The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-05
JAMES e. FREE, M. d.
TELEPHONE 1857 m
OLD COUNCIL
IS RETIRED
ADMINISTRATION TURNED OVER
TO THE NEW.

Last night the old city council with
Mayor George at the head met for
the last time. Only routine business
was transacted.
The different outgoing officers made
their final reports. That of the treas
urer, who succeeds himself, showed
a balance in a4 of the funds, May l,
Of $23,079.51, the largest balance ever
turned over by a retiring administra-
ton of the city.
Nat. G. Carwile, who was employed
to make a report Of the various
amounts due the city on account OF
special taxes levied in special i'm
provement district No. 1, reported that
there was due to the city from the
Minnesota & Montana Land and I'm
provement company because of that
tax the sum O.. ~s19.140.05. Individual
owners of property in the district are
indebted in the sum of ~$1,811.29.
The Fire Department.
Chief Bond of the fire department
submitted a interesting report. 1t
contained an inventory Of all the pro-
perty owned by the department, the
number of persons connected with it
and the number of nres and their
origin that occurred during the last
fiscal year. AS shown by his state
ment there are q active members
and SO honorary members. The aver
age attendance at fires during the year
was 25 active and 10 honorary mem
bers. The total number of fires was
81; 26 of these were caused by
sparks; 81 were from unknown
causes, while one had it's origin in
the practice the merchants have OF
oiling the floors of their stores. Var
ious causes produced the remainder.
The total losses of all fires amounted
to $1,000 and the insurance paid was
$5,O53.
Twenty OF the fires were extinguish-
ed with the chemical engine, while
to put out the others it was neces-
sary to lay O total o. 1850 feet of
hose.
The value of the horses and appa-
ratus owned by the city is given as
$7,423, this is exclusive of the build
ings. The Maverick Hose company
owns in its own right apparatus, a
hose wagon, bell striker, etc., and fur
niture valued at $4,000, making the
grand value of all of the apparatus,
etc., $1O,273.
Street Work Done.
Street Commissioner Keene's report
was a resume of the work done by
his department. According to the fig
ures submitted by him two miles and
1,474 feet of new sidewalks were con
structed by him during the year. Five
new cement crossings were laid; II
plank street crossings and AZ alley
crossings. In the same period AZ new
sewer connections were made, while
the total number of days of work on
the streets was $50.
The New Is INDICTED.
When the regular business of the
meeting had been disposed of a mo-
| ton to adjourn sine die was made and
carried, after which the retiring mayor
| appointed Messrs. White, Cothron,
| Stoddard and Thorson, who retired
as aldermen, to escort their success.
sors and Mayor Foster to their respec-
| tive seats.
Mayor Foster made a short address
and asked the indulgence of the coun.
Gil for not having his appointments
then ready for submission, saying he
would be prepared to submit them to-
night, when the first regular meeting
OF the new administration takes place
Alderman Bennington moved a vote
of thanks to the retiring mayor and
aldermen. This carried and the coun
Gil stood adjourned.
AS every one knows our goods are
at least 25 per cent cheaper than else