The record-union., 1898-06-07
LEGAL ASSISTANCE ENGAGED
TRUSTEES EMPLOY ATTORNEYS
TO FIGHT HENRY SUIT.
Taxpayer Murray Makes q Kick on
the Question Of Street Inn
provement Expenses.

The City Board of Trustees held its
regular weekly meeting last night,
Trustees Mckay, Tebbets, Douglas,
Paine, Dolan. Kent, Brown and Devine
being present
A committee from the Red Cross So
ciety, consisting of Mrs. Purnell, MS.
Z. w. Sheehan, Mrs. G. H. Smith, MRS
T. l. Calvin, Mrs. Frank Miller, MIS-.
Weinstock and Mrs. Lawton, appeared
before the board to ask for an appro-
priatiOn for the society and trustee
Tebbets moved that 500 be appropri-
ated..
Trustee Devine, who had moved that
$75 be appropriated, explained that the
Immigration fund had been depleted by
the appropriations for Memorial Day
and Fourth of July celebrations.
Mrs Purnell of the committee. said
that the society was engaged in a
great work, that of giving comfort and
assistance to the men who were fight
ing for their country. She considered
it better one than blowing away the
money in celebrating the day of our
independence. She had hoped that
more would be given, but thanked the
board for what it had DONE
Trustee Tebbets moved that the
amount be increased to $50 that it
might be a precedent for the Supervis-
ors, and the motion was carried unan-
lmously ,aiA
Trustee Tebbets introduced a resolu-
tiOn reciting the suit of w. E. Henry
for $511, 600 against the city and resolv-
ing that the President of the board and
the Mayor be authorized to enter into
a contract with c. T. Jones, A. j. Brun-
er and Elwood Bruner to defend the
suit, they to be paid $1,000 as a re-
tanning fee and on the final determina-
tion Of the action. such amount as the
Board Of Trustees should determine, If
any.
Trustee Devine opposed the resolu-
ton. as he did not think it necessary to
employ extra counsel, the circumstances
now being different from what they
were at the time of the former suit
Trustees Paine and Tebbets said the
suit was very important one and
Henry had employed the best of coun-
sci and the city should also have good
counsel to defend it,
A. ]. Bruner said that the case was
very serious one, and would be hard
fought from beginning to end The
first complaint did not state that a
proper amount Of pure water had been
received to supply the city. 1t was
defeated by a demurrer on that ground.
The new complaint does state that there
is plenty of pure water to be furnished
to the city.
Devine opposed it strongly, and said
the water was to be satisfactory to the
board, but 1t was not satisfactory.
There was a cunning provision in the
contract that provided that in case of a
lack of water the Water Works could be
used. In that case, the professional
fakirs who wrote up the water Ques-
ton would have said the river wat er
was the best in the world. 1t aad
been said that 81 500 was a ridiculously
low fee, but he did not think so.
Trustee Kent made the point that the
board had no right under the Charter
to dictate to the Mayor who he should
employ.
c. T. Jones said the fight would be a
hard one, and he thought that 81, 500
would be ridiculously low fee. He
would guarantee that the city would
win the suit, but it would be a hard
fight
The resolution was passed, Devine
and Kent voting no.
CHARGED TOO MUCH
George Murray appeared before the
board and complained that property
owners are charged $15 a day for the
use of the steam roller in rolling the
streets. He had been credibly Informed
that it cost only 50 day to run it.
He was told that it cost more than
that to run it, and that there are ex-
pensive repairs to be made, and, more
over. the contractor who has construct
ed the street had to pay for the roller
so that the property Owners lose moth
ing.
The matter was referred to the Street
Committee.
MAYORS MESSAGES.
The following messages from the
Mayor were read:
To the Board of Trustees: 1 respect
fully report that on June =, 1898,
counted the money placed before me by
the City Treasurer, and found In pos
session money as follows: Gold, $142,
360; silver coin, 81 49, Total, $142.
364 40.
The above amount agrees with the
books of the City Auditor and City
Treasurer Respectfully submitted,
VIM. LAND, Mayor.
To the Board of Trustees: / hereby
transmit to your honorable board the
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