Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-01-17
COUNCIL TAKES A NEW TACK
Ordinance to Order a Special Elec-
ton Sci Aside Till
AN EXPERT EXAMINES PLANT
More Information Relative to the Dewe,
Mine on the Clearwater
Other Items.

AT an adjourned meeting, held Monday
night. the city council postponed further
action on the purchase of the water plant
till an expert examination of the plant !
could be had. Thos. Cooper was ap-
pointed to expert the property, and his
| report is TO be handed in at the next reg
ular meeting Of the council, the 5th of
February.
The question came up before the coun
Gil Monday evening on the hearing Of
the report of the judiciary committee.
Tannahill, as chairman of thatcommittee,
| reported that the ordinance presented
was in the opinion Of the committee
| illegal, for want Of definiteness. He
thought that the ordinance did not pre-
sent specific matter that the people
could act on with understanding. Shaft
, got the floor. and said that while he had
had the opinion of several of the best
| lawyers in the city that the proposed
ordinance was in due and legal form, and
while he deplored the fact that an action
must be taken which would deprive the
council from having either the aiterna-
tive to purchase or construct whereby,
they could drive closer bargain with
the water company, he wanted to remove
the objection that might cause the defeat
of municipal ownership. He thought
that Lewiston was too small to support
two plants, therefore he moved that in
order to ascertain the present value OF
the water plant T. b. Cooper be appointed
to examine the same. In discussion
Lane favored the motion, because il re-
moved the last general kick and he
wanted to see what the opposition would
do next. Tannahill favored Cooper for
the mechanical part, but thought that a
skilled hydraulic engineer should act
with him to estimate the capacity and
cost of the repairs and the construction
necessary to meet the city's needs. Lake
moved to have City Engineer MeCul-
lough assist Mr.. Cooper, but the latter
declined. Lake then moved that Mr.
Cooper be empowered to employ capa-
BILE hydraulic engineer to assist him at an
expense not to exceed $40 per day.
En- the discussion Of the water PROPOSE
ton Mayor Weisgerber took occasion to
speak in favor Of municipal ownership,
but urged that the council should not
overlook the fact that il $4,000 were
paid for the plant that no fund was pro-
vided for making the necessary exten'
7 sions to meet the demands Of the prop
S erty owners for needed extensions. Lake
$ thought that If Lewiston lost the present
Il opportunity an outside corporation wonld
p own the plant in six months. He feared
0 monopoly Of the city's franchises.
n w, H. Leland of the Patriot addressed
e the council on the question of city print
ing, calling attention to the fact that u
e their action in September all city print
e ing was to be let by bids, and citing thi
j. fact that the Tribune was getting all tn
E. work at exorbitant prices and reaping
% harvest Of $50 to $40 per month on tn
IN graft. The council ter discussion dc
lie cided to call for bids to be submitted a
Of the next regular meeting.
De Lane called up the street question b
1. asking that definite time be set to dir
cnss the pending problems. He outline
:. in brief what he considered the importat
:, points. He would settle the ditch que
ton first by having that confined i'll III
:. defground conduits in the middle Of ii
street. He suggested that the owne
DIR. Boston, be asked TO submit plai
= within thirty days to make this improv
- ment, or let the council declare it pu'
lie nuisance and abate il. Wilkinst
70, suggested that the council inform Il
=, property owners that when they dispos'
of the ditch problem the council won
take up the pavement proposition. Mo
~ day next was set as time to discr
plans of procedure on the street impro'
ment question.
'A, There will be an adjourned meeti
h Thursday night to discuss the plumbi
- and building inspections ordinance.