The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-13
THE CITY WATER WORKS
City Ownership Will Be Investi-
gated by a Committee.
THE SIDEWALK EPIDEMIC
1t Has Struck Town and Everybody
Wants One h Ever Present
Pound observation-disclosures
to Be Revised.

Missoula. July 12.-At the last city
election both of the political parties
that figured in the contest had city
ownership pianks in their platforms.
The republicans started the ball roll
ing with a plank that stole all the
thunder of the democrats that had
peer used in the previous election. and
embodied a resolution to the effect
that 1t would be wise for the city TO
investigate the municipal ownership
of the city water works. The demo-
Gratis were, however. equal to the oc-
casion and their resolution urged the
city ownership. not only of the water
works, but of the electric light and
power plant as well. The election and
it's attendant canvas did not lea mi
nutely with the two planks, but there
are men in both parties who ave not
lost sight of the proposition and. now
that the new council is settled down
to business. they have decided that IL
is time hat something should be done
toward carrying out some Of these
plank promises. They waited upon
Mayor Webster. as he informed the
aldermen last night. and requested him
to appoint a committee hat should
have for its duty the investigation of
the a~dvisability of the city acquiring
either or both of these plants. The
mayor made a good selection of alder
men for this task. Messrs. Owen.
Broadbent and Mix are cautious and
conservative and will not make n
report till they have looked into the
matter carefully. They will be given
all or the time that they require and
are not to report till they have the
matter thoroughly investigated. Thsre
VIII be a big audience at the counciI
meeting when the report comes In
lhat Is certain.
The sidewalk epidemic has struck the
town hard this season. Everybody
wants a walk and pretty near every
body is getting What he wants. In
most cases 1t is the people who have
to bear the bulk of the expense who
ask for the improvement, and il is
nothing out of the city's treasury to
grant the requests. There are many
places that have needed walks for
years that are only just getting them.
When the present rush OF building is
ended the town will be in good shape
as far as walks are concerned. The
planking of the big bridge. too. is a
much needed improvement that will be
appreciated by the many who are com
peIied 10 cross the bridge daily. The
Ola planking a been worn tin n is
SO rough that a ride across the bridxo
IS as bad as a trial at subdying a
oucking cayuse. ="
The ever present pound question is
at the front again. once more the
pound and COW ordinances are TO be
revised and revamped and remodeled
In the effort to secure an ordinance
that will hold water and hold cows
as well. There is a hole in the pres
ent one somewhere hat lets the cows
out, no matter how strong the pound
Is. The chief of police sold an inn
pounded horse the other day and now
ne mas to either get the horse back or
pay the owner for IL. He is i'm a tight
place, but he has a committee of al
dermen to pull for him now and ha
VIII get through all right. There is NO
one VINO viii criticise him harshly 10,
seillng the horse, even If there Is /,
mole In the ordinance. He would win
many friends IL he would sell a Ia,
moie' rms much can be said. how
nrN, ,nat me city stock is less of A
haan lnis summer than 1t has ever
There is a limit to all things, and
when a citizen who is Interested
tried to call the attention of the coun-
Gil TO the fact that there are many re-
tail liquor dealers who have not paid
their county licenses the aldermen
bucked. They have troubles of their
own and promptly referred the Citizen
who is interested" to the county com
missioners. The council is satifed "
the city licenses are paid. One or two
or them sank low down into thei,
chairs when the matter came up ano
the only wonder is thai they did moi
faint "''
In the matter of licenses payable &c
the city Alderman Keim made a sug'
gestion to the city treasurer that Is .
good one. A man who has been run
ming a saloon wanted to close up anc
pay for only that part OF the quartet
that he had been open. The city
treasurer agreed to present the mat
ter to the council. The council TOLD
him to collect the whole quarters Il
cense. according to the law. The sug
gestion made by Mr.. Keim was tina
the treasurer in all Instances collect ac
cording to the ordinance. and IL TIT
payer is not satisfied let him come q
the council. The treasurer has bust
ness enough of his own.