Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-19
Council and Commissioners Are
At War.
COUNTY DEMANDS HALF
City May Use It to Offset a Poll Tax
Claim -Chairman Clark'S Letter
Minor Affairs.

The financial differences between the
city council and the board of county
commissioners were aired at the city
meeting last night. The board
of commissioners has made a demand on
the city for one-half of the expense of
fighting the smallpox epidemic. The total
expense incurred by the county is some
thing like $12, 600. OF this amount the
commissioners have put in a claim for
50, 781. 81, representing half of the amount
thai is due, the balance to re paid later.
The board Of health contend that the
city is not liable FOR half the expense.
The discussion was brought about by the
following letter from the county commits
siOners.
Butte, Mont, April IS, 19O0.-To the
Honorable Mayor and City Council of
the City of Butte: Gentlemen-The board
of county commissioners desire to make
a statement of facts to your honorable
body relative to the agreement had be-
tween the city and county boards of
health in the matter of the smallpox sit ;
uatiOn.
.On Oct. 3, 1899, the city board me- with
the county board, at which meeting it
was mutually agreed that the county
should take charge of and care for all
patients sent to the county pest house
by the city; that the city should pay one
major the SdldIy OI Tic puyoICldu SilPfOy-
ed at the pest house. viz, $3.50 per month.
and the salary Of one nurse.
to the sum Of $3.50 per month; the terms
of this agreement were carried out for
the space of about six weeks, when all OF
| such agreements were repudiated by the
city board of health, as evidenced by a
report made by said board of health to
your honorable body, which was regular
ly adopted. Upon the adoption of said
report the board of county commission
-~- -~A!a- .,~,,~, ~~o ~
mayor thai unless the city would agree
to pay it's just proportion of the expense
in said smallpox matter the city and
county would neither receive nor care
for patients properly belonging to the
city. Thereupon it was agreed thet the
city and county boards of health should
hold q joint meeting for the purpose of
arranging an amicable adjustment OF the
matter at issue; such meeting was held
on the 9Th day of November, 1899, the
county being represented by its board of
county commissioners, sitting as a board
of health, and Aldermen Bryant, Britt,
Medin and City Attorney Lamb appear
ing on behalf of the city. At said meet
ing the county board stated plainly that
+! the city would have to bear one-half of
all the expense incident to the conduct of
the pest house; that more than 80 per cent
of the patients received at the pest house
came from within the corporate limits
of the city: that neither as a matter of
ldCl III u ld" WoS LIZ SOuAlS UOuIIu "
the subduction or repression of contagi-
GUS and infectious diseases existing with
in the corporate boundaries of the city;
that the county was willing to do more
han it's duty. in this matter to the end
that the public health might be preserv-
ed and protected and the disease more
speedily suppressed. After a general
! discussion Of the matter at issue it was
finally agreed upon that the county
should build an additional pest house
Z orl r,1oir,o thnroir MI vofinotc cant ~ -
from the city; that the city would pay
one-half of the expense Of operating the
same.
I'VE desire to again call your attention
to the fact that more than 80 per cent of
{ the patients received at the pest house
) came from the city, consequently the
county has offered to pay much more
; h its just proportion of the expense
) incident to the prevalence of this cpl
demic.
"In conclusion we desire to say that a
most charitable spirit will not hold us
from the opinion that the memory Of the
city's board of health Is much cloude
with reference to the agreement made bv
} them on behalf of the city relative to the
{ division of the expense necessarily incur
red in this matter of consistency, of jus
tice and u~prightness, the agreements
made at the meeting last herein referred
> to will be strictly adhered to by the city
Very respectfully,
civilian D. CLARK,
"Chairman Board of County Commits
sioners."
City Attorney Lamb stated that the
county owed the city about $12,0 0 poll tax
3 illegally collected, and he was of the opin.
: ion that the smallpox expenses would
afford an excellent basis for the adjust.
ment of the poll tax matter.
Alderman Bryant of the board of health
maintained that the city had agreed tt
half pay of the physicians salary, $25t
per month, and the salary Of one guard
s $3.50 per month.
On motion the letter was placed on file
. James A. Murray filed an objection tt
the proposed grading Of West Galenf
street. contending that the grading woult
injure mining ground on the street IL
question. The communication was re
! ferred to the street and alley committee
D The clerk was instructed to advertise
1 for bids for the proposed Woolman stree
4
The Submarine Gold