The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-14

| -P0ss-InteIligeneer Made the Of
The clerks desk IN the city council
| chamber was weighed down with papers
| relating TO routine matters when the eoun-
Gil convened last night. Some important
| matters were taken up, considered and dis
| posed Of A resolution was passed max
/ ing the Pos,-Intsiligencer the Official news
paper of the city for the coming year.
| 1t was decided to submit to the voters AT
| the coming municipal election two pro-
| posed charter amendments. one fixing the
/ liquor license at 81 900. another fixing II at
| $500. 1t was conceded that the petition
| fathered by William vogt. having for II.
| object the abolition Of civil service in con-
| nection with the city government. does not
| meet charter requirements. But DR.. Chap
| man presented a resolution providing that
| an amendment aboiishing civil service be
/ submitted to the voters next March. The
| council will consider the resolution in COM
4 mittee OF the whole. II adopted. the pur
| poses of Mr. Voigts petition will be ac-
| complshed. DR.. Chapman presented an
| other proposed charter amendment or
| much importance, which the council Will
| look into in committee OF the whole.
| Soon after the council convened the COM
4
| charter amendment introduced by Council
| man James at the last meeting fixing the
| liquor license OF the city at II, 600 a year
| made report recommending that two
| amendments be submitted. one fixing the
license at 81. 900. the other fixing 1t at $500.
the price Of the present license. The report
caused a great discussion, in which Nc
| Ardle. James and Navin were the orators.
James was willing. he said. that the two
| amendments should be submitted. notwith-
standing that he personally believes in
| 81 eco license.
| McArdie asked James why he wanted the
| license fixed at 8. 900
Because" answered James, II believe
in high license" James went on to speak
| OF the good results which came from a law
| such as he proposes in the state of Mime
| sofa James further said that, once the
| license was fixed by charter. the saloon
| element would no longer attempt to inter-
| fere with city elections. McArdle replied
| that he had never known that the LIQUOR
| question ever figured very seriously in city
| elections. James said that he had repeat
| eddy been approached by the saloon ele-
| ment. and had been told on one occasion
| by that element that the city central COM
mittee had pledged him to low license.
| Navin. who is opposed to the proposed
| amendment made a long speech roasting
the 'the inconsistent church folk" Nc
| Ardle insisted that the saloon element had
| done much to keep the city government
| going during the recent period of depres-
| sion. Hurd said he could see no reason
| why the gentlemen from the First ward
should be opposed to giving the people
| chance to vote on the amendment and
James thought 1t funny that Nayin. who
believes In allowing the people 10 rule n,
| all things, should be opposed 10 allowing
| the amendments to be submitted. A vote
| was taken on the ordinance r providing
| that the amendments be submitted. All
| voted for 1t with the exception OF Nc
| Ardle and Navin.
| The petition OF William Voigt and others
asking the council to submit to the voters
! at the next general election an amend
| ment providing for the abolition of civil
| service was read. There Is no doubt that
| the petition does not conform TO the city
| charter. In that 1t has not the required
number OF names. 20 per cent of the
| registered voters at the last municipal
| election. The defect is admitted by Mr..
| Noigt and others who have fathered 1t.
| The petition was referred to the city
| comptroller by the council. just for the
| purpose of fulfilling a charter provision
which says that the comptroller must
check up the names attached.
Councilman Chapman made speech on
the subject of civil service The system.
| he said. may be all right. but under Its
| present administration It has a great
| many fatal defects. He would not have
| anything TO say il the council decided to
| submit to the voters at the next election
amendments to the present system. The
petition presented by Mr. Voigt. DR.. Chap
| man continued, had q great many names
attached TO 1t. There was not the number
required. but IL showed that hundreds OF
| the best people Of this city want civil SER
! vice abolished. In view of that fact. DR.
| Chapman said he would introduce a PESO
lution providing for Its abolition. He then
| presented his resolution. which reads:
| An amendment-That article 1s of the
| Charter OF the city of Seattle. adopted
March B. 1896. be amended to read as fol-
lows: That article Is of the city charter
be and is hereby repealed
The resolution was referred to commit,
| tee of the whole
DR. Chapman presented another pro-
posed amendment. which reads:
To amend section ?. Article 1. Of city
cnsfter; Inc city council shall consist Of
! one member elected from. the city at large
! who shall be the president II the CITY
! council, and a member of the board Of
| public works. and shall receive salary
! of the adoption of this amendment the
| person. receiving the highest number OF
votes for Councilman-at-large at the ssn-
! eral election in March. 1sas. shall be an
titled 10 qualify as counciman-at-fsraa
aud provided further, that nothing herein
I prevent
| TWO councilmen-at-large elected in fSss
( TOT the term OF four years. from serving
/ as such councilman-at-l large during the
/ term fer which they were elected
section ! of article tn be amended as
! follows:
There shall be a board of public works
which shall consist OF three members:
! The president OF the council the s1nar
1 iptendent Of streets. sewers and marks
and the superintendent of lighting and
/ wateVworks.
The member OF this hoard that has the
/ shortest term snail be the chairman or
cept the president OF the city council T"
! J. F. T. Mitchell and Robert II. ca,lIga,
I az executors Of the estate Of James NJ
/ Phee. deceased sent communication IN
the council In which they offered n end
the present legal light with the city IF the
I city viii Immediately. AZ its own cost CON-
s,ruct a good. substantial hnlkheas 10 ~uo-
port the sci 81 Fifth avenue where tha,
avenue ahuts upon the property of the as
tate. II the city VIII do this work ths a.