The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-06
TO IMPROVE
MORAL TONE
CITY COUNCIL TAKES coeNlz.
ANcE OF PUBLIC EVILS.
BUYS new FIRE APPARATUS
Contract Entered Into for combina-
ton Ladder Truck and Chem
ical Engine.

From Thursdays Daily Gazette. ~
Last nights adjourned meeting of
the city council was enlivened by sew
eral efforts of some Of the aldermen
to improve the moral condition Of the
municipality.
Bennighoff spoke of the manner in
which lewd women were leaving the
part of the city dedicated to their
use and occupation and taking up
their residence in parts where they
were supposedly not tolerated. He
also called attention to other matters
that he though required looking into
for the purpose of their regulation and
suppression.
Other members also had something
to say on this and kindred subjects
and the result vas the passage Of q
vote creating a grievance. committee,
as it were The mayor appointed as
such committee Messrs. Bennighoff,
Hogue and White.
To assist the committee and to keep
the council in more direct touch with
the police department Bennighoh NOV
ed that the mayor appoint a police
commission, to consist of three men,
bers of the council. The motion pre-
vailed and the commission was APP
pointed. It consists Of Bennington,
White and Cothron.
In ccnsonace with the city's past
liberality in supplying the fire de-
partment with modern and effective
apparatus. the fire committee report
ed favorably on the w. S. Mott COM
pany's proposal to supply the harness,
hose and combination hook and ladder
truck and chemical engine, in accord
ance with the advertisement calling
for bids. The committee advised ac-
c%eptance of the company's offer to
supply 1000 feet of Paragon hose at
80 cents per foot; n double set of
Hale fire harness at $120, and a special
combination hook and ladder truck
and chemical engine for $2,135, +. o. b.,
at the factory. The company agreed
to take the old hook and ladder truck
in part payment and allow 5000 for it.
The Racine Fire Engine company
also submitted a proposal to furnish
the truck, agreeing to sell one for
$1,000, but on view of the other con-
Germs offer to accept the old one at
the figure stated and the departments
experience with the apparatus sup
piled by the Mott company, the COM
mittee considered the offer of the lat
ter to be the better.
On motion the committees report
vas adopted. and the clerk and mayor
instructed to enter into a contract
with the Mott company.
The usual number of bills were al
lowed and several were laid on the
table and others referred.
A resolution was adopted requiring
the street commissioner hereafter to
submit monthly reports giving in de-
tail the number of men employed by
him, their names, number of hours
they worked, rate of pay and also
furnish a similar report in regard to
the sprinkling wagons and teams en-
ployed by him.
Another resolution adopted requires
the treasurer to make an 'itemized
monthly report of the licenses collect
ed by him and the names and amounts
of the delinquents.
A contract was entered into with
Ben Hager for the extension of the
cement sidewalk on the north side
of the public library, for which he is
to receive $44O.
Complaint was made of the exist
ence Of closets and cess pools in
sewer district No. 8. The matter was
referred to the board of health.
On motion the sum of 5000 was al
lowed to Ben Hager as part payment
for work done and being done by him
Stoddard introduced a bill for an
ordinance granting to L. L. Moffett
a franchise for a telephone system.
The proposed franchise is to take the
place of the one granted to the gen
tleman recently and which contains
certain provisions he would like to
have changed or amended. Referred.
There being a shortage in the street
fund, it was ordered that the sum OF
$500 be transferred from the general
fund to the credit of the first named
f,,nd