The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-10
ANACONDA NEWS.
|MR. DAVIDSON RESIGNS
He Is No Longer Chairman of the
Finance Committee.
A SPAT WITH THE MAYOR
1T All Came About Over $40 Bill-At-
torney Rodgers Proposition Re-
jected-Damage Cases Will
Go to Supreme Court.

! Alderman T. C. Davidson of the Fourth
ward is no longer chairman of the fin
ance committee of the city council. AL
derman Davidson resigned at last nights
council meeting and Mayor Lesser
promptly accepted the resignation. The
resignation of Mr.. Davidson was all due
to spat which the alderman had with
| Mayor Lesser over a bill for So The
council last night also rejected the prop
/ osition of Attorney W. B. Rodgers for a
settlement of the Shook and May damage
suits. The Judiciary committee recon-
mended that the sidewalk ordinance do
/ not pass, and its report was adopted. The
council passed the resolution levying the
special assessment of s14 in certain I'M
| improved districts and transacted con-
! siderable routine business.
Mayor Lesser, Aldermen Collins. Dalton.
Davidson, Devine, FITZPATRICK, Gangner,
Hamill Stephens, Mcguire and Pozega
were present at last evenings meeting.
The minutes of the previous meetings
were read and approved.
There were no objections or protests
against the tax levy of s14 upon each %
foot lot in Improvement districts Nos T.
s, 9, 10, II and u to defray the expense
of the construction of lateral sewers. The
resolutions were then passed unanimously
in their regular order.
The city attorney rendered an opinion
in the matter of the Furst claim for re-
fund of $66 claimed to have been paid to
the city by mistake on personal property.
He held that the council had the right to
refund the tax if it so desired. On motion
n
the tax be refunded upon the filing by
Mr.. Furst of the tax receipts with the
city clerk.
The city attorney held that the city
council could not legally remit the taxes
on the Margaret theater, holding that the
theater is an institution for profit and not
properly a public institution. The taxes
having been already paid without protest,
there was no chance for their recovery.
The city attorney also gave an opinion
in the matter of the cuverts under the
B., A. & P. tracks east of the city. The
street and alley committee will confer
with the railroad people before the spring
floods come and the culverts will doubtless
be put in
Aldermen Hamill and Mcguire brought
in majority report of the judiciary COM
mfttee recommending that the proposition
of w. b. Rodgers, attorney for George A.
Shook and w. B. May be rejected, and
that the cases, be carried to the supreme
court. Alderman Fitzpatrick submitted
a minority report which stated that it is
the belief of the minority that Attorney
Rodgers has not made a liberal enough
proposition, and recommending that the
attorney be asked to submit to the coun-
Gil in writing his lowest figures.
Alderman Davidson moved that the
minority report be adopted. After a lot
of discussion the vote was taken and re-
suited as follows:
Aye-Davdson, FitZPa trick, Gangner
and Stephens.
No-Collins, Dalton, Devine, Hamil,
Mcguire and Pozega-6
The motion to adopt the minority report
was therefore lost. On motion the ma
jority report was adopted and the cases
will probably go to the supreme court.
The judiciary committee reported ON the
sidewalk cleaning ordinance, recommend
ing that the ordinance do not pass. The
report was adopted.
The finance committee reported, recon-
mending number of bills for payment.
The report was adopted.
Mr.. Davidson, chairman of the finance
committee, called up the bill of r. Mar
tin which was presented to the council
about a month ago. The bill was for $40
for breaking one of the fire horses. At
that time it was stated Martin had agreed
to break the horse for IS. Action on the
bill was at that time postponed until
Chief Mentrum could be consulted as 1t
was he who had ordered Martin to break
the horse.
When the matter was called up last
night Mr.. Davidson said he called it up
because Martin ought 60 be told whether
It was going to be allowed whether he
was going to get anything at all or not.
There was again a lot of discussion about
1t. Alderman Hannill moved that the bill
be paid. Chief Mentrum was sent for,
but could not be found. After the talk
had lasted about Is minutes, sometimes
becoming quite warm, Mr.. Davidson got
up and said
II have served this city for the past
two years to the best of my ability. AS
chairman of the finance committee I have
tried to do my duty. If there's going to
be lot of rag chewing aboutEa little in
significant S. bill, I am going TO resign
the craftsmanship of the finance commit
tee right, now .ts,.
II don,t5see any reason why you cannot
resign If you desire to do so,'' said the
mayor. This seems to be a matter of
veracity between Mr.. Davidson and Chief
Mentrum. Did not understand you to
say, Mr.. Davidson, when you reported the
bill back from the finance committee, that
you had seen Chief Mentrum?''
Your understanding is correct" said
Mr.. Davidson.
"Chief Mentrum on the other hand told
me-" said the mayor, that Mr.. Davidson
had not spoken to him about the bill, and