The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-10-20

would not come anywhere near paying
for its construction, and the city would
have to pay the extra cost.
The ordinance relating to the O.
struction Of buildings inside the fire
limits was referred back to the commit,
tee after quite a discussion. Some Of
the alderman favored allowing nc
buildings of whatever nature to be con.
structed in the limits, unless they were
Of brick, stone or iron covering, or in
other words fireproof. This reference
was more particularly to coal and out.
houses. Bennighoff spoke Of the pres.
emit fire nest, running from the alley
between the postoffice and Rademaker's
saloon, to the rear Of Cbapple Bros.
drugstore. He did not favor compell-
ing property owners, in putting up new
buildings, to make them put up brick
outbuildings while the present fire nest
was allowed to remain.
Further action, looking to the city's
purchase Of the waterworks plant Of
the Billings Water Power company,
was taken by the committee report
Ing favorably Oh tho ordinance intro
duced a month since by Frizepe, deolar.
ing it the desife Of the citZ<to purchase
the same. Fhe repoy( was adopted
unanimously At Nhis stage Spear
spoke up and laske0ff anyone had any
idea what thu Mater power company
would ask for it's system. No one had,
but all thought Spear must know a
thing or two and the question was fired
back at him. 1t hit, for he answered
Immediately that they would ask over
$500, 600. Bennighoff arose i1stanter
and. addressing Spear, asked~&hat the
income per Month was<M the water
power company. spsaf Said he did not
know and seeApeds somewhat irritated
that be should be- so addressed. Ben.
nighoff replied that since he (Spear)
seemed to be sponsor for the power
company by stating what they were 60.
ing to ask for the plant, he thought
that he (Spear) might know what the
company's income was. Bennighof
said he had been told onoe what it was;
he did not tell the council. Clement
said the city could put in it's own sys.
TEN much cheaper than the price tSfbe
asked by the water power cRs6pany.
Spear had a dbheme similsF to this:
Since the city dan only b66d for 3 per
cent of it's ASSESSED valuation, and as
this would not fstse enough to buy the
plant at the price of 5000, 900. or more.
he favored the city buying the pipes
and hiring the water power company to
furnish the water. The scheme did not
seem to be taken favorably by the
other aldermen. "This is a case of
waterworks or none,' said one
alderman.
Bennighoff reported that nothing had
been done on the general ordinance re.
to the electric street railway
Berky moved that the COM
be granted further time in which
to act, and it carried. The city attor-
ney was instructed to draw up the ordi-
nance and submit it to the committee.
The following bills were allowed:
A. Parque, meals for
p~IlsUudTs. ...... ........ .S D 10
J. P. Slater, brick. ........ II 90
Lou Robbins, balance pay as po-
llcelnan ............. . on
A. A. Morris, city engineer,
services IL sewer, streets and
lneWalkS.. ;. ..... ....... b on
Whitney, flushing sewer. 2 SO
Robert Allen, assisting city en-
SAueef ...... ........ -. . "a
). 9. Dominick. sp~rinkling
streets at night. ......... 10 90
Iohn Powers, sidewalk work. 139 AZ
,. ". Szitnick, assisting city en-
gineer on sewer go. ....... As so L
v. H. Donovan. Jail screen -. 10 so
.. P. Townsend, city physician. Z 90
Considerable sharp discussion arose
'ver the bill Of E. W. Szitnick, as as.
istant to City Engineer Morris, Oh the
ever. Clement and Frizelle contend
d that they did not think a member Of {
he council had any right to draw pay {
rom the city for such work and that {
10 should not be allowed to act in
UGH capacity, for in case there was any t
rouble with the contractors in the con- I
truction, n Of the members Of the &
ouncil would be included in the inves-
and that would stultify the '
ction of that body. They had no par. h
objection to Mr.. Szitnick's c
there, other than that above
1entioned. There was some kick on p
salary asked. which was 90. 80. n
pear stated that 81 was paid last g
for the same work. Szitnick said 81
Q wanted the council to decide that u
light whether or not he should con. .,
nue. work. The CITY attorney was in. b
iruoted to look up the law and asoer. b
lin whether or not there was anything
} restrict a member Of the council
ON becoming an employe Of the city.
The verbal resignation Of Lou Rob. m
lns from the night police foroo was a,
and Ed. COrle. a former rasi, ~