The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-01-21
AID FOR ASSESSOR.
City Council to Adopt New Charter
Provisions to Provide for Two
Assessors.
CHANGE IN FIREMEN TO WAIT.
City Starts to Provide Fund for Third
Ward Engine House.-No Action
Taken on Call Man System.

AHS Olu KTOuOl6 IN regard 10 the as
sessment Of the property in the City of
| Kenosha is at last to be remedied, and
Monday night the members of the
Council took the first step to secure re-
form in the matter of election of city
officers
i In order to get this reform it is nee
essary for the city to adopt some new
amendments from the general charter
law and this is the aim Of the docu-
ments presented to the Council Mon
day night. It is thought that this
will be adopted by the first meeting in
March, and if this action is taken it
will give the city the right to elect
two assessors at the coming city cleo
| ton.
Since Kencsha became a city the
work of assessing the property in the
city has been left in the hands Of
single man, and it has in late years
been so great task that the one man
was unable to do it. Assessor Charles
Orth, who died shortly after complet-
ing his work, found that the task was
impossible for one man, and his exam
pie has taught the Council that some
change must be made. The new
amendment to the charter will give the
Council the right to order the election
of two Assessors. This will be the
rule at the city election in April. AL
ready the candidates are getting in
line for the double chance, and there
is no doubt but that the city would
have plenty of men to pick from if it
decided to elect half dozen men to
the Office.
| Fire Changes to Walt
The City Council took no action on
| the much discussed fire department
changes, and left the matter open for
action at some future meeting. Not
withstanding this fact the Council
took steps to build new engine house
in the Third ward. The lot on Wis
consin street (which has been held by
the city for many years, will be sold,
and the profits of the sale will be used
as fund to provide an engine house
for the Third ward. This will be done
at once, and it is possible that the lot
will bring almost enough to build the
new engine house.
In regard to call men systems the
committee recommended that the
Council employ four new men for the
work of the department. The COM
mittee has received assurances that
twelve of the present members of the
Volunteer department will respond to
second alarms without pay, and they
believe that with these dozen men and
four added to the paid department,
the department. would be able to ham
die fires better than at present. It
will take some time to work out these
changes, and the committee has not
asked for action until after the new
engine house is erected.
Nothing on Public Safety.
TIE committee of public safety app
pointed two weeks ago, had no report
to make but the members stated that
they were looking closely after the in
terests of the people, and that if any
unsafe buildings were discovered they
would be promptly reported to the Po-
lice and Fire Commission, and that
Commission would act without any
further notice from the Council. The
committee has inspected number of
buildings and has ordered few i'm
provements, and in every case the
owners of the buildings have agreed to
comply with the orders of the Commits
sion.
Channel Not Wide Enough.
The Council received long COM
munication from Capt. ]. G. Warren,
in charge of the rivers and harbors in
this district, stating that the channel
at the Main street bridge was not wide
enough by six inches. The plans for
the bridge as approved by the govern
ment demanded channel of seventy
one feet, two inches; and the present
channel is but seventy feet and eight
inches. The. defect is very serious
one, and itis probable that at some
time the bridge will have to be rebuilt
| ia order to make the channel wider.
Captain Warren stated that the gov
GTumCul WOuAO uOe AASASt OA ILLS
course at the present time, bat that
some time in the future the defect will
have to be remedied. The bridge has
teen accepted By the city and by the
railway company, and 1t is probable
that the contractor can not be held
liable for the error. The matter was
placed or file and it will be taken mp
later In the year and some action taken
to apreass the government agent.
No Damages for Bohle.
The Council took > decided stand
against granting damagea for injuries
on alleged defective sidewalk to city