The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-11-24
The Council Takes Action Look
ing to a Raise in Their
Salary.
WATER WORKS REPORT
Mr.. R0wley Will Be Requested to
Appear Before the Council
and Give Figures.

$75 a month; the street electric light
are to be strung in the middle Of th,
streets instead of on the sides on poles
and the sidewalks on Montana avenue
for three blocks, and on Minneso:.
avenue for two blocks. are to be widen
ed to fourteen feet.
The regular meeting on Tuesday
night was attended by a full house o.
aldermen, with the exception Of Spear,
who was absent from the city. When
Mayor Yegen raped for order at 8:15,
Witham and Connolly were absent, but
these members arrived Oh the scene be.
fore business had been fairly launched.
The first matter taken up was the re.
ports of standing committees. The
committee on streets aud crossings re.
ported f%avorably OF an ordinance speci-
flying that all sidewalks in the business
district should be twelve feet wide, and
in the resident district six feet wide.
The committee also recommended the
construction of crosswalks Of Billings
hard stone; also that property owners
be granted the privilege OF constr uctlng
their walks of either brick, stone or
cement. In this report the committee
specifically specified how all board
walks should be constructed. The re-
port was adopted and the city clerk
ordered to advertise for bids for side
walk construction for the city of Bill
ings for II year. Connolly moved AL
amendment to the effect that the ordin-
ance committee prepare an ordinance
| nN1owSrn tho onvckvrokso, ~ Fo,,~<oo~
feet sidewalks on Minnesota avenue
from Twenty seventh to Twenty-ninth
street, and on Montana avenue from
Twenty sixth to Twenty ninth street,
and give the property owners one years
time to make the change, granting the
owners the privilege of extending the
walks back on the side streets to the
alleys, or even the next street. The
motion carried.
The committee on officers and bonds
reported that the bond of Ed. Corle as
policeman in the sum of 5000, with
Sam Church and P. Fl. Smith as sur.
cites, had been filed. On motion it was
accepted.
The street and sidewalk committee
reported f%avorably on the petition for a
couple OF new street crossings. The
report was adopted and walks ordered
constructed, Connolly then moved that
the street committee be authorized to
have constructed Of stone one or two
orosswalks in locations where they
might be thoroughly tested, as the
council is seriously considering the ad-
visibility of constructing all c%rosswalks
of stone in the future and may decide
to replace the badly damaged ones with
the same material. The kind Of rock
to be used was left to the discretion Of
the committee. Connelly's motion was
seconded by Frizelle and carried unani.
mously.
The city attorney reported Oh the
of permitting tile connections to
be made to the new sewer, to the effect
it would be out Of the question If
entire connections were made before the
sewer became the property of the city.
aud that eve the tile pipe connections
could not be made unless the sewer con-
give their consent. After con-
siderable discussion the matter was
dropped, the council being unable to
come to any conclusion, but it seems
to be painfully evident that there will
DO no connections whatever with the
new sewer until it is completed and
over to the city.
In accordance with a petition pre-
sented, the council ordered the removal
from the alley Of the barn at the rear
II the Billings Business college build
Ing, same to be done within thirty days
rom date.
The council was petitioned by several
property owners to extend the fire
limits so as to take in the block be.
'ween Twenty ninth and Thirtieth
streets south, and Minnesota and First
and the one between Twenty
ninth and Thirtieth street north, and
and First avenue. The two
blocks mentioned are almost solidly
quilt up, and especially the one On the
iouth, which would be a veritable fire.
rap III case Of a fire. The petition was
to the committee on fire, water
snd lights.
FriZelle, as chairman of the special
authorized to confer with
he Billings Water Power company and
ind out what the latter asked for it's
water works system, reported verbally
hat himself and Spear had called upon
Manager Rowley and talked with him,
tut that the latter did not seem to I'M
'erstand what the committee wanted J
md that they could get no definite an I
wer from him; that Mr.. Rowley even {
vent 30 far as to suggest a way the city
hould proceed to buy the plant, saying
hat the council should first hold a (
pecial election to see il the taxpayers c
avored buying the plant. Connolly
moved that Mr.. Rowley be instructed t
O appear before the council at the next 9
ocular meeting on Dec. s, prepared to /
i've figures Oh the entire plant of water r
works and electric liphta. and also nm {