet. Ever and anon Mr.. Berg
man glanced at the pitcher and look
Of disgust overspread his features each
time. When Young Is sad he is silent,
and he didn't say a dozen words last
night except 60 state that he was GO
ing 10 gin up" after the meeting on
January 2. Mr.. Young's heavy heart
and saddened brain forced him to do
this. He Is In dead earnest and prom
Used to take the council reporters with
him. an Invitation that was declined
with thanks Il don't think.
one could hear II pin drop when May
or Taylor dropped the gavel and for
/ few minutes silence reigned supreme
Then. nerving himself to the situation
his honor called for the reading OF the
minutes Even Auditor Nelson. usual
] ly smiling and clean shaven. was sad
and bewhiskered and several times he
stopped 10 suppress his emotion. City
Attorney Curtis was overcome and bor-
rpwed a piece Of chewing tobacco from
the Budget reporter II was awful
the situation. not the tobacco.
! l. Boentgen and f. Lindstrom asked
Tor liquor licenses. They viii be grant
ed next meeting. A petition from Coun-
~ Clerk Dunbar inclosing a petition
from Viola Kant. who wanted a reduc-
tlon OF certain taxes. was referred to
the ways and means committee Jensen
a Hansen set forth that the city would
do we'll 10 enter into a contract with
the firm to build a gravel roof on En-
glne House No. /. and the public prop
erty committee viii inquire into the
matter.
Then there was trouble. Bitter tears
and smothered sighs gave way TO hot
words and angry glances. II was all
over the awarding Of the city printing.
Welch presented a minority report from
the ways and means committee. in
which he reviewed the bids of the sew
eral papers. That Of the Evening
Budget, cents a square for the first
insertion and 2ls cents for each subse-
quent insertion-was the lowest, while
J. $, Dellinger made the best bid on
blank forms; and Welch recommended
that the city enter into contracts with
Dellinger and the Budget. Mr Parker.
another member OF the ways and means
committee, stated that he did not agree
with Welch's report and asked further
time in which to report Young, the
third member, never said word. He
was still sad.
Welch said he was In favor Of not
granting Parker further time. He said
there should be no spite work in the
matter, and that, as the Budgets bid
was the lowest, that paper should have
the printing, Bergman dashed tear
drop from his eve. looked again at the
water pitcher. and concurred in what
Welch said, McGregor thought 1t a
matter Of courtesy, II not business, to
give Parker more time. Mr.. Bergman
reiterated his former assertion and call
ed for immediate action. Some one
moved that Parker be granted the de-
sired time, and the motion was lost
yeas, McGregor, Thompson, Parker and
Siverson; nays, Bergman. Schiebe,
Scherneckau, Welch and Young.
Parker said he disliked very much to
be forced TO make a report before he
was ready, but that he would make one
nevertheless. In this report he set forth
that the three daily papers had entered
into combine as to the city printing;
from circumstantial evidence within
his possession, the papers were going to
charge reasonable price for the work.
Ut might not be amiss to state that the
papers charge business men twenty
four times as much for local advertis-
ing as the city figuring on the contract
let last night. A square, twelve lines
of nonpareil, instertcd ten times costs
a business man $780, while the city
will now get the same space for 27I5
cents-a slight difference.) Mr.. Parker
went on to state that the combine fail
ed, through the withdrawing Of the
Astorian, He said the Astorian was
the nearest approach to newspaper in
the city. with a big circulation. and
that its kindly offices In saving the
city from great expense by the with
drawing from the trust should be re-
warded and contract entered into
with 1t for the city printing at the price
of the bid, and s. He was against
awarding the contract to the Budget.