The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-19
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1899:
ECHOES FROM THE
COUNCIL CHAMBER.
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The meeting of the city council to.
night promises to be interesting from
the start to finish. All the members
will probably be present, with the ex'
ception OF Clement, who is in Chicago.
III view of the fact that Alderman St.
John resigned and the vacancy is to be
filled by appointment BY his colleague,
Szitnick, there will be q new face
among the aldermen. Mr.. Szitnick has
appointed A. p. Hart a. successor to
MI. St. John. The appointment Will be
ratified by the c%ouAcil, and Alderman
Hart will take a seat Oh the right side
of the table.
One Of the important matters to be
attended to by the council tonight is
the opening of the bids for the construo-
ton of the north side sewer. If the
bids are in such shape that the council
can get at each estimate, the contract
will probably he awarded tonight. 1t
is thought the system will cost some.
thing like $25, 900 and will be complet-
cd in about three months after it is
started.
Alderman Benuighotf will carry q
city hall under his arm tonight. That
is, it will be on a roll of paper under
his arm. At the meeting two weeks
8 Mr.. B%ennighotf stated that he
would talk more on the city hall Ques.
tion and be prepared to show the coun.
oil what his idea was in the matter.
MI. Bennighotf favors a city hall off to
itself, on city property, while others
are quoted as being in favor Of build.
ing on the present site. The opponents
of the present site say that it is not Of
sufficient area aud would not do at all
unless a three.story building was erect.
ed. The object Of u new building is to
accommodate all the city officers, be.
sides the fire department and council.
Those favoriug the present site do SO
because they think it is the most CELL
tral point in the city. It time will
permit there will probably be quite a
debate on the subject.
Alderman Frizelle, who broached the
subject of municipal ownership of the
water works at the last meeting, says
he will have something more to say to.
night and statistics to read, If there is
any time. He has not been idle in the
matter and has been talking with a
number OF citizens and property own
ers, all Of whom favor it to "a unit.
Alderman Frizelle thinks, as do hun.
dreds of others, that the time is now
ripe for the agitation of this subject,
which Ia of 30 vital interest to every
citizen and taxpayer. Mr.. Frizelle
will not have to fight this battle alone.
There are at least four other members
of the council who favor municipal OWL.
ership aud will stand by him to the
end. Besides these. the mayor also
favors 1t, having gone on record in his
inaugural address last June. This is
III of the matters which will occupy
the attention of the council for some
time to come, or at least until it is
solved by it's adoption. This complet-
ed, then will follow the city ownership
OF the present electric light system, or
a new one.
The petition of Austin North for a
franchise for al electric street railway
should be reported on tonight. Then
there is the ordinance granting ". b.
George q franchise for an electric street
railway, which has been drawn up, but
not adopted, MI, George does not like
its wording and has been staving it off.
eau the council grant two franchises,
Is the question which has been asked by
several.