The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-05
LOCAL THEATER INSPECTION
PETITION PRESENTED TO AL-
 DERMEN LAST NIGHT.

Alderman sprcyer Asks for Public
 Hearings and Also That Ordinances
 for Pubiic Safety be Passed-Aiderman
 Chadwick Requests Ordinance com-
 mittee to Visit the PIayhonses-mat
 ter Left Entirely to That Committee.
 A regular meeting Of the board of aI- dermen was held in city hall last even- ing. Owing to the extreme cold there was but small attendance and but lit- tie business was transaction. There were present during the meeting thir- teen aldermen. the clerk, sheriff and page; also Anthony Carroll and three newspaper men.
 The principal matter which was brought before the meeting was a petit tion presented to the board by Alder man Spreyer, of the Second ward. and is as follows:
 To the Honorable Board of Aldermen:
 Whereas, The recent catastrophe in Chicago, namely, the burning of the Iroquois theater and the loss of nearly one thousand souls thereby. has brought to the attention of the general public the lack of attention exercised by the ater owners, managers and lessees in behalf of public safety with regard to exits and fireproof curtains; therefore,
 Resolved, That the committee on orr dinances be and it is hereby instructed to hold public hearings on the matter of public safeguards in theaters, and to draft suitable ordinances providing for the same.
 Respectfully submitted,
 Alderman Spreyer
 After the reading of the petition Al- derman Elliott moved that it be refer- red to the committee on ordinances and this motion was carried.
 Alderman Chadwick amended Alder- man Spreyer's motion that the commit- tee visit the theaters in the city and make a personal investigation. This matter was also referred to the same committee.
 The petition of John Mcvickar for $50 as pay for the American Municipal ity,' book which had been purchased for the city's use, was again referred to the committee on retrenchment and reform
 The corporation counsel submitted to the board copies of the revised city charter and ordinances and a report in reference r5' ifse same He stated in the report that the worK ilsrf been done by Attorney A. McC. Mathews6rs ander his personal supervision. and that the $500 appropriated for this purpose only $625 had been used. He advised that the balance be used to index the work while it is yet in the printers hands, and this recommendation was carried. The volumes were then, by vote, referred to the committee on or dinances for their consideration.
 The fire marshal's report was receiv- ed and tabled for printing
 The report of the committee on the placing of fiagmen at the railroad crossings in the Ninth ward, and which has been printed in this paper, was ta- bled for printing.
 The report of the committee having in charge the selling of land in Vest vile cemetery was passed. The conn mittee recommended that a tracts of land be sold to the sexton, WilfordS Ford, to be sold by him to poor people for graves The amount to be paid for the land is $142,50 M X The report of the committee on abate- ment of taxes was accepted, except the petition of Mary Chadwick for the abatement of taxes amounting to $49ll. Alderman Maxwell asked that this matter be again referred to the cona- nittee and that it make another inves- tigation. The motion was carried and it was so referred.
 There being no other business to come before the meeting it was adjourned