The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-08-04
Subscription $2per Year.
ANDIT CAME TO PASS

1t has arrived. Yesterday while
our wife was engaged in the
exhiliarating pastime of splitting
a little wood and we were super
intending the job, both the split
fist and the superintendent we're
served with injunction papers re-
straining the city council from
paying L. M. Schaefer any money
on her contract as city printer and
Peter Schaefer from getting any
pay for his services as city clerk,
the restraining order being signed
by Judge Ensign of the district
court, and was entitled, "George
Westcott plaintiff, VS.. The City
Council of the City of Ely, L. M.
Schaefer and Peter Shaefer, de-
PENDANTS.
Awful, isn't it, to be thus early
in life bereft of your bread and
butter simply because the city
council would not listen to the
honeyed accents of the siren with
a silver baited hook, fishing for
$500 year.
For over four years, before our
rag" made its appearance in this
city, the times being the only
paper here published everything
to be published by the city for the
small sum of so cents per folio.
When the MINER became of age
and legally entitled to do official
printing, Mrs. Schaefer put in a
bid for the printing at a figure
that would save the city that year
something like SO per cent from
the prices that had been paid for
four years or more. Mrs. Schae-
fer secured the contract and the
war began.
The times being alone in the
field they had a cinch and used it
for all it was worth. No thoughts
were given to the poor taxpayers
for whom it makes such a wall at
present. Mr.. Westcott was city
attorney at the time the above con-
tract was let and drew $50 monthly
to look after the legal affairs of
the city. At the same time Mrs.
Shaefer put in her bid, Harry
James put in a bid. According
to the present injunction it was il
legal to give Mrs. Schaefer the
printing because she was the wife
of the city clerk. There is where
the kick should have been made.
II it is illegal now it was then and
the city attorney was drawing pay
to keep things straight.
The matter of paying the city
clerk for his services was also set
tied in the presence of the city at
torney. Why was not a protest
raised at that time against paying
the clerk $25 month when the
law only allowed $3.50 as the
complaint states!
At the last election your humble
servant and doormat for disgrunt-
led candidates for city attorney,
was again elected to fill the posit-
ion of city clerk. At the first
meeting of the new council, Mr..
Westcott was there as city attor-
ney. Again was the clerks salary
fixed for the year. No howl was
made then-his royal highness had
other fish to fry. The attorney
ship was sticking in his crop. But
fates decreed it otherwise. The
work that had been done and the
money that had been spent fell
to naught and when the secret bal
lot was counted On the election of
city attorney, our hero came out
behind and the battle went on.
Again after due notice, bids to
do the city printing were again
opened. The times bid was cent
per folio and 5 cents per folio
while the bid of Mrs. Schaefer was
12a cents rer folio and 324 cents
per folio. Tne highest bid secured
the contract as did also the highest
bidder to do the scavenger work.
(The poor taxpayer is also getting
it in the neck on the scavenger
contract but his royal nibs does
not see this as the Schaefer name
is not connected with it. A peice
Of land was also bought for $3.50
when another piece could have
been secured for $3.50, which was
also we'll as Schaefer was not con-
nected with it, It could be plain
ly seen on the face of the times
bid that it was not wanted for the
revenue that there was in it, but
was .!.cnc with malicious purpose