The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-01-12
CITIES OF MONTANA
lha Convention Called 10 Order and
business Attended To.
FOR A REVISION OF LAWS
Bills to Be Formulated and Pre-
sented to the legslature-De-
fects In the Codes VIII
Be Repaired.
srecIaI pIspateh 10 the standnrd.

Special Dispatch TO the Standard.
Helena, Jan. 1l.-Nine cities were
represented at the municipal conyen-
tion which met in Helena this after
noon. The meeting was called To order
in the council room at the city hall at
o'clock by William Thompson. mayor
OF Butte. who. several weeks ago. orig
mated the idea of a meeting Of city Of
fcials. He explained the objects of the
convention, after a brief address OF
welcome by Mayor william l.. Steele Of
Helena. II Is the purpose OF the con-
ventiOn 10 revise the laws relating to
municipalities. There are many defects
In the codes through which cities Of
Montana have been subjected To loss,
and II Is the intention of the conycn-
tiou To remedy the defects which have
become known after nearly two years
experience with the laws.
A bill embodying all reyisions and
sections relating to cities that have not
been touched will he drawn up and pre-
sented to the legislature where It will
doubtless receive serious consideration.
Mayor Thompson was made chair
man Of the convention; Massena Bull
lard. city attorney of Helena. was
Hughes of Missoula. assistant sccrc-
tary. At the roll call the following re-
sponded:
Automatically Attorney col. T.
o'Leary. Alderman Dennis Shoylln.
Butte-Mayor william Thompson.
City Treasurer Yoder. Attorney l.. J.
Humilton. city Engineer F. w. Blacks
ford, Aldermen 4. $. Harrington. John
Cooke and John e. Heilig. president OF
the council. Billlngs-O. q. Finkleburg.
president of the council; city Attorney
j. Is. Herford and Alderman J. II. Rein
hart. Bozeman- Mayor Frank L. Be
nepe, City Attorney George Pease and
Alderman T.. NJ. Gardner. Dillon-J. II.
Pondexter. city attorney. Great Falls
City Treasurer w. >. Frary and city
Engineer C. w. Swearinger, city Clerk
c. ii. Clark, Aldermen Samuel Stephen-
son. II. J. Fitzgerald and j. q. Greaves.
Thompson. Helena-Mayor w. L..
Steele. President Jacob Post. City At
torney Massena Bullard, Aldermen a.
y. Keith. W. $. Spalding, II. q. Farris
and j. Il. Wilson. Missoula-City At
torney w. +. Hughes. Aldermen r. NJ.
Riley and c. W. Lombard. Philipsburg
w. II. Allison. acting mayor. and Al
dernan l.. w. Shodair.
Business was commenced without de-
lay. Six committees were appointed by
Mayor Thompson to which sections Of
the code needing revision were re-
fcrred.
The afternoon was taken up in read
ing the code relating to municipalities.
section by section. and referring mat
lers TO committees which Will report
tomorrow. Following We're the COM
mittees named: Public improvements,
+. w. Blackford, Lombard. Gardner.
F'inkelenburg and Swearinger. Rcve-
nue-Post. Benepe. IIeilig and FraTy.
Oficers-Clark. Farris. Finkelenburg,
Gardner. Kelley. Shovlin and Cook.
Judlciary-Hamilton. Poindexter. Pease.
Herford. O'Leary, Stephenson, Hughes
and Keith. Powcrs-Shovlin. Heilig,
Hughes. Pease. Fitzgerald. Municipal
Indebtedness. Greaves. Thompson, Be
nepe, Harrington. Spalding. Lombard
and Herford.
The convention hopes to complete It's
business tomorrow when reports OF
committees viii he acted upon.
AZ the evening session, which dld not
sdjoun until 1850 o'clock. much I'M
p0rtant bIslncss was temporarily ms
pcscd Of Several live debates ensued
over questions brought up. IL was
agreed that cities should receive the
bulk OF saloon licenses instead of the
state and county. The matter OF IL
censing circus parades was referred to
a committee. The resolution. empow =
erine councils at their option Ia do
away with city treasurers. 10 FAR as the
collection Of general taxes are con-
cerncd. putting the collection of taxes
in the hands OF county trcashrers,
caused n lively debate. but was finally
referred To committee as was also the
resolution empowering councils To leg
iglate against the theater hat. The con-
vcntion finally adjourned To y. m. TO-
morrow. Committees Will meet NJ '5'
o'clock and formulate reports which
will be submitted in the afternoon.