The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-12

Dodru ana geG us lnbo no Gnu OF trouble
The merchants went into this scheme as
I understand it with both eyes omen
They thought it was going to be a good
thing for them When they found ont
that they were obliged to forfeit five per
cent of their profits they wanted to get
out of the contract with the company.
but they can't do it. I don't believe that
this board should NEEDLE with this mat
ter in any way
Alderman Rounds-"I want to know.
Alderman Ilsley how you know there has
been no fraud in this thing and how you
know these merchants went into this
thing with their eyes open. There has
been no hearing on the subject and you
seem disposed to prevent there being
any"
Alderman usley-fI claim that any
man who went into that scheme with his
eyes closed and without knowing what he
was in it for isn't fit to be heard by this
board. We can't spend our time here set
thing all Of these quarrels between mer-
chants of Portland when we have nothing
to do with them anyway"
Alderman Pagan wanted the petition
of the retail grocers to be read again and
the mayor once more read the petition.
Alderman Isley-" The petitioners, the
retail grocers claim in that petition that
they want to protect the citizens from
being defrauded. AS matter of fact
they have made Lad trade and they
come here to ask us to help them get out
of 1t. 1t Is none of our business any
way
Alderman Kehoe-"We should confine
our attention to what comes within our
jurisdiction. This Is outside of it. The
proper thing to be done is to refer this
petition to the city solicitor and get his
opinion on our authority and powers in
thing of this kind. If he says we have
the power to go ahead then we will go
ahead and see what ought to be done and
give these people hearing. 1t would be
foolish to give them hearing when we
have absolutely no power in the matter.
The granting of the petitioners hear
ing on this trading stamp scheme was
then put to vote. Aldermen Ilsley, Ke-
hoe, Moore, Pagan. Mcdonald voted
against granting the hearing. Alderman
Rounds and Leighton voted in favor of
it. When Alderman Leighton arose to
vote with Alderman Rounds, with whom
he Is constantly at variance in other mat
tiers, the board, the mayor and the entire
audience laughed loudly. Alderman
Leighton waved his hand at the big alder
man from ward three, who grinned as if
he appreciated the joke.
/. Alderman Kehoe moved that the Pc
tition be received and placed on file. The
motion was carried, Alderman Rounds
alone voting against it.
Alderman Rounds-s'I don't know why
we should have given these merchants a
slap in the face. II you think it is right
to do what you have done in refusing to
grant this petition, all right. 1 don't
think it was right and some of you will
hear from it later"
Alderman Ilsley jumped to his feet and
said: "That's all bosh. We have nothing
to do with these matters and are not here
to sit as court to settle disputes between
all kinds of merchants. That isn't our
business"
A little later in the evening Alderman
Rounds introduced an order referring the
whole matter to the city solicitor and in
structing that official to report to the
board of aldermen not later than next
Monday evening wheher or not the board
of aldermen has the power to NEEDLE with
this trading stamp company and its
methods Of operating in Portland. The
order was passed by the board without a
dissenting vote.
Alderman Mcdonald introduced the fol-
lowing petitions for permission to erect
new buildings:
Jones and Choate at 80 Winter street. 4
Frank N. Strout at IS Thomas street.
Marks and Earle at Fessenden Park.
III. E. Files at IL Howard street.
Alderman Leighton introduced a. Pc
tition from George c. Orr asking that a
new sidewalk be built in front of his res
idence at 10S Spruce street. The matter
was referred to the commission board of
public works with power.
w. IL. Jones presented d p6Vl1lon Tor a
license to open fish market at 81 Preble
street. 1t was granted subject to the
favorable report of the board of health.
Alderman Ilsley now introduced a
petition from the Consolidated Electric
Light company of Maine praying for per-
mission to locate certain poles for cleo
trio light wires on Grove, Roberts, Wash
burn avenue, Haywood Howell. Haw-
thorne, Dartmouth, Noyes, Devonshire,
Brighton, Danforth and Fletcher streets.
A hearing was ordered on the matter
for Monday evening, October q.
The meeting then adjourned.
The common council, having concurred
in the action of the aldermen regarding
the Grand Trunk petition, adjourned.