Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1903-03-04


 city council on the afternoon of Feb ruary Is, the regular monthly meeting of that body has been looked forward to with more than usual interest by the citizens of Prescott, and last night
 when the hour of eight o'clock arrived it found the city hall packed with representative citizens, eager to see and hear what the city council pro posed to do in the matter of several important issues which was up to ! them.
 When Mayor Burke called fhe coun-
 cil to order full board answered to , roll call After the minutes of the
 last two meetings had been read and
 passed to the mayor for his signature,
 before signing them he explained to
 the council his reasons for not enter
 taining the motion to execute two
 notes for the sum of 5000 each at the
 last meeting. The reason he gave was
 that he thought the council was try
 ing to misrepresent the situation to
 the banks in order to get money to
 pay the current expenses O. the city.
 MT. Mulvenon, who was a member of
 the old council explained to him that the old council had borrowed about SS00O for which notes had been exc cuted and signed by Mayor Burmister and the old council and that when the old council was about to retire
 the banks had informed the coun- cil that they wished to have the notes taken up and cancelled. The notes were not due at the time and there was not enough cash available sin the proper fund to pay the notes with out taking about 5000 from the fund provided for paying the incidental and running expenses of the city. The banks then promised that if this money could be borrowed from the fund for paying incidental expenses and applied on paying the notes that they would immediately re-loan the city 5000 each on new notes signed by the new mayor and incoming council, when the above fund could be reim- bursed. After this explanation the maintained that he did not believe the banks would make this new loan. Councilman Mulvenon then offered a typewriter resolution instructing and directing the mayor and city clerk to execute two notes of S20O0 each, one to the Prescott National Bank and one to the Bank of Arizona, the 5000 so obtained to reimburse the general fund from which the S400O had been borrowed, so the salaries of the city employees and other running expenses could be met. This resolu- tion was unanimously adopted, and the bills against the city will now be paid.
 Attorney P. w. O'Sullivan of the firm of Ross & O'Sullivan, then in- formed the council that the suit of Hill vs. The City os Prescott, a suit | for damages on which the plaintiff | had been allowed $500 damages, but | which had been carried to the su- preme court. had been decided by the | supreme court in favor of the plainiff, | the claim, costs and interests to this l time amounting to sS35. Mir. O'Sulli- l van made demand on the council | for the money and was informed that | the matter would be taken up as soon as possible.
 \ communication was read from the constructing quartermaster at Whipple Barracks, informing the council that the city sewer dump was in such close proximity to the bar racks as to endanger the health of the soldiers. and asking that the sewer dump be extended far enough beyond where it now is to remove this dan ger. The mayors answer to the letter was also read stating that the matter would be given immediate attention.
 John Duke through his attorneys, Ross & O'Sullivan, then presented demand on the city for the sum of S15, 900 which he claimed as damages to his property on account of the sew CT dump being on his premises. He explained that the sewer emptied within 200 feet of his residence and that this fact made it impossible for him to live with his family at his home. He further notified the coun- cil that he would give them till May 1, 1903, to pay the above damages and if at that time the matter had not been adjusted he would demand the further sum of 5000 damages each month until paid and the sum of 5000 attorneys fees.
 At this stage of the proceedings Mayor Burke took up the matter of his appointments which the council had refused to confirm at the last meeting. He stated that he realized that there should be harmony exist ing between the council and the mayor in order to transact the business of ! the council to the best interests of the taxpayers. This condition he said he sincerely wished for. He then in |, formed the members of the council ( that he would withdraw the nomina- tion of T. G. Norris for city attorney and place in nomination for the place E. E. Ellinwood. There was some ob- jections to this nomination and no action was taken in the matter of con firming the nomination. This action had evidently been anticipated as the mayor had private clerk ready and instructed him to address a communi- cation to Attorney T. G. Norris as follows:
 "Hon T. G. Norris 1 have the honor to respectfully inform you that have this day. as mayor of the city of Prescott, Arizona. appointed you as city attorney. You will please report