The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-22
TO BUY WATERWORKS
The City Council, by Ordinance,
Expresses Desire to
Purchase Plant.
THE STREET RAILWAYS
Petitions for Franchises Not Yet Dis
posed Observer Bids. Side
walks and Water Mains.

| The city council meeting Tuesday
night WAS not lacking in any Of the
usual interest which centers around
that body when it comes together. For
some reasoh or other the members we,e
tardy and it was nearly~~s 80 before
Mayor YeRen raped ,>f6r order. All
the n'emberf, excepsshg Clement, were
present. Atter>s6e reading Of the min.
utes Of previous sessions, the matter Of
appointing successor to Alderman ST..
John, who resigned by reason Of hav.
ing moved from the Fourth ward, was
taken up. Spear again moved that
szitnink be permitted to name his col
league, and the COUNCIL acquiesced.
Mr.. SzitnickI had .expeoted to appoint
A. p, Hart, dht tsat Rentlen,an's work
kept him in tl1 country At present and
he could not very we'll attend to the
matter, and III view Of this fact Silt.
nick named Geo. A Berky az successor
to Mr.. st. John. The council by unan-
imous vote confirmed ,ths'iiom mination.
A courier was sfsent Qpt to find aud e.
cort Alderman telepy Berky to the ooun.
oil chamber. Mf. Berky took the oath
Of office and also seat among the elect.
The reports Of standing committees
were called for. Spear reported for
the finance committee as having ex.
amined the monthly report for August
Of the city treasurer and found same all
right. The committees Is report was &C.
cepted.
In the matter Of the ordinance pei.
tanning TO the granting Of franchise
to W. B. George for the construction
aud maintenance Of al. Electric street
railway, Geo. Bep6ghoff reported
favorably for (he>zpecial committee
composed Of himself and f. B. Con.
nelly. The petition Of Austin North
for an electric street railway franchise
was also favorably reported upon by
Mr.. Bsnnighoff. as was also the ordin
anoe changing the peddlers and street
entertainers license.
Bennighoff introduced petition
signed BY every prsp6rty owner on the
south side of Dafst avenue, north, ask.
ing for the construction of q sidewalk
from Twenty. seventh street to Thirtieth
street.
No little amount Of discussion and
debate was precipitated bv the mayor
asking for an explanation regarding the
construction Of the platform in front Of
thesBillings Wholesale Grocery house on
Minnesota avenue A large loading
platform, three feet above grade, had
been erected there and without the
knowledge Of the council. Mr.. Ben.
nighoff said that he could explain the
matter. He stated that representa-
tive Of the Billings Wholesale Grocery
company bad come to himself and Mr..
Clement. who constituted tho sidewalk
committee, and had asked permission
to construct the loading platform.
They had given him permission to do
80, because they thought it a necessity
for the company's use Mayor Yegen
was not one whit backward in express
ing himself In the premises. He said
that the platform obstruoted passage Oh
the sidewalk which. had been laid there
for the accommodation of ladies and
children who wished to be, freed from
hearing obscene language used on the
other side and to avoid the crowded
walk, which always seemed to be the
nasa, The old walk had been con-
struoted by the city from planks donat-
cd by the railroad company, but the
took upon itself The respon-
sibility OF giving these planks away,
The mayor said that he thought The
had 0verstepped Its bounds
in the matter Witbam said he want
adta 20 OH record AZ objeeting to the
Of tho platform, for tho
aas0n that II 0bstruoted the walk
which had heretofore been used by
ladies' who either shGpped or lived ON
Tho south side and did not wish to be
to 20 block or two out 0f
JheiI way In order to reach their desti-
nation, He said that ladies should
not he compelled 10 pass on the other
lido Of tho street, whieh was always
lr0wdad with t0Nghs and TQwdies,
lsipg ps0fane language. and which had
he name 1f beipg tho t0aGhast street
n any city Nv Montana, Mr., ReRnig,
l0A had stafad duving his remarks that
he committee had HnderstNad tha atty
aNvsh ! 10 ray that II the platform was
constructed he w0Nld sas that tho other
lido 0t tha street WIS kept fves tram
v0wda 10 that ladies' could pass with
'ut difficulty, Marshal Bond, wh0awNs
'vassHt, said ha did not wish W hs mis-
|aated NJ agreeing W ksap this sidewalk
lAened, sAyila that u could not ha l