The record-union., 1898-01-18


Bentley said he had petition from
nearly 200 merchants in favor of adopt
ing the ordinance, many of them being
those who are using the stamps
Mr.. Johnson said he appeared in his
private and not his official capacity and
presented the petition spoken of by
Bentley.
Mr.. Sims presented a petition signed,
he said, by as many citizens, against
the ordinance; no matter what the ordi-
nance is aimed at, he said, it would not
be worth the paper it is written on and
viii not be sustained by the courts. The
opposition, he said, is confined to few
large department stores, who are op-
posed TO advertising in any way by the
small firms. There is no lottery or
gambling in the business, it is simply
a rebate on his purchases issued to the
purchaser and the courts have declared
time and time again, that an ordinance
like this is not constitutional. He did
not think the board wished to instruct
the small dealers that they must offer
no inducement to get customers to their
stores TO do a cash business. The small
stores have hard time as it is and it
is certainly. he claimed, beyond the
power of the board to pass an ordi-
nance telling them how they must do
their business He was willing TO have
the ordinance submitted to any disiu-
terested attorney and abide by his opin-
ion.
Devine asked who paid for the
stamps, and if the consumer did not.
Mr.. Sims thought both parties did.
j. w. Halton. representing the Trad
ing Stamp Company, said that the high
est court in Massachusetts last week
handed down a decision that forever
set at rest any litigation in that State
against trading stamps. The District
of Columbia case is now before the SUI
preme Court of the United States, and
is not yet decided, he said. No one is
barred from procuring trading stamps,
he said He explained the method OF
using the stamps, and said that the
cost is only from III to per cent
on gross cash sales. The company
had spent $4,000 already in
this city, between $1,000 and ST.
600 going to the newspapers. 1t is pre-
pared to fight the case to the United
States Supreme Court, if necessary.
In response to question by Mr..
Johnson, he stated that special terri
tory was given by the company's con-
tracts to certain merchants 1t did not
bar out any merchant, but the mer-
chants who have contracts bar out their
fellow merchants who have not.
Mr. Johnson said that the merchants
of San Francisco and other cities are
protesting against the trading stamps.
The roll was called, and the amended
ordinance was passed unanimously.
CHEMICAL ENGINE.
j. S. Parry, agent for the chemical en-
CINE. offered, if the board thought it ad-
visable, to lease to the city an engine,
the monthly rental to be applied to the
purchase of the engine when it amounts
to the price of the engine, which VIII
at that time become the property OF
the city.
The matter was referred to the FL
nance Committee, to be reported on next
Tuesday night.
INCREASED POLICE FORCE.
The ordinance adding two policemen
to the present force was read, and De-
vine moved to amend it by adding one
policeman.
Tebbets asked how one more policeman
could serve day and night There must
be an increase of two, if at all. The
upper part of the city, as large as
Stockton, now has only one policeman
on duty. Any mans wife and daugh-
ter in that part of town might be drag
ged away from home in his absence,
without protection from the police.
Devdnes motion was lost by vote
of ) to 4, and the ordinance was passed
by a, vote of to 3, Dolan giving notlce
of motion for reconsideration.
Devine claimed that it took seven
votes to create an office, and that the
ordinance was not passed.
BENTLEY said that the charter gave
the board power to increase the police
force from time to time by ordinance.
He considered this simply case or
increasing the efficiency of the force.
Mckay declared the ordinance pass
ed.
TWEL Eth STREET BRIDGE.
The bidders on the repairs of the
Twelfth street bridge We're j. H. Stein
meyer, 500; Henry Elliott, $3.50; Hen
ry Dehn, $500; Webster Jackson,
S59S rs: r. H. Davis, S597; c. Schind-
Ter. $50; Atwood & Kelsey, So66; ii.
A. Ryder, S625; John Belote, 1888; G.
w. Daily, S652; w. H. Smith, $6lS;
Lghtfoot & Ormsby, $467; 7. M.
Burns, SoSf
The contract was awarded to Light
foot & Ormsby, the lowest bidders, the
work to be done in eight days.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Joseph Egan petitioned for a saloon
license at 231 Twelfth street, and 1t
was granted.
Action on the ordinance TO employ
two detectives was indefinitely post
poned by six woes, Tebbets, Mckay
and Dolan voting against postpone
ment.
Bonds of the various firms to whom
contracts for furnishing supplies to the
city had been awarded were approved.
James Duffy was granted a saloon
license on Fourth street, between ] and
X
Johnson Il Bryan were granted a IL
cense. at sos K street, and Fred Loeb |
enmeyer at 1923 Third street
The communication from the League
of American Municipalities was taken
up and referred to the Finance Com
mttee, to report as to whether or not
the city wishes to become a member.
The matter of repairing and painting
sprinkling wagons was referred to the |
Street Committee, with power to act.
The board changed the date of open |
ing bids on January 9th to the 25th, |
the former date being now legal holi- |
day, and adjourned till next Tues
day night.
Died in Oakland.