The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-29
FAXED BY ECHOES
Aldermen Discover Acoustic Prop
critics of the New Chamber
to Be Bad.
Aid. Holmes Provides a Way to Pre-
vent Housemovers From
Mutilating Trees.

Like the main courtroom in the court
house. the new council chamber Is a thing
Of beauty, but hardly a JOY At first
glance the eye is dazzled by the bright
ness and colors so artistically blended,
but when the echoes begin, the auditory
nerves are rasped and harried to distrac-
ton. At the council meeting last even
ing any little noise would start an echo
and there would soon be a confusion OF
sounds that would make it impossible to
distinguish articulate words. Alderman
Sibley who sat farthest. away from the
presidents chair said, that he did not
know what was going on half of the time
The architects believe, however, that
when the Ventilation hues are covered,
some more electric fixtures are placed
around the room and certain hangings are
up, the various noises will be, broken up
or deadened so that the acoustics will be
much better. 1t appears that the plac-
ing 81 the presidents stand at one side OF
the room instead Of at one OF the ENDS
improves the acoustic properties very
much, as the conditions do not seem quite
as bad as in the main courtroom on the
other side Of the building. a' -
It Is a splendid room to look at and the
aldermen are duly impressed with It.
They stand so much in awe of their new
surroundings that when Alderman Pow
ers, who does not smoke. moved that no
smoking be allowed in the new chamber,
the motion carried by big majority
Alderman Lane being the only one IN
the negative. Aldermen Dwyer, Merrill,
McLaskey, Rand and A. S. Adams were
selected as q special committee to dra1t
rules for the new chamber. The formal
opening of the city hall has been changed
to Dec. 16, for certain reasons which were
not made public. -.
To Curb Tree VandaIs
Last nights council meeting would have
been short one had not Alderman Holmes
insisted on the passage of amendment &c
the ordinance regulating the moving OF
houses through the streets The ~prlncl-
pal provision is the one taking the power
of granting permission to move houses
from the building inspector and placing il
in the hands of the council. Alderman
Holmes called attention to the fact that ar
incalculable amount Of damage had been
done to large number of fine shade trees
in the fifth ward by taking through the
streets number Of ramshackle old build.
ings which for the most part were hardly
worth moving.
Building Inspector Houghton stated tina
| there was no way in which he could pre-.
vent the trees from being damaged. The
amendment was eventually passed by 8
vote of Is to 5, but Alderman Main gave
notice of reconsdera ton at hte next meet
ing. --.., 49,.
Immediately on the passage Of the ordi
| nance, Alderman Holmes secured the pas
sage of a resolution revoking all moving
| permits granted by the building inspector
| The new ordinance proposed by the Min
neapolis Automobile club and regulating
| the rate of speed on the city streets was
| presented with the recommendation from
| the special committee having the ordi
| nance in charge that it be passed. The
! ordinance limits the speed on the dow1
town streets to eight miles an
hour, within a radius of a mile and s
half from the city hall. Outside of this
territory the speed is limited to tifteer
miles an hour. Aldermen Powers an6
Dwyer. reported, against action, at present
and the ordinance was eventually sent
back to the same committee. -
J.. H. Bauman, who wanted to run
| against Alderman A.. E. Merrill in the
| fourth ward as a democrat, but who was
| turned down because his petition was
! plainly illegal, presented a request for
| the return of the IS paid the city clerk
when the petition was filed. This weighty
matter was referred to the committee on
| Wavs and means.
The contract for the new patrol wagon
! for the central police station was awarded
| to the f. Hobby Carriage company at the
prcpcsed cost Of $3.50. 49,. ~
| A resolution authorizing the city clerl,
| to employ an expert to sort out the
| valuable documents in his office thai
| stroyed was proposed by Alderman N
! j. Nelson. The expert is to be pal 81
per day if the resolution carries