The Paducah daily sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1896-1898, 1898-10-27
Sewerage Committee Meets and
Decides to Investigate Moth
ing Ordinance Rela-
tive to Duties.
The Charges Against the City En-
gineer and His Assistant VIII
BE withdrawn-Other City
News of Interest.

II
city hall last night, and after a care
ful consideration OF the engineer
middle, decided to have an ordi
nance drafted by City Attorney X
I. Lightfoot defining the duties OF
city engineer and assistant engineer
and in the meantime, to recommend
that the charges against Assistant
Engineer Lyon brought by Engineer
Postlethwaite and those brought by
Assistant Lyon against Engineer
Postlethwaite, be withdrawn, and the
muddle terminated where il now
stands
At present there is nothing deiin-
ing the duties of the respective off,
cials in such an unequivocsl manner
that there is not some doubt on all
questions, hence the duties must be
more explicitly defined before charges
Of dereliction can be fully sustained.
Mr.. Lyon, when asked what he
would do in the matter of withdraw.
ing the charges, stated that whatever
was the desire Of the committee was
perfectly agreeable to him, and it is
supposed that Engineer Postlethwaite
will be willing TO abide by their be-
hest also.
Chairman Elliott, OF the sewerage
committee, stated to reporter that
the Committee had been able to find
nothing against Mr.. Lyon, except
that he did not keep his record 10 the
city engineers office, and did not re-
port to him daily, as he should.
This was explained by Mr.. Lyon.
He claimed that he goes to work
early, and the city engineers Office is
not open until 8 or 9 O'Clock. The
record book is kept locked up, and
having no access to it, he could not
keep his records in it, although he
has them elsewhere. Mayor Lang
this morning said he would see that
the book is kept where Mr.. Lyon can
get it every day.
As 10 the charge Of alleged in
Temperance on the part of Mr.. Lyon,
his physician, DR.. Eubanks, said he
was down from malaria the three days
he was off duty recently. The sewer
men all said their work had never
been delayed an hour by Mr.. Lyons
illness, and to make a long story
short, the committee concluded TO
wipe out the whole thing and let
them start over again. This conclu-
sion will be reported to the council at
its meeting tonight.
An interesting as well as import
ant question has been submitted TO
City Attorney Llgh,foot for his opin-
ion. This is whether or not cOun-
Gilman from the Fifth ward, and two
school trustees from the First, are to
be elected at the November election.
There was = vacancy in the coun-
cil few months ago, occasioned by
the resignation Of Mr.. VIM. Fades.
There have since the last election
been two vacancies in the board Of
education, one occasioned by the
resignation Of President james M.
Lang, who was elected mayor while a
member Of the board, and the other
by the recent resignation OF Mr.. j.
NJ. Byrd. These vacancies we're
filled by the members OF the respect
i've bodies.
The law says that when vacancy
occurs 10 the school board, said
board "shall have the power to fill
until the next general election, all
vacancies in said board occasioned by
death, removal or other cause. J"
Same applies in the council. The
question is, what is meant by a
general election"
The mayor is of the opinion that il
does not necessarily mean the next
election of members of the council or
board, but the next regular election
as the object Of the law is 10 have the
vacancy, wheu one exists, filed by
the people at the earliest opportunity
and the law contemplates when 1t
says general election" the first
regular election, at which the people
will have an opportunity to express a
choice. In its use general election"
is by him construed to be opposed to
special election. The matter will be
governed by the opinion Of the city
attorney.
City Attorney Lightfoot today de-
cided, upon looking up the question
that elections Of councilman and
school trustee must take place In
November. Tnere will be elected a
successor to Mr. +, G. Rudolph, in
the Fifth ward, Of the council, and
Mr. J. A. Bauer, Of the board OF
education, who succeeded Mr. Lang.
Tuere is some doubt as to whether
Mr.. Ashhrook's place will have to he
iillel by the people or not, as the law
says that If the vacancy occurs With
in three months nf the annual cleo
ton, y, i lilIed by the b ard until the
next succeeding election. Mr..
BJrd's resignation was filed within
three months Of the November cleo
ton, hence Mr., Ashbrook will likely
hold office until November year.
At toDights council meeting,
there will be presented an ordinance
providing for two extra registratior
days. Registration day is the iirs'
Tuesday In October, aud the extri
registration days cannot be later thai
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