Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-01-23
Lewistown Will Cease to be a
Town and Become a City
at the Next Election.
TREASURER AND JUDGE TO ELECT
Mayor and Aldermen May be
Salaried and Other Officers
Receive More Pay.

The next election at which the
qualified electors Of Lewistown will
be given an opportunity to exercise
the right Of franchise will be in the
municipal election which occurs on
the first Monday in April. At that
time the increasing population, nc
cording to the last census report.
will have entitled LewistOwn to he
advanced from Il town to "A city Of
the third class. House bill No. 20S of
the Fifth legislative assembly, ap-
proved March 3, 1897, provides that
"whcnever IL manifestly appears to u
city or town council from the last
federal, state, county, city or town
census that such city or town has the
requisite population" to entitle 1T to
be classified as a city of the first, sec
ond or third class, the council 'must
thercupon. by resolution, declare that
the town il advanced To Il city uf the
first, second or third class, aud file n
certified copy OF such resolution In
the office of the county clerk of the
county and in the Office oi the s"crc-
tary OF state. Whercupon such town
becomes city Of the first, second or
third class, as the ease may be-
Under the provisions Of this act
Lewistown, having attained the
requisite population, WILDE advanced
from n ;own To IA city Oi the third
class, and although there Will be no
change in the different city offices,
the manner of selecting some OF the
officers is changed, some offices that
are appointlve becoming elective
under the advancement to II city of
TIE third class. A clty oi the third
class must have a population of less
than four thousand and more than
one thousand.
"The officers VI city OF the third
class consist of one mayor, two
aldermen from each ward, one police
Judge, one city treasurer, who may
be eX-oflcio tax collector, who must
be elected by the qualified electors of
the city" In town the Offices OF
police judge and city treasurer are
both appointive.
There is IA decided increase Of sal
aries i'm the Offices in a city of the
third class over those of u town.
The annual salary and compensation
OF oil town and city officers must be
fixed by ordinance. No salary or
compensation is allow ed the mayor
or aldermen OF n town, hut in cities
Of the third class the mayor may
receive a salary not 10 exceed two
hundred dollars per annum, while
the aldermen may be allowed and
paid not exceeding three dollars per
diem for each day Of session. but no
alderman shall bepaid for more than
two days service during any one
month. The city treasurer may have
his salary increased from the maxi
mum for town, five hundred dol
lars, to seven hundred dollars. the
highest allowed In cities Uf the third
class, but az these salaries nre all
fixed by ordinance the compensation
OF the present treasurer OF Lewistown
is three hundred dollars per annum.
The police Judge may be allowed an
annual Hulary not to exceed four
hundred dollars and In addition In
entitled 10 receive In all civil cases
the fees usually allowed to justices Of
the peace. Ia a town the justice of
the peace designated to act as police
Judge can only be allowed one hun
dred dollars per annum. The city
clerk receives one hundred dollars
in town, which may he Increased To
five hundred dollars IN cities Of the
third class.
No compensation IL fixed fora town
attorney in town, but the present
town attorney is allowed three hun
drej dollars per annum, and If the
advancement Ia grade IL made be
may he allowed five hundred dollars.
The salary Of the chief Of police IL
the same in town as In city Of the
third class.
Allsalaries being Gyed by ordinance
il would naturally he presumed that
the town council OF Lewiston wn, when
the change is made. would fix the sal
aries In keeping with the financial
resources Of the city.
At the coming election there will be
three aldermen, one police Judge and
one city treasurer to be voted for.
The terms Of Aldermen Bebb. Shields
and Brassey will have ended, while
Aldermen Eldridge, Wright and Stod-
dard hold over for another year.
This will be the first time to elect a