The Portland daily press., 1900-10-02
THE SNOW ORDINANCE

Mr.. Griffin introduced an order pro-
Vid1ng that the commissioner of public
works be authorized to refuse his con-
sent to the removal of snow or ice by
the Portland Railroad company from
its track in the city OF Portland unless
said Portland Railroad company removes
at its own expense the snow from curb
to curb in all the streets where it's tracks
are cleared so as to allow sleighs and
other vehicles to pass along said streets
and over their rails with safety and
convenience.
Mr.. Comedian moved that the order be
laid on the table.
Mr.. Griffin said that he had no desire
TO criticize the railroad company. He
said that this removal of the snow cost
the city $500 year and this can be
saved.
Mr.Fox said he hoped the council
would pass this order.
Mr.. Woodside wanted the order referred
to the committee on public works.
Mr.. True said he hoped the city council
would settle the matter now. Mr.. Cobb
thought the order should be referred.
Mr.. Griffin thought the order should
not be sidetracked.
Mr.. Dyer said that the council was i'm
posing tax on the railroad which was
not the province OF tbs council. He
thought it.was unfair to ask the railroad
to remove the snow from all the streets.
The railroad now removes snow from
over half It's length and the city does the
other half, which seems fair.
sMr. Woodside said this didn't seem the
right way to get at the matter and he
thought the council was exceeding its
authority.
A motion by Mr.. Woodside to refer the
order was lost.
A motion to lay on the table was lost
by vote of IA to 8.
Mr.. Woodsids then moved to refer the
order to the city solicitor for an opin-
ion. Mr.. Fox said that these motions
were evidently madesto stife the senti-
ment of the council. Mr.. WoodsIde's
motion was lost.
The motion to give the order a passage
was then put and carried.
In the upper board Alderman MilIiken
moved that the order be laid on the
table. Alderman Thomas thought the
Portland Railroad company should be
given a hearing in the matter. To this
suggestion Alderman MiIIiken retorted
that the order was altogether too sweep
Ing.
Aldermen Moulton moved the matter
be referred to the city solicitor.
Alderm an Brown thought the railroad
company was now doing its part. Then
the order was tabled and the opinion of
the city solicitor sought.
Alderman Moulton presented an order
in the board of aldermen before adjourn
ment asking the opinion of the city So
icitor as to whether the city has the
right TO make the railroad companies re-
move all the snow from the streets
through which they pass. The order
passed.
FIRE DE PARTMENT SURPRISE.
A joint session was called for to elect
Weighers of coal and measurers of wood
in the ordinary form, and when the con
vention had attended to this duty, Alder
man Thomas threw a bomb she'll into the
midst of the convention. 1t was in the
form of two reports from the committee
on fire department. which read as follows:
''The board Of engineers of the fire de-
partment having unanimously reported |
TO this committee that Engineer G. B.
French Of engine five be discouraged from
the fire department. for lntenperance this
committee unanimously recommend Enat
G. B. French be discharged from the ire
department., "
This report was signed by the entire
ire committee.
The other report was in the same form
but recommended the discharge from the
of Engineer A. Wiggin of en-
Continued on Fifth Page.