Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-05-15
TOWN AND VICINITY.
The Second CHAPTER.

The Second Chapter.
The first regular monthly meeting of the
current Council was held last Monday even
ing, and it is worthy Of record to state that be-
fore it was called to order there was some in
formal talk concerning the methods of re-
ceiving and considering bills, and it was de-
termined that the committee on Finance
should have all bills at least three days prior
to regular meetings.
Mayor Bear took the chair Clerk Mason
called the roll All present.
Baliff Bowen took the oath of office
Mr.. Knieriem moved that Council proceed
to elect Water Superintendent and Street
Supervisor Carried.
Mayor stated that no application would be
considered that did not include both offices.
Messrs. Shuckhart and D. d. Price were
appointed tellers.
The applications of Alfred Jeffries and Con-
rad Knieriem were read, and Mr.. Johnson
nominated Owen England.
A ballot was taken which resulted as
follows:
HhiSi ielii '''''. '''''''' '''.'.''''
England. .....'.........'... ......l
Mayor declared Mr.. Jeffries elected.
On motion of Mr.. Shuckhart, Council pro-
ceeded to elect an engineer for the pumping
station.
Clerk Mason had started to read the appli-
cations for the position when b. 7. Schofield
requested permission to withdraw his name
as an applicant. The applications Of Robert
Wilson, George Wehner and David Morgan
were read. Mr. T. NJ. Price nominated Con-
rad Knierem, and the ballot resulted:
knerlem. 20
Wehner. .......... ...................l
Knieriem was declared elected.
Mr.. johnson moved that the wages for the
position be fixed at the same rate as last year
-Sl.75 per day. Carried.
The question of the salary of Bailif was
taken up and the Mayor said he had advo-
Gated in his inaugural an increase for the
reason that he was bonded officer and that
this Council would expect him to render at
each monthly meeting an itemized statement
of each taxpayers account, which would
entail great deal more work than had been
done heretofore. He (the Mayoc) thought So
per month for collecting water rents and an
increase of So per month in the salary Il
Bailitf would be about right.
Mr. johnson was opposed to raising the
Bailiff's salary. He thought he was getting
enough for the work done, and moved that
the salary remain as 1t was last year-S45 per
month and so per quarter for collecting
water rents.
Councilman Griffith amended the motion
by substituting $50 for S45.
Councilman Nickel stated that he would
not be opposed to paying Bailitf $50 per
month, provided the additional duties I'M
posed upon him would justify such action,
and, provided further, that the BaiIltf be in
formed that such extra work would be re-
quired of him, and, that he (Bailiff) would
signify his willingness to perform it. Until
the Bailff had been fully informed of these
matters he could not vote inteligently upon
the motion.
DR.. Griffith said that inasmuch as the
Bailif had been paid SIS per month for years
he thought, owing to the increased population,
his WORK had been materially augmented
and was entitled to a raise of IS per month.
The amendment was then put and carried,
to vote down original motion, which was done
with some hesitancy by part of Council and
several smiles on the part Of others.
Then, as in all instances Of parliamentary
ENHANCEMENT, was raised the perennial ques-
tion---"what next? '
But Messrs. Nickel and J. B. Crouch, of the
Frostburg News explained with perspcuous
circumlocution to the Mayor that the slick
procedure was to put to "the house" the
orig inal motion as amended. This being the
way it is evidently done in Germany and
West Virginia, perhaps other foreign coun-
tries, the Mayor caught on and the rehabli-
tated motion slid through slick as fabricated
lightning. See? 'Rah for Bowen!l
lack. Krapf appeared and with Teutonic
effusveness, thanked Council for the honor
he had enjoyed in being elected one of the
Assessors. While Council was wondering
what Mr.. Krapf was upto, he amazed all and
utterly Frustrated the German contingent by
metaphorical!y handing in his resignation
instead of dying in office
Coolheaded DR.. Griffith was the first to re-
cover sufficiently to move that the resignation
be accepted and that Council proceed to
elect an assessor to fill the vacancy. Carried.
Noah NJ. Skldmore and William J. Davis
were nominated. A ballot was taken with the
following result:
Skidmore. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ............5
Davis. ...................Z
Mayor declared Skidmore elected
Messrs. w. q. Boughton, Palmer Sperrv
and Noah NJ. Skidmore, Assessors-elect, were
then sworn in.
Mayor said he would like Council to in
struct the Assessors as to their duties especial
ly in regard to the dog taX--whether the law
should be enforced or repealed There is
doubt as to the legal power of the Bailitf
to take a dog and kill it because the tax
has not been paid.
Bailif Bowen requested permission to say
word. He said it was hard tax to collect
He had collected the first year Sl2O; last year
only 50, because he had no way to enforce
the law except by taking dogs and killing
them. He could not do this on the street,
nor in a private yard, but he had to capture
them and run his chances of getting bit, and
so on.
Mr.. Boughton wanted to know if Assessors
would have to visit every house in town.
Answered Eyes"
Mr.. Nickel moved that the pay of Assessors
be fixed at the same rate as last year---S2 80
per day. Carried.
Drs j. Marshall Price and W. O. McLane