Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-06-07
COUNCIL HOLDS
LONG SESSION
Inconsistencies in the Ordinance Fix.
ing Water Rates Are to be
Adjusted.
THE TELEPHONE FRANCHISE
Ordinance 10 Read Once More and Fl
nal Action 10 Deferred Until To.
niQht-Routine Business.

The regular monthly meeting of the
city council was held Monday night,
when, following the time honored Gus
tom, the members did the auditing
and committee work after the hour
set for beginning business, and the
result was that it was 1O:3O o'clock
before Mayor Pinkley called the body
to order. The session lasted until
near midnight, but owing to this Pc
culiar system of doing the committee
work during the time that should be
devoted to regular work, only routine
matters were disposed of, and even
then, much business was left unfinish-
ed and will be considered at spec
ial meeting to be held tonight.
The Water Rates.
One interesting feature of the meet
ing was City Clerk DeKalb's report
on the water rates. Under the new
system, the collections for May that
were received in time to be included
in the report amounted to $570.55,
which is the largest amount ever turn
ed over from this source for sim
liar period. Mr.. DeKalb reported that
there were several collections yet to
be made, and in this connection, stated
that the ordinance governing water
rates was very inconsistent. The
charge fixed for lodging and rooming
: houses, for instance, was simply pro-
hibitive in some cases, If the ordl-
nance should be enforced as it reads.
He suggested that committee of the
council confer with the city attorney
and engineer, with view to revising
the ordinance and equalizing the rates.
The suggestion met with favor and
the water works committee was IN
structed to take the matter up at once
and report back to the council such
amendments to the ordinance as
might be deemed necessary. Mr.: DE
Kalb's suggestion, that as the alder
men served without compensation, the
water might we'll be franked to them
was rejected.
The street commissioner reported
expenditures during May amounting
to $442.50.
The treasurer reported that there
was S1,938.32 in the general fund; 81,
773.75 in the library fund, $2,951.33 n
the sinking fund, with overdrafts o.
s211.63 in the road fund; $1,786.91 II
the water and sewer bonds, and STILL
in the water works fund.
The police magistrate and city mar
shal reported that fines had been col
lected during the month amounting Il
$142.50.
The usual salary claims were allow
ed.
The bill of the contractor for con
structing the bridge on Brassey stree
amounting to $209.5O, as per contract
was allowed, and the usual MONTH,
bills were ordered paid.
The sum of $289.50 was approprla,
ed in payment for the Gamewell fir
alarm striker, the bill having bee!
approved by Fire Chief Bebb.
P. c. Weydert's liquor license wa
transferred to w. w. Bennett.
The ordinance granting franch1s
to the Billings-Lewistown Mutual Te
ephone company, which has been bt
fore the council for long time, wa
read once more, and then put aside t
be taken up tonight, when it will b
passed.
At the suggestion of the city eI
gineer, the city attorney was instruc
ed to draw an ordinance making tn
sidewalks on Fourth avenue, for on
block each way from Main street, min
feet wide instead of six feet.
City Engineer MCLEAN called a
tention to the fact that the vault |
the city hall was SO damp that unles
something was done to improve it
: once the records kept there would b
ruined. The city marshal was instruc
ed to take such action as might be ne
esSary.
Saloon Bond Ordinance.
It had been rumored that the spe
ial saloon bond ordinance which mac
Lewistown famous, would be taken
and repealed, but If the aldermen hs
any such intention, they did not reat
it, as it was we'll along toward mi
night, and an adjournment was take
until this evening.