The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-05-05
Democrats on Council Vote TO Confirm
the AppOintmentoi NicoI as Police
and Fire Commissioners.
NEW BRIDGE BIDS ARE OPENED
Contract for New Bridge Is Not Awarded
But the Matter is Referred to Commits.
tee-Sewer Matter Also Up.

The appointment of Robert Nico1 as
member of the Police and Fire Com
mission as made by Mayor German,
was confirmed by the members of the
common council at the meeting Mon
day evening, eight of the members
voting to confirm the choice of the
mayor and five voting against it.
Alderman Head was the only Repub-
1ican member of the council who voted
with the majority.
In regard to the matter, City Attor-
ney John G. Slater made a report to
the council inregard to the interpreta-
ton of the law, on the appointment Of
the official in question. By hisreport
it was clearly shown that Mayor
Pfennig had the right to make the
appointment. Attorney Slater cited
only one case from the Wisconsin
courts, it being the only case in ques-
ton, and in this case the appointment
was made by the retiring president of
a city council in the absence of the
mayor.
The supreme court held that the
appointment would stand and ruled
the appointee made by the mayor who
succeeded as out of order. Mr.. Slater
showed, however, that notwithstand-
ing this one decision, in many of the
cities of the state the choice of COM
missioner had been left to the coming
mayor. He cited the Racine case and
showed that the man appointed by
Michael Higgins as Mayor at the time
of the election of the present Repub-
1ican mayor was still in office. A
fight had been made in Racine to seat
the appointee of Mayor Nelson, but
the mayor himself had finally decided
to drop the fight. The opinion OF, the
city attorney was clearly in favor of
Mr.. Buckmaster, but Notwithstanding
this fact the council, out of courtesy
to the present mayor, confirmed the
appointment of Mr.. Nico1, and the
fight is on.
Neither side is willing to give up
the fight and it looks as if it would be
a fight to the finish with the mayor
and his friends leading in the battle.
The mayor and his party have the dis
advantage of having the entire COM
mission opposed to the seating of Mr..
Nico1.
1t is not known when the fight will
be opened but it is understood that
Mayor German is prepared to fight for
the seating of Mr.. Nico1. Eitherrof
the men will make good commissioners
and for this reason the people will
take little interest in the fight.
Bridge Bids OPENED.
After considerable discussion the
bids for the building of a new bridge
over the Kenosha river at Middle
street were opened but the contract
for the bridge will not be let until the
next meeting of the council. But
two bids were presented, one by the
Morse Bridge company of DesMoines,
Iowa, amounting to 14,75O, and one
from the Massi1lon Bridge company
of Chicago, amounting to $15,O8O.
Both bids are made on plans made by
the companies and they include the
bridge and approaches complete. The
matter was referred to the committee
on streets, alleys and bridges with
the city engineer added, and some
report will be made at the next meet
ing of the council. The bids are
within the estimate made by the city
engineer and it is probable that one
of them will be accepted and the work
of constructing the bridge will be
started in a very short time.
Sewer Matter Comes Up.