Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-09
Disposition of the City Laborer
Proposition.
THE LIBRARY PETITION REFERRED
The Latter Contained the Signatures
of Seventeen Hundred and Thirty
Seven Male Voters-Routine Coun.
Gil Business.
From Tuesdays Daily.


cleaning and city work with the eXcep-
ton of cleaning streets and crossings,
will be contracted, and for that Sl.50
will be paid for a nine-hour day such
was the final disposition of the city Ia
Dor proposition by the city council last
evening, after long and holly contest
cd debate, led by Alderman Barnes,
champion of the S-hour day and
$1.50 scale.
The petition for new election for
the purpose of voting on the library
proposition was formally presented by
Capt. j. G. Hutchinson, and on motion
was referred to the council as a COM
mittee of the whole. The claims Of
McNett & Tisdale were finally dis
posed of and the contracts for the con-
struction of the new sewers were for
mally awarded, besides the transac-
ton of the usual routine business.
In the absence of the mayor. the
council was called to order by Alder
man T. F. Keefe. The roll call show
ed all members present. Before the
reading and adoption of the minutes
of the last regular meeting and the
called session of the council last Mon
day evening, Capt. ]. G. Hutchinson,
representing the committee selected
questing that body to call another spe-
cial election for the purpose of voting
en- The library proposition, was called
upon to make his request. He adj
dressed the council, briefly explain
ing that after careful canvass of the
city it was found that there was
growing sentiment in favor of the Ii
brary, and replied in conclusion, that
he mad the honor to present to the
council petition containing the sig
nature of 1,737 male voters asking
that they be given another opportun-
ity to vote on the question OF accept
ing Andrew Carnegie's offer of $4,000
to the city of Ottumwa for a free pub
lie library.
Capt. Hutchinson stated that at the
previous election the polls were clos
ed a. 6 O'Clock, when legally, they
should have been open until Z. He did
not blame the city council with that,
in fact there was no one to blame, he
Sad, as there were few people aware
that a recent change of that kind in
the statute had been made. He fur
Their said that many men have stated
Since the first election, that they did
not fully understand the proposition
at that time, and are now ready to
vote for it, The Captain explained
that inasmuch as a decision had been
handed down by Judge Eichelberger
that the first election was illegal on
tue grounds that women We're permit
ted to vote, and that as there was
not sufficient number of male votes
at that time to carry the proposition
but that since that time that many
have changed their opinion on the
subject and had SO expressed them
selves in requesting the council to
call special election, he therefore
formally presented said petition. The
petition was, on motion, referred to
the council as a committee of the
whole.
Attorney G. c. Leech was present
and in behalf of those who oppose the
Carnegie library proposition, said that
he thought that the council should ig
more the petition and let the matter &c
to the supreme court. He said that
the decision of Judge Eichelberge1
was that women, according to the
statute, have no right to vote on such
matters, and warned the council
against taking any further action in
the matter in the way of calling an,
other election, until the question had
been passed upon by the supreme
court. Mr.. Leech presented the prop.
os1tion in the light that in so doing
Inc council would only be laying itself
maple TO another lawsuit. He
sad: Supposing another election
Is called and the judges and clerks O
said election are instructed to pro
hlplt women from voting; that at sait
electlon number of wome1
desiring to vote on the question an.
backed by the statute demand thei
votes and are refused, the city the1
lays itself liable to another lawsuit.
The Labor Question.
The real show began when alder
man Barnes, who has preyiousl,
championed the rights of the city la
borers arose, and stated that he de
sired report of the council as a CON
mittee of the whole on the petitio,
which had previously been presente
to it to pay such labor $1.5O for al
eight hour day instead of SLIPS. I
r. Keefe, mayor protein, requisite
Alderman Asbury to take the chail
whereupon Mr.. Keefe reported that d
a caucus meeting of the council O
last Monday evening, on the abov
question, the majority report was tha
Z the wages and length of the work da
should remain as they are. Aide
man Barnes then asked for an aye an
nay vote which resulted as follows:
Aye-Asbury, Boggs, Hoglunt
Hyatt and Polling.
Nay-Barnes, Hull, Keefe and Mat,
ers.
Alderman Barnes then presented
motion that on and after September
of the present year, the pay for cit
laborers should be S1.5O for nine
hours.
A discussion ensued in which Aide
man Asbury expressed the sentime1
that the city should not be compelle
to pay any more for common labo
than an individual and asked wha
was customary for such work. H
was informed that it varied from
cents per day to 20 cents per houl
Alderman Keefe remarking that tn
latter scale was what he pays his en-