Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-16
bly, of the State of Colorado:


preceding regular meeting of such city
council and published in full in one or
two papers of general circulation pub
lished In such city at least ten days
before its passage. and IL there be no
such paper or papers published in
such city. then by posting copies there
OF in at least six public places in such
city at least ten days previous to its
passage or adoption. All of which
such previous introduction of such
ordinance at such preceding regular
meeting of such city council and the
fact of its publication in such news
papers or by posting shall appear in
the certificate and the attestation of
the clerk on such ordinance after its
adoption.
Sec. 2. All acts or parts of acts
in conflict herewith are hereby re-
pealed
Approved by the governor April IL.
1901.
This bill did not have the emergen-
cy clause attached and therefore does
not go into effect until July IL. 1901.
1t will thus be seen that if there
was no competition in the publication
of ordinances the expense would sim
ply be enormous. During the past
year the city has paid out s47.72 for
4.772 lines of ordinances. Under
the new law. providing the council ig-
nored the provisions requiring the let
ting of their publication to the lowest
bidder, 1t would have cost the city. or
rather the taxpayers, s334.00 for
the first insertion. Then after the
council passes an ordinance there will
undoubtedly have to be another pub
lication to make same legal, as the
first publication is simply one of
uews-to give the people an opportu-
nifty to protest if they do not like its
provisions, and there may be amend
ments or the ordinance may fail en-
tirely. Again. If there should be
amendments the ordinance will again
have to be published and before it
to pay out from IA to 2S cents per
line. This would indeed be a great
graft for the morning organ and
We can hardly blame it for feeling so
bad over The Herald's expose as to
be knocked out of from $500 to $4,000
is rather disheartening to the organ
that announces it's publication is sole
iy in the interests of the taxpayers
and common people.
Now concerning the last measure:
An Act to require County Commission
ers to publish such of their proceed
ings as relate to the payment of
bills, letting of contracts and re-
bates of taxes or assessments.
Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly, OF the State of Colorado:
Section /. 1t shall be the duty of
the county commissioners of the sew
eral counties in this state to publish
such of their proceedings as relate
to the allowance of bills. letting of
contracts and the granting of rebates
of taxes or assessments. Such pro-
ceedings shall be given with sufficient
detail as to inform the public as to
the amount claimed, the amount al
was furnished in case of rebate of
taxes or assessments, the amount so
related and the ressons for the same.
Sec. 2. Such publication shall be
made in the official newspaper of the
county.
Sec. 3. Such publication shall be
made within twenty days after the ad-
iournment of the meeting OF the board
where said meetings are held quar-
terly, and at least once each month
where said boards meet more fire.
quently than once in three months;
and the county clerk shall furnish a
copy Of such proceedings for said pub
lication.
Sec. 4. Any county commissioner
or clerk who shall fail or refuse to
make such publication as aforesaid
shall be subject to fine of not less
than 800 and the cost of suit
Sec. 5. All acts or parts of acts
in conflict herewith are hereby re-
pealed.
Sec. 6. In the opinion of the Gen
eral Assembly. an emergency exists;
therefore, this act shall take effect
from and after its passage.
Approved by the governor April II,
1901.
Now Herald readers have the much
Wanted newspaper laws passed BY
the late general assembly. Tough
as the assembly was and increasing
the price of legal notices in some in
stances from 80 to rs per cent. it did
not dare make it mandatory on cvity
or county officers to select newspa-
per as the official organ and allow it to
charge as it saw fit-the full rate.
Had this been the case it would work
both ways. La Plata is Democratic
ut the present time but it's going 10
be Republican and then the Republi-
can newspaper would have full sway.
In certain counties where there is
vast amount of work, Or where there
ire two or three Democratic sheets.
1t would be worth Il good many hun
tred dollars to the officials, were they
dishonest, to name publication in
which all notices had to be published.
For instance in Dpnypr the cost IN