The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-18
ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL At
LAST NIGHTS MEETING.
Time LIMIT SHORTENED
Nothing but "MentaI" Music Allowed
in Saloons in Future-Grapho-
phones Shut Out.
FIom Wednesdays Daily Gazette.

for the city of Billings met in regula,
semi-monthly session last night and
transacted a large volume of business
the most important of which was the
adoption of an ordinance granting to
l.. l.. Moffett and associates a fran.
chise to construct and maintain a
telephone exchange in the city of
Billings.
All members were present and as
soon as council convened George A.
Griggs addressed the body on a mat
ter of a private water pipe that sup
piled his own and the premises of H.
S. Williston, adjoining. By reason
of the pipe being a party pipe for
himself and Mr.. Williston, and from
the fact that Mr.. Williston afterward
tapped the private main on the out
side of the fence in order to get an
increased supply for his lawn, Mr..
Griggs claimed that he is getting only
half the water he is entitled to and
asked that the water company be COM
PEELED to put in for him a separate
and distinct supply pipe. The matter
"a referred to- the fire, water and
light committee.
The finance committee reported that
it had examined the reports of the
police magistrate and chief of po-
lice and found them correct, where
upon the reports were adopted.
Committee on officers bonds report
ed that the bond of E. S. Jackson as
chief Of police had been approved.
The park committee was instructed
to use it's own judgment in the mat
ter of procuring dirt for filling and
grading the depot park.
On petition of divers citizens addi-
tional water mains were ordered in
various streets in the West Side addi-
ton.
The matter of the adoption of the
Moffett Telephone ordinance then
came before the council. Alderman
B%ennighoff moved that the ordinance
be laid on the table and the motion
was lost. Bennington and White vot-
ing in the affirmative and S%toddard,
Berky, Bouton. Thorson, Cothron and
Hogue voting in the negative.
Two amendments were proposed to
the ordinance and were passed as
follows: Amendment No. 1 provides
that the franchise should expire at
the same time as that under which
the Billings Telephone company was
now operating, viz: October 8, 1909,
instead of Is years from date of pas
sage as proposed. Amendment No.
2 provides that at all points where
the wires of the Moffett company
cross those of the Billings Telephone
Co. or the Billings Water Power and
Light company that they should be
placed net less than four feet above
the said wires of the other companies.
The ordinance as amended was then
placed upon it's final passage and was
adopted by a unanimous vote.
An ordinance for prohibiting phono-
graphs and all other mechanical mus
ical instruments from being operated
in saloons or other public places then
came up. Alderman B%ennighoff stat
ted to the council that it must not be
understood that this ordinance did not
prohibit music where it was render
ed mentally" On vote being taken
there was a tie, Alderman. White,
Bouton. Bennighoff and Cothron vot-
ing in the affirmative and Stoddard,
Berky, Hogue and Thorsen in the
negative. Mayor George broke the
tie by voting in the affirmative. A
matter that somewhat puzzled the al
dermen voting in the affirmative was
the vote of Alderman Hogue, that
gentleman having originally introduce
ed the ordinance and then voted
against it's passage.
A resolution introduced at a prior
meeting to correct the tax levy in
eve district No. 8. was passed. The
original levy was erroneous in that a
number of lots were left out.
A petition signed by Fred. Letter
and others for a sidewalk on South
Twenty-seventh street was referred to
the street and sidewalk committee.
The clerk was authorized to adver-
tise for bids for the construction of
a 14-feet cement sidewalk with gran
lite curbing along the east and north
sides of the new city hall building.
The clerk was also authorized to ad.
vertise for bids for furnishing the
fire department with a years supply
Of hav and cats.
Alderman Bennighoff moved that
$500 be set aside from the general
fnnd for the entertainment of dele