The Portland daily press., 1897-01-16
NEW QUARTERS
For the Deering City Government AS
Sured.

Aldermen Vote To Go Into Odd Fell ows'
Building on Lease for Ten Years-A
Lively Meeting in the Neighboring
City.
NO man can start conversation
in Deering3 nowadays on subject SO re-
mote that it will not wind up with
discussion of annexation. 1t permeates
the house, the stores, the stables, offices,
the clubs, the sewing circles, the cleo
tries and every conceivable spot where
human beings can congregate. OF course
ii is lively issue with city government
officials, and although the question was
not before the board in any way, 1t
contributed lots of ginger to the meeting
of the Deering aldermen, called to set
tie the question of new city government
quarters
The full Board was present, Mayor
Mitchell presiding, and there was q
large attendance of citizens.
The Board first listened to Judge Hen
ry @. Peabody, who appeared TO repre-
sent the heirs of Ernest e. KING hit, ask
ing that suitable award be made to them
for damages to their homestead by raa-
son of lnnd taken ny the city for public
Improvement. Judge Peabody said in
effect that his clients recognized that
public necessity is superior to private
rights and asked no incidental benefits,
but simply just and equitable oompen-
estimate Of their loss was based upon the
cost of filing, making culyerts, raising
house, etc. They asked 10 charity
simply justice. He believed the board
would act fairly and would not try to
drive any sharp bargains with the heirs
O Erastus Knight.
The Board next took up the order pro-
Yiding for the lease of the new city gov
eminent, in the new Odd Fellows build
ing. 1t provides for lease by the CITY
for ten years at $500 year.
Alderman Davis strongly opposed it.
He said that the Alderman who intro
duced the order Alderman Small), was
an avowed annex ationist, was trying to
take away from the city of Deering a
million dollars OF property and give it
over to the enemy, and he (Dayisl was
opposed to the thing most strongly. Al
derman Davis then raised the point that
Section IA Of the present Deering city
charter provided that no expenditure
should be made or contract entered into,
for what the money had not been regu
larly appropriated by the city govern
ment. He urged that this lease would be
Illegal under this section and warned
the Board not to attempt it.
City Solicitor Matthews was called on
for his opinion as to the legality of the
order. He replied that the section allud
ed to WIS peculiar one and ought not
to exist. He did not want to give de-
cided opinion He had studied the ques-
ton somewhat and consulted eminent
legal talent who were of the opinion that
the courts would not construe this Sec
ton as operative against acts Of the full
board, but only against the subordinate
departments. 1t could do no harm to
test it. . The Odd Fellows would be the
party who would suffer If it was found
to be illegal as the city could then back
DOWN.
Alderman Small then got the floor and
asked Alderman Davis il he ever heard
him declare himself an anneXationist?
Mr. Davis replied that he formed that
opinion from his talk (SmalD from his
lodging voting on the resolutions at the
last meeting and from public rumoi.
Mr.. Small insisted that Mr.. Davis say
outright whether he ever heard him say
so in SO many words. and Mr. Davis
said he had not.
Alderman Govan alluded to the fact
that city ordinance provided that no
member of the city government should
be intrusted directly in any city con-
tract He pointed out the fact that Al
derman Matthews had been mem Der of
the /. o. %. f. building committee, and
that his son (the city solicitor). was the
clerk He had been told Alderman
Matthews had sold his stock SO as to
vote for the lease BIZ the city.
Under the circumstances he did not be-
lieve the city council should give people
chance to "sling mud by voting this
lease.
The question was called for and the
lease was ordered 5 to 2, Aldermen Davis
and Gowen voting no.
The order for the extension of Glen
wood avenue was given it's second read
ing.
An order providing for the prevention
of opening of streets for private pur-
poses during the sold winter months
was given it's first reading.
The Board the adjourned.
MUSIC AND DRAMA.