The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-24
COMMON COUNCIL.
Common Council Chamber,
OwOssO, Mich., Feb. 20, 1899.

OwOsso. Mich. Feb. 20, 1899. I
Regular meeting of common council. with
President Thomas Wiley presldeug.
shaw. jordan, Palmer. watson and Walsh.
| The minutes of the last meeting were read and
| approved as read.
| Aid Gould presented the following petition
and moved Its acceptance and adoption. Motion
prevailed.
! 70 the Hon. Council of the City of owosso:
| commemorative the last ten days the street
sent men TO King street and began to cut down
the beautiful trees In the center of said street,
= and mad succeeded In cutting down two OF the
/ trees when he was ordered and did stop.
We are informed that II Is the desire of the
street commissioner to have those trees remOv-
! ed. To this we most earnestly protest Those
lots and built our homes. and 1t was on account
| OF their being there that In great measure, in
| duced us to spend our money as we did
| We therefore petition your honorable body to
! pass resolution against any one hereafter mo
I testing said trees without the order OF the COM
mon council bya majority vote. ). 5. Miner and
| ~ other residents OF King street.
/ The following claims and accounts were pre-
sented and upon motion were referred to the
committee on claims and accounts.
From Contingent Fund-Central Mich. Prtng.
GO; $3.50, N. Miesen 90, >. b. Pitts postage CSC,
5. b. Pitts, postage so. Owosso Gas Light Co.
SOC. OwossO Press Co. AIS. American Pub Co,
10 10; Iimes Printing Co; IS, same 25
II Police 4 Fu IN Beresford $1,000, John
1
Fire Experimentation Ashford SIC 90, D. H..
Blair l6 90, Owosso Fire Dept s 80, same 900,
same me % 90 co. same 10 CO. E. b. Tubbs 60 sPrague
Coal Co. 81, A. stanton SOC. Ira G.. Curry 4 81,
Charles Beattie 3 80, Manning Bros. IS, Minnie
From Highway Fund-James Hit &c. w n.
Lyon 20, Dave Moss %, ID. Nickel 90, Chas.
Miller ID, G. ?; Reed -, Albert Miner IS,
| Andrew Smith Is, w. NJ. Nickles IS, Walter
Smith 49, ID. A. Neff CSC, p. IL. Carmody 10 "a.
| |. J. SOpp 1856.
Bridge Fund-Castree & Shaw Co. 55c, Ann
| Water Works Fund.- s. Hunt SIS 90, same
| Is co. Henry Stanhope 2 90. e. YOuman 25.
Aid. Copas made report on bills for tile used
on south Dewey street by street commissioner.
The bills were referred to the clerk for collection
from the property owners benefited by putting
| In said tile.
Aid Copas reported thai 2O-foot white oak
| plank suitable for planking South Wasnin gtOn
street bridge could be bought for SIS or less per
M. Aid Dewey moved that the whole matter be
referred TO the committee on streets and side
walks with power to act; motion prevailed.
| Aid. COpas from the committee appointed to
investigate the matter of the advisability of the
city buying stone crusher. reported that he
would like TO visit Chesaning at the expense of
the city OF OwossO, to see stone crusher In Op-
Grafton and to ascertain what work 1t could do
and at what expense, Aid. Dewey moved that
Aid. Copas be directed 20 make such investiga-
ton and incur whatever expense was necessary;
| motion prevailed.
Aid. Dewey submitted the following reports
and resolution, and moved the reports be accept
ed and adopted and the resolution be adopted;
motion did not prevail; ayes, Wiley. Dewey, Jor.
dan, Shaw, Palmer, Watson and Walsh 7; nays
Gould and COpas,2.
Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen-As chairman of
the Ways and Means committee l desire to
make personal report as to the Woodland
bonus matter for the benefit OF the committee
and the council.
AT the time of the burning of the factory,
Sept. 3, 1878, II became a strong sentimental
opinion that OwossO could not afford to lose toe
factory; some even thought IT death blow 10
the city and some OF the most prominent peo
pie, some OF the largest taxpayers, some pub
lie officials were loud in their demands and
claims that a bonus should be given and the
amount stated ran all the way from so, 900 to
$4,000. Some thought that public work under
contract and contracts drawn but not signed
should be stopped and money put into a furni-
ture or other factories Others equally promi-
nent and of the same classes thought that there
was no necessity for the factory, that wood
working institutions would not be profitable in
the future, and claimed that Mr. Woodland was
better II than ever, and that the city must
recover from the loss and get other industries.
Some have taken the bonus matter as gift to
man whom they considered rich, not realiz.
ing the situation In the least and not seeming
to understand that ii was for the business and
not for the man that IL was intended to use the
money; Others thought that $1,000 or 500
would be a SUFFICIENT sum. Then the citizens
under the leadership of various persons signed
petitions asking the Council to call an election
to vote on the question OF giving Mr.. Woodland
bonus, and the sum named varied, but the
lowest amount was, think 100000. Then the
committee OF business and factory men, APP
pointed by the mayor, canvassed the situation
and after much discussion came before the
council and stated separately and for the 700
petitioners that the amount must be Sl5 co.
The election was held on Nov. 8, 1898 and by
vote of 1900 to 300 the people decided that the
judgment of the committee was right. The
manner In which the money was voted was at
the suggestion OF a member of the council. not
member OF the ways and means committee,
put as general improvement bond for the pur-
pose OF buying mar act site. was in favor at
a mn nf aoaiti
give bonus, but others thought differently,
they had the resolution drawn and presented
IT.. 1t was passed by practically unanimous
vote In the council, the matter OF a bonus be-
ing thoroughly understood by every council
man and almost every citizen of the city. There
had been no delay In the matter, the election
being held in cor junction with the regular No
vember election because 1t could not have been
held earlier, partly on account OF the necessary
election and registration notices and artly be-
cause there had been no definite sentiment as
to what ought to be done; and further 1t saved
the expense which is no small item, and the
inconvenience of a special election and brought
out probably double the vote which would have
been cast at a special election. Then aldermen
and others, and the city attorney advised that
there should be no hurry In the matter immedi
ateIy, as there was strong feeling against CIV
ing the amount voted and that no work could
be done during the colder winter months. But
we presented resolution in December, author.
iZing the sale of the bonds and received num-
Der of offers all at par or less than par, Of
which were accepted. We finally received,
which was reasonably right, and accepted it,
the company going so far as to advertise the
bonds for sale, but later through newspaper
notices discovered that IL was not the intention
to use all the money for the purpose stated In
the resolutions and refused to hold to their
offer OF premium, and withdrew the adver-
tisement, which will temporarily affect the
value of the bonds Nevertheless, as soon as
they are really issued they will bring pre-.
MUM. All of the companies that have cores.
ponded about the bonds refused to take them
of an earlier date than March 1, 1892 and the
only way the committee could have sold them
would have been to have paid interest until
March extra dating the bonds then. Uuder
these circumstances we have not thought 1t
best to make a report, and have not and do not
consider that there has been any delay as far as
the beginning OF the erection OF the buildings
But the time is now when work can COM
mence, and yet find that the council is divided
into four classes, namely those who do not
want to give anything and those who want to
give $1,000, $40 900 or $4,000. The people voted
$4,000, and am, and have BEEN for the giving
of that amount, but understand that Mr.
Woodland will take $4,000 and begin work i'm
mediately. Consequently have drawn re.
port and resolution for that amount. Mr..
Gould is not In favor of the report or resolution
and Mr.. Walsh does not agrees as to all the
items, but the latter signs it with me In order
to get the matter before the council. ] have
asked Aid. Gould to present o minority report
stating his position In the matter and trust that