The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-26

the exercise of its legislative powers.
actually construct water works, with
the necessary equipment for that pur-
pose. the city would then be under no
legal obligation to receive any supply
of water from the water company or 90
make any payments Of the hydrant
rentals which would thereafter mature
under the provisions of Ordinance No.
L." (This shows that independent con-
struction is not wholly new and also
is important in connection with the de-
cision of the supreme court as to the
payment of rental when due and when
the city has no plant of it's OWN
In the Legislature.
In January. 1895. the council learned
of the intended passage by the legis-
lature Of the Bennett act" This, af-
ter allowing municipal corporations TO
exceed the limit Of Indebtedness for
ordinary expenses by 6 per cent. for
the sole purpose of acquiring water
plants, contained the following provis-
ion: Provided, that 40 city or town
having a water supply furnished by
private parties. under a contract or
franchise, entered into or granted ay
that town or city, SHAH proceed to the
erection or construction Of a water
plant to be operated by It. but in case
the city or town shall desire to own or
operate its water supply il shall ac-
49, az AHAaAAA NV oNhNNAN AAkdANA III
operation therein as herein provided"
AT about the same time George RAM
say, mayor at hat time Of BOzeman,
had suggested a municipal convention
to be held in Helena. Delegates We're
sent from this city i'm February, the
convention being held in the closing
days of the Legislative session and hav-
ing for its specific purpose the correC-
ton of what were deemed glazing err
rors in the codes then waiting passage
so far as they pertained to the welfare
OF the cities of the state. The delegates
from Great Falls took with them dele
cation was made up of j.. \. Largcut.
attorney; 9. H.. Clark, clerk, and Ed
win Young. alderman) a bill to allow
cities TO purchase or erect water works
and authorizing the issuance of bonds
To the amount of 8 per cent. of the as
sessed valuation over and above the
limit for ordinary expenses. This would
mean the expenditure limit of 5000, 900
Tor Great Falls at that time. The bill
was approved by the municipal conven-
ton and given to Representative Booth
or silver Bow, chairman of the steer
ing committee. He promised that Il
mould pass. Meantime a strong petit
ton was sent from this city to ID. j.
Tallant, representative. but was never
presented to the rest Of the Cascade
delegation, and Phelps has since stated
that II was turned over to him and he
has 1t on file. 1t asked the passage Vt
the municipal convention bin above de-
scribed. After the return home of the
city delegation a powerful lobby Sc
cured the passage of the Bennett act
and the convention bin was lost ON
some sidctraCk.
Some of the FIGURES.
The city engineer. c. w. Swearingen.
in pursuance Of the order of the mayor
and council, reported in April. 1895,
that the existing water plant could
be duplicated for SlS5, 900. During the
same month the council passed an or
dinance declaring il TO be the desire OF
the city to purchase the existing plant
and franchise. under the provisions Of
the emmett act. The water
in an extended reply in which it showed
that its plant was earning s npr cent.
interest on $3.50, 600. stated that il would
sell for $500, 900, furnished the necessary
ordinances for holding a special cleo
tlon Tor the issuance OF that amount
of bonds n asked the council to take
such action. At that time the council
was composed of the following alder
men: r.. J. Fitzgerald, Matthew Dunn,
David Williams, $. n. Fletcher. II. -.
Holmes, Archie Mcdonald Cof libel suit
fame). j. i. Mitchell and Edwin
Young. Dunn, Fitzgerald and Mitchell
opposed the passage Of the ordinance.
Williams and Young switched from a
S25O,000 basis to Offering $500, 900 2p1
were favorable to n compromise Of
$3.50, 600. The rest refused to dlgcuss
the matter, but voted FOR the passage.
1t was stated fraely that rorcv
was used by the wa.ar company. Will
Jams, from personal kn~owIadga,
changed his opinion by $4,000 in q ,
hours. l know that MILF henderson.
acting as agent for the wafer company. :
offered Fitzgerald first 5000 and then ,
$l,2OO for his vote. Milt told mo this
and Fitzgerald agreed that = was true. 4,
Both offers were refused, Of course. Blu; (
Milt said he got the Others cheaper. A F.,
check Of $1,000 passed from 1. q. ,
Phelps to +. W. King, chief pu~cbas- !
Ing agent and was by him DEPOSITED d.,
m the Cascade bank and checked cut (,
by him to Henderson AM Eurighr. This :
S another side-liyht.b Fortunately the
OF the council Were poor par
iamentarians and were o~utgeneraled
oy the minority. The fight occupied {
several sessions, at which many tax !
payers were present and protested blfh |
by speech and by petition. At the :
1nal meeting the attendance of tax T
was so large and their threats :
accusations were so strong that {
he majority of the council COM q
the matter by postponing il :
or two years. q
Some of the City's Bills.
The council found in October. 1896.
hat although ii had cut EXPENSES ~
very department to the bone, with 4
he money in the treasury and the
mount TO be derived from the incom-
ng taxes il could raise but S1l.623 10 y
'ay a hydrant rental amounting to S17.- a
10. a bill for six months rental was II
'efore the auditing committee at that Q
and IL recommended i'm view 81 9
Xisting circumstances and under the II
.dvice Of the attorneys for the city e.
hat the total amount which the city %
ould raise be paid to the water COM s
any as payment in full OF its claim d
that the balance be disallowei. n
he city had then reached the limit Of 81
IS legal Indebtedness and the cnnncn ..