The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-05
CITY EMBARKS ON NEW ELEE-
MosYNARY SCHEME.
WILL HELP FALLEN WOMEN
Percentage of Fines Collected from
Prostitutes Voted for Benefit Of
Florence Crittenden Circle.

K For the next three months the city
of Billings may discharge the benev-
olent duties OF an eleemosynary in
stitution for the benefit of one class
of unfortunates, although OF this
there is no absolute certainty, as
there is talk of applying to the courts
for an order restraining the munich
pality from carrying out it's charitable.
intentions.
At Tuesdays meeting of the coun-
Gil Alderman Williams offered res
olution directing that for the next
three months 10 per cent of the fines
collected from prostitutes be turned
over to the Florence Crittenden circle
1cr the care of destitute women OF
that class.
Mr.. Bouton gave mis- second and the
roll was called. The vote resulted
in tie. Aldermen Bouton, Williams,
Sturm and Brewer voted in the affirm
ative. Aldermen Benighoff, Berky,
Grein and Schmudlach dissented.
Mr.. Williams moved a recOnsidera-
ton. The motion prevailed and the
resolution was referred to the finance
committee. Messrs. Williams and
Bouton reported favorabiy. Upon this
report having been received Alder
man Siturm moved the adoption of the
report. This was seconded by Mr..
williams and again the roll was
called.
The resulting vote was the same as
that following the original introduce
tion. Mayor Foster voted aye and
declared the report adopted and di-
rected that the appropriation provided
for be made.
Further Changes Recommended.
Chief Bond and the fire, water and
light committee, to whom had been
referred the matter of making an in
vestigation into the condition of the
| opera house with view to ascertain
| ing the safety of the building in
case of fire, submitted their report
| They found that the theatre was safe
except that all the storm doors, ex
cept one the width of the main en-
trance, should be removed. 1t was
also Recommended that lights be or
uered placed owed the side entrances
both up and down stairs, and hat a'
exits be kept unlocked during per
formance, and hose be kept on the
stage and in the basement, Connected
ready for use, and that dry powder
! chemicals be kept at the switchboard
| Another recommendation was thai
| the placing of chairs in the aisles
be prohibited at all times, and that
1 the exits should be plainly marked
and uncovered by either curtains OF
| draperles.
The report was adapted and the city
| clerk instructed to notify the lessee
! of the house to make the desired
changes.
Offers City Lots.
4 KIP. B. Moss submitted communica
XtiAn in which he offered to donate
to the city two lots, acceptance Il
be on one condition, that the lots be
not sold for any purpose, but tha'
they shall I've retained ly the city ant
used avs a park
The lots are numbered % and "a, il
block 81. Mr.. Moss specified the i'm
proyements he has caused to be mad'
| to them in the way of sidewalks ant
originally the property of the MIN
nesota & Montana Land and Improve
ment company< from whom the pres
ent owner bought them. by the term
of the settlement arrived at hetWeel
the city and the company, me TOT
mer acquired title to \ fractional 10
in the same block and adioinAug thos'
now owned by Mr.. Mass II the clt.
will recompense him to the extent o
S1O2. a balance due on the contrac
for the improvements made, and as
sumo bill for $244O, now owing TO
sidewalk construction Mr.. Moss VIII
deed the lots to the city.
. The communication was referred u
the proper committee.
Wants Telephone Franchise.
BY L. L. Moffett, it's president, tn
Montana & Wyoming Telephone con
pany made application for franchls
for a telephone system to be COZ
structed and maintained I'M the city
AS a consideration for the charte
the company agrees to pay to TN
city for the first five years OF TN
life of the franchise per cent OF IN
net profits of the exchange, and III
per cent of the net profits thereafte
as long as there is no cOmpetln
: telephone exchange in the cNy. ~
manner of determining the percentae
I and the time and manner OF MAXIM
/ payment of the profits to whlcn u
city may be entitled is to be provi'
ed for subsequently by ordinance.
/ Under the provisions of Chapte
LXXXv Of the act approved Marc