The Portland daily press., 1898-12-06

and would go to see it were 1T playeu -
4 the City hall, but they do not care W Z.
to the Auditorium and are thus cepriso''
of the privilege of seeing the game WIN =
the comfor5 that they could see IT were =
played in this place.
In the last year Mr.. Burnham had paiu
the city s., 1923. rs for the use Of City nan,
while all the other leasings of the h'''l
amounted to only Sl,S25. Mr.. burnnA. :,
had booked his days for polo in Guy nas,
and had statement of this fact slgneu
| by City Treasurer Libby. He also nau
the copy of the vote of the public puiiu,
1ngs committee signed by the cierk :.
that committee granting him the use -
the hall, and Mr.. DR. iscoll believed ona'
the city was under contract with MI
Burnham TO give him the hall. The con
tention of the public buildings committee
that only hoodlums patronized polo was
unjust and untrue. Many prominent
people, some of the best in Portland, en-
JOY polo and should be given every chance
to see the game under favorable CON
ditions. financially the city gained py
letting City hall and Mr.. Burnham had
agreed to protect the floor with canvass
and do everything in his power to care
for the new floor and the hall and to pre-
serve order on it during the games. Mr.
Driscoll said he could not see any reason
why the committee had resoinded their
| vote on this matter.
Councilman Goudy, member OF the
public buildings committee spoke in re-
ply for the committee. He said that the
committee had refused Mr. Burnham the
hall because they believed it was for the
best interests of the city to do SO. They
had examined the floor at the Auditorium
| where polo is now being played
and had found that the floor
there was more or less injured by polo
playing. They were willing that Mr..
Burnham should have the use Of the
Auditorium, but they didn't think it was
proper to let him have City hall. They
had rescinded their first vote on the mat
ter because it seemed wise for them to do
so to protect the city's interests. He said
that he had been threatened by certain
persons with defeat IL he should vote
against polo being played in this hall
| He didn't care about reelection ii 1T
must be bought by his vote for or against
any matter in which he was doing what
he believed to be righr. He did not be-
lieve in spelling two floors in city build
| ings to cater to polo lovers The Audi
torium was good enough for musical
| festival and it should be good enough for
polo.
MIR. Driscoll replied with much earnest
ness and argued that the city was not
treating Mr.. Burnham fairly in taking
| this hall away from him after it had been
promised to him for polo. The principle
of this thing seemed wrong.
| 4 There was much more discussion on
this matter by various members OF the
council. Mr.. Waldron insiuuated that
Mr.. Goudy had tried to secure City hall
for himself on date which Mr. Burn
ham had booked, and after being refused
this date by Mr.. Burnham had worked
against the leasing of the hall to him.
| Mr.. Cloudy said that this statement was
not true and said that he never tried to
| S6Cuf6 LILO ufhl1 lOI Al1AFOiAk pdo IL phO a.
terest of an agricultural society which
wants to give a fair in City hall during
the coming winter. The discussion
branched out into the way the hall was
booked and leased, and there was much
| irrelevant talk on both sides of the ques-
ton.
| Finally the matter was put to vote
and Mr.. Waldron's resolution failed of a
passage by vote Of nine to eight, SOME
of the councilmen not voting at all.
The order instruoting the committee Cd
lights to make contract with the Con-
solidated Electric Light company for
lighting of Portland for the ensuing year
was sent down from the upper board and
alter n great deal of discussion failed of q
passage.
Mr.. Phillips of the committee on lights
! said that Portland was securing it's
electric lighting as cheap as nine out of
ten Of the cities in the country.
Mr. Burke of the special committee APP
pointed to examine into this matter said
that this was true ana he had the figures
to prove 1T.
| Mr.. Waldron said that the city was be-
ling robbed by the electric light company
and was paying altogether too much for
/ its lights. He said he would never vote
| for the contract as it now stood, $50 q
year for arc lights was far too much to
pay.
Mr.. Goudy said that he was not nm en- :
ploye of the electric light company and
vas not in the council to support their
measure. He believed this contract was
by far too exhorbitant in its charges. He
said the Legislature had enacted laws
which tied the city's hands and prevented
legitimate competition. He did not be-
Iieve the city ought to make any such
contract.
Mr.. Smith saw no need OF any great
haste in making this contract and wanted
| 10 have the matter laid upon the table.
The order was finally put to vote on
! its passage and was defeated by vote of
| II to 2.
The council then adjourned.