The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-03
VOTING TODAY ON
CITY OWNERSHIP
GRAND FORKS IS SOUNDING SEN
TIMENT OF CITIZENS.
Service Given by the Murphy Company
Held to Be Too Expensive Some
Question If the Ordinance Providing
for the Vote Was Legally Passed by
the Council.
Special to The Journal.

Grand Forks, N. D., April 3.-City elections
are being held turnout the state today. In
Grand Forks the only officials to be elected are
aldermen, one from each ward, and one addi-
tional to fill the place Of follower who has
moved from the city. In only two Of the wards
Is there contest -.-
The subject Of absorbing interest is the test
vote on the question of municipal ownership Of
commercial lighting plant. The question comes
up in the form Of proposition to issue bonds
OF $4,000 for the purpose OF building and
eQuipping plant. It is certain this will bring
out large VOTE s..
Light for the city has for years been furnished
from the plant of the Grand Forks Gas &
Electric company, Of which W. J. Murphy OF
trolling interest in this business was secured
by Mr. Murphy about seventeen years ago, and
for long time It was the only lighting plant
in the city. Some ten twelve years ago an
other gas company was organized by local
men, and some business DONE but the new
company was not success, and. after stormy
career. gave up the ghost. Obligations of this
company were secured by Mr.. Murphy at
low rate and the plant was destroyed. For
years the Murphy, company furnished gas for
street lighting, but the city about seven years
ago installed an electric light plant in connec-
ton with the waterworks plant, and since that
time it has done its own street lighting.
Since then there has been more or less ag1ta-
ton in favor of the city going into the bust.
ness Of commercial lighting. The gas mains OF
the Murphy company extend thruout the city.
Electric light is furnished only in the downtown
district. and allegations that too high a price
Is charged for gas, coupled with the fact that
the company has declined to extend it's wires
thruout the residence districts, have intensified
the demand for some change. few weeks
ago the council passed an ordinance providing
that the question of issuing $4,000 bonds with
which to build commercial plant be sub
mitted to a vote at the general election.
Ordinance May Not Be Valid.
On Wednesday night Mr.. Murphy appeared
hat <hn TNp ofo1 limb md ouA
of the plant, outlining Its financial operations
and asserting that he was selling light at
price with which the city could not compete.
A peculiar feature Of the situation is the fact
that there is general belief that the ordinance
providing for this vote was not legally passed,
and that the bonds If issued under such author
ity, would not be legal. At the meeting which
passed the ordinance eight of the twelve alder
men We're present. Five Of these voted for the
ordinance and three against. The mayor an
nounced that the ordinance had been carried,
and Immediately signed 1t.
It has been generally understood that an ordi-
nance could only be passed by the affirmative
vote of all the aldermen elected, and this point
was brought up. The city attorney was asked
for his opinion, and he stated that while there
might be some question, and some OF the pro-
visions Of the law might be considered a little
dim, the mayor had announced the passage
of the ordinance and approved 1t, and as he,
the city attorney, might be called on to defend
| the legality Of the ordinance in the courts, he
would be obliged to hold formally that its pas
| sage was legal
It Is the general impression, however, that
the council will not act on the assumption that
the vote is legal, but that the result Of the
| election Of today will be taken merely as an
indication Of public sentiment and If 1t is in
favor of the bonds and the erection Of a city
plant is deemed advisable, a special election
will be called to pass on the question in a
manner concerning the legality Of which there
will be no question.
Cochrane's Library for State.
The law library Of the late Judge John Coch-
| rane, purchased by the state for the college
been moved to the college and as well arranged
| as limited space would permit. This gives the
college a law library of $500 volumes. Judge
| Coohrane's library regarded the finest
| in the state aside from the supreme court
| Mrs. Cochrane who some time ago presented
| the general library at the university with up
wards of 1000 volumes, has added $50 volumes
to the gift, in addition to many curios gathered
| on a trip abroad, which will find places in the
| museum.
| Professor O. B. waldron of the agricultural
college has just completed plat Of the grounds
Of the University Of North Dakota to be used
in converting the grounds into perfect park
The space between the buildings will be plated
| similar to a city park. In addition 800 tfeei
Of forty different varieties will be planted.
Summer Term Of University.
The summer term and teachers training train
ing school of the University Of North Dakott
will open on June rs and close on Aug. T. Th1
ia the first time in the history Of the universit!
| that it has offered regular summer tern
where students may do regular work and receive
credit for it. Professor Joseph Kennedy will
be the conductor of the school, and Professor
/ Squires, Brannan, Stewart, Boyle and Bryan
will be the university faculty The other in
structors engaged are Superintendent c.
Schmidt Of jamestown, Superintendent P. s. Der,
Of Larimore, Primary Supervisor Alice J. Fishe
of Park City, Utah, and Superintendent Aarol
Hayward, Cavalier.
The university will open tomorrow for tn
spring term. Many students arrived today. bu
the larger part will come the evening train
and in the morning. The regular course O
study will be continued. except the classes which
were formed for the teachers in the winter term
Commencement takes place on June IS.
| The state oratorical contest will be held thi
year under the auspices of the state university
The contest is held in Grand Forks every fou
years. Great interest Is being taken. ant
large delegations are expected from the various
town. Reduced rates have been secured from
Fargo; Jamestown and other points.
Mrs. Celia Henderson, who lives at Thompson
has brought an action for divorce against he
husband, Peter Henderson. whom she has no
seen for two years. They were married fou
years ago, and were separated In few months
A second effort to get along was not successful
Desertion is charged.