The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-10-30
CITY OF PRINCETON.
The Council Takes InitiatOry Steps
Toward Incorporating as
City Government.
An Ordinance Passed Declaring the
Village a City, Subject to the =.
Vote of the People.

eminent were taken at special meet
ing of the village council last Tuesday
night when an ordinance was passed
declaring that all the territory now
embraced in the present limits of the
village should be and constitute the
city of Princeton. subject to the vote of
the qualified electors of said village.
Chapter 8 of the general laws of 1895
is an act to provide for the incorp6ra-
ton, organization and government of
cities and at the time it was before the
legislature was known as the Howard
charter, Senator Howard of Minneap-
oils being the father of the act. The
charter was a we'll framed and thor
oughly drafted document and many
cities are acting under it's provisions
to-day. IT is under the provisions of
this act that the initiatory steps to-
ward incorporation as city are being
taken by the village council. The law
provides for submitting the question
to the county commissioners by petit
ton of the people, and authorizes the
commissioners to set day for an cleo
ton, but this provision was placed in
the law to protect the interests of the
people and give them sufficient power
to grow and develop in case the mem
bers OF the village board did not see
fit to go ahead and take the initiative,
which under the law they are empow-
cred to do, and which the village coun-
Gil of Princeton has already done.
The ordinance has been properly
passed and after it's publication it be-
comes in full force and effect and then
it devolves upon the council to pass
resolution calling for an election by
the qualified electors of the village
who shall say whether they wish to
organize as city or not. AT the reg
ular meeting of the council next Mon
day night the matter of passing the
resolution will come up for considera-
ton and it will pass as there does not
seem to be anything in the way to pre-
vent it from passing, as the ordinance
was passed without dissenting vote,
and there were many Of the property
owners present to urge its passage.
The village long since outgrew its
old charter and its hands are tied so
far as taking the necessary steps to-
ward making much needed improve
ments which are really too numerous
to mention. The streets and sidewalks
are in very bad shape and it appears
that the village has no power to force
people to repair their sidewalks and if
this is a fact then it would seem that it
was high time to get the necessary
authority to do so. Then the streets.
There has been enough money wasted
on the main Travelled streets in the vii
lage to have paved them in good shape.
Then we are in sad need of curbs and
cutters in many places. We have al
ready commenced to honeycomb our
streets with private sewers. We seem
to be absolutely powerless to keep our
crosswalks clean in muddy weather.
The fire department has disbanded,
and it will probably stay disbanded
until some duly authorized representa-
tives of the village go ahead and get
the boys to re-organize and be in some
shape for fires that are apt to break
out any time. Looking at the matter
all around it would seem that we had
got to the end of the village rope and
that we had better try city ways and
see how it will work.
Should the council pass the resolu-
ton calling for special election there
shall be forty days notice by publica.
ton given and thirty days notice by
posting in five conspicuous places in
the village. A majority vote is all
that is necessary to carry the election,
and after the village clerk has prop.
erly filed with the secretary of State
the notice OF proper election returns,
etc., then the village becomes a city,
and the old village officers will act and
have the powers conferred on them by
the charter, and they shall serve until
their terms expire and until their sue
cessors have been elected and qualify
as city officials.
The officers of the city government
would consist of mayor, a treasurer,
three aldermen and two aldermen at
large. The council would have to elect
q city clerk or comptroller, appoint a
marshal, etc. The charter gives city
governments ample powers for provid-
ing for all details in their management
and under the act Princeton could
maintain a government that would
give it ample powers and at the same
time the expense of conducting the