Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-01-21
NOW IT'S FIXED
The Special Meeting of the COun-
Gil Compromises On Finance.
a Lengthy and An Earnest Meeting at
Last Finally Approves the
Salem Charter.

cent,
Recorder N. j. Judah again welded
the gavel last evening at special
meeting Of the council called to recon
slider the twenty-third section Of the
draft OF the new city charter which
relates to the financial manage.
ment Of the city and which was
stricken from the charter at the
last meeting on account of the
clause, which 1t contained, giving the
council the power to refund the city
Indebtedness by calling 10 the out
standing 8 per cent warrants and issu-
Ing short-time bonds at rate of in
terest not TO exceed ~ per cent. The
entire membership OF the council was
present at the meeting, Alderman
Walker having arisen from sick bed
TO attend, and came in cab that he
might participate in the consdera-
tlon Of the important issue with his
colleagues.
The business of the meeting was
opened by Alderman j. s. Graham
moving the reconsideration OF section
%. In explanation OF his action the
gentleman stated that some financial
clause should be inserted in the char
ter, and IL the council did not provide
one the legislature would, so that II
they wished TO have a voice In the
matter, action ought to be taken at
once. The motion to reconsider being
carried, Mr.. Graham moved 10 strike
out the words, cor bonds payable on
or before ten years alta rate OF inter
est not TO exceed Al per cent" from
the section under reconsideration.
Were this clause TO carry 1t would
leave the charter without u bonding
clause and the council would be en-
powered to refund the city debt only
by low rate warrants. IL was upon
this bond question that the fight
came, Gesner absolutely refused TO
consider any bond proposition while
Riggs had figured the financial result
OF both warrants and bonds for the
period Of five and ten years and found
bonds To be the cheaper TO the city at
the end Of 10 years by something like
$4,000. Buren Thought that II you
could issue bonds at per cent aud
warrants at 8 per cent IL would be
saving the city 80 per cent interest
/ nd In fn ~
bonds. Legg wished TO hear from
outside citizens who had made a
study OF the matter aud called for
Mr.. Claud Catch wh3 was In the
audience, That gentleman spoke en-
Enthusiastically and at length 10 favor
OF warrants, aud alleged that every
bond issue was made In some selfish
interest. McGrew called for j. II.
Albert, the banker, who had reached
the scene OF action just In time TO get
good Whit Of Mr.. Gatch's brim-
stone aud who sailed into the ques-
tion by the statement that, "snce
enterlng this room have
heard only the argument OF a
dishonest debtor trying 10 eyade
the payments of his debts" Mr.
Catch laughed out loud at this and
Mr.. Albert continued 20 elucldate the
question. AT the conclusion OF his
argument Mr.. Catch refuted the idea
that he was a dishonest debtor by
stating that he paid his debts II he
didn't own city warrants. And again
the fire flew for time until the chair
man refused TO allow any outside talk
and the question went before the
council for discussion. The council
did not desire TO argue the matter TO
any extent, Alderman McGrew re-
marking that everything had been
said that was possible on the subject,
and the vote was taken on the adop-
tion OF the amendment.
The ayes and noes were called for
with the following result, ayes Gra-
ham, Gesner, Legg, NOES, Buren, Bur-
rows, McGrew, Riggs. Walker, and so
the amendment failed TO pass aud the
bond clause was retained. The main
question was put aud the entire sec
tion 20 was adopted by the same vote
as that by which the clause had been
defeated.
Gesner wished TO amend section
on ex Ofiicio justice powers OF the re-
corder. He thought the collection Of
fees by the recorder from the county
was graft on the county aud ought
to be stopped, so he moved 10 amend
by giving the recorder no justice
powers outside OF the city limits.
Some discussion was raised on the
proposition, Legg agreeing with Ges-
ner. Recorder Judah asked permls-
sion TO speak 20 the subject, and
stated, that the fees are the private
property OF the marshal and recorder
and IL was only by the campaign
agreement that they were turned tnto
the treasury. II they went 20 the
Salem justice court they were taken
der fee system by the court and the
city did not get then, hence IL wac
70 the interest OF the city To retaln
the clause, and he was opposed 10 the
amendment. Upon a vote the ayes
we're Gesner, Graham and LegP, 3
the noes Buren, Burrows, McGrew
Riggs aud Walker, 5, so the amend-
ment failed 10 pass.