Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-09-25
A LIVELY council MEETING
Aid. Fletcher Strs Up His Collea ues
on the Question of Beer
Halls.
He Wants the Ordinance Repealed
Permitting Women to Sing or
Play in Them.

Mayor Webster presided Monday at
the council meeting, all the aldermen
except Aid. Dunn being in their seats.
After the reading of the minutes and
transaction of some routine business, the
committee on streets and alleys reported
adversely on a petition from Mrs. L.
Pettingill and others for sidewalk in
the alley in block 553, West Great Falls.
One of the reasons given for this action
was that the petition was signed by less
than half the owners affected thereby.
The report was adopted and the petition
referred to the petitioners for more sig
natures.
Aid. Marion reported that the alleged
disorder at the saloon of Barney Nc
Groly on the North side was confined to
a single occasion, and that to take away
the license at this time would mean ruin
to the saloon keeper, as he had just paid
$500 for license. On his motion the
matter was dropped for the present, pro
vided no moro complaints were received
The committee appointed to see Mr.
Dickinson and obtain proposition for
electric lights on the streets, reported
! that they had not been able to get any
proposition and asked for further time,
which was granted. 1t is understood
the company declined to make PROPOSE,
ton and asked the city to make one to
them.
Aid. Fletcher moved the final reading
and passage of his ordinance repeating
the permission granted to women to per-
form. in beer halls. The motion pre-.
vailed without opposition, and the yeas
and nays being called, Aids. Mitchell, Nc
Donnel, Marion and Fletcher voted yea,
while Aldermen Fitzgerald, Thompson
and Holmes remained silent when their
names were called. The clerk announced
the result four yeas, three not voting.
Aid. Fitzgerald made the point of or
der that any measure receiving vote
amounting to less than a quorum should
be declared lost.
Aid. Fletcher rose to his feet ard de-
c!ared that the ordinance he wished to
have repealed hsd been adopted by just
such vote, only four voting for it. lle
declared taat it was a shame and q cis-
grace that the poor unfortunate women
on the row should be fined for volat
ing the law, and women working in beer
halls and gamblers should be allowed to
violate the law without paying any fine
Aid Fitzgerald said that the gam
bling question hat nothing to do with
this matter If AID. Fletcher wanted tc
get after the gamblers let him do it, but
there was no objection from the public
to women earning an honest living foI
themselves by singing or playing in beer
halls. 1t had always been allowed and
he saw no harm in it.
Aid. Fletcher said he wanted to 90 or
record as protesting that it was shame
and disgrace to the city, and declared
that if pimps and gamblers were going
to run the city he wanted to move ou,
of it.
AID Fitzgerald resented these re-
marks and said Aid. Fletcher might be
honest about it, but he doubted it. Just
as good men rs Fletcher or himself went
to the beer halls and enjoyed the music
by the female orchestra.
Aid. Fletcher retorted that he didn't
pretend to be an angel and he didn't
think Fitzgerald was one, but the city
had no right to authorize thing thai
was Unlawful.
The mayor here interfered and sale
the discussion was becoming too per
eonal. He ruled that AID Fitzgerald't
point CT order was well taken.
The council then went into executive
session, and after an absence of half ar
hour, closeted with the city attorney, re
convened in council and passed a resolu
.ion to the effect that the check Of j. T
Cowan of Butte for $1,000, should he hell
ny the city, and not returned as de
nanded.