Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-25

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Ottumwa, Iowa, respectfully petition
your honorable body to give notice
and call another election, at which
the electors of Ottumwa shall vote on
the question of establishing public
library at Ottumwa, Iowa. We ask this
to save time and expense of litigation,
and to avoid all legal doubts, inasmuch
as one of the judges Of our district
court, on petition presented to him
in vacation, has held that the election
held June 10 1900, in this city, on the
question of establishing library, was
illegal and void on the grounds set out
in said petition.
I'VE especially ask you to take this
course on another ground, to-wit: 1t is
true that in many voting precincts of
this city, if not all, the judge of cleo
ton, at said election, June 10, 1900
closed the polls at o'clock p. M, in
ignorance of the law passed by the
last general assembly, requiring the
polls on such occasions to be kept
open until o'clock p. m. We regret
this oversight as unfortunate, making
| it extremely doubtful with regard to
the legality of said election.
"On August 6, at the meeting of the
| city council, Captain ]. G. Hutchinson
presented the petition which had been
circulated for some time throughout
the city, to the council, and the in
strument was referred to the council
as a committee of the whole. The
names of 1877 male voters residing
| In the city We're attached to the petit
| ton, denoting the fact that great
many of the citizens desired to see the
library located in Ottumwa in spite of
| the result of the first election.
Solicitor Instructed.
On August 20, 1900, the city council,
at a regular meeting, decided to take
the library case to the supreme court
for a final decision, and the city solic-
itor was instructed to act in accord
ance with this decision.
Date for Second Election.
At the city council meeting Septem-
Der 3, that body passed resolution
calling another election for the pur-
pose of determining whether or not
| the people of Ottumwa desired a pub
lie library. The date of the election
was set for September "a.
A Decisive Victory.
i On September "a, when the second
ELECTION was held, a greater interest
was manifested by the citizens, men
especially. During the day circulars
were spread broadcast about the city,
calculated to prejudice the people
against the library and influence their
votes The count Of the votes, how
| ior fo, 20
building the library Of 5S4 ballots, the
vote being summed up as follows:
Total vote for the library ......1, 572
Total vote against the library ..1,03S
Majority in favor ............ 554
Board of Trustees.
: At the council meeting October l.
Mayor T. J. Phillips, who had the
matter of appointing the trustees in
his hands, announced the following ap
pointments which were confirmed by
the council:
]. T. Hackworth
S. p Hartman.
c.. M. Myers.
Frank Simmons.
j. J. Smith.
w. A. McIntire.
d. e. Chisman.
George Withall
Z Chas. P. Brown.
Library Ordinance.
On the same date the council passed
: an ordinance which provided for thu
: establishment and maintenance of {
: free public library, open to the ust
$ of all the inhabitants under proper
t regulations, and to provide for the
purchase of lands, erection or hirint
y of buildings suitable for that purpose
and to provide for the compensation
t of the necessary employees, and to pro
d vide for the appointment Of boar'
6 lof library trustees and defining thei
, powers and duties. The ordinance
S among other things provides that Q
e the trustees first appointed, one-thir
n shall hold Office for two; one-third 70
l. four; one-third for six years from tn
If first day Of July following their az
s pointment, and at the first meetin
shall cast lots for their respectiv
terms The mayor is empowered t
Z fill all vacancies that may occur o
V the board. The ordinance also pre-
y yides that the president and secretar
Is of the board of trustees, whose dut
le it is to issue orders for the payment g
such moneys as may be directed b
~ the board, shall execute to the city Q
u Ottumwa a good and sufficient bond i
9 1.-THE sum of $500 for the faithful Del