Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-23
WILL ASK FOR BIDS
oTTUMWA WILL NOT DELAY
LONGER in MATTER OF BUILD
ING FLOOD PROTECTION.

counciImen Believe That Wabash Off,
ciaIs Are Simply Playing for Time
Prompt Action Only Can Save Right
Of Way or a Fight in Courts.
From Tuesdays Daily
Orders to the street commissioner
to advertise for bids for the r%iprapping
to be done on the bank OF the Des
Moines river, discussion Of the neces-
sity for a city weight inspector, the
presentation OF an ordinance raising
the salaries Of the ottumwa policemen
SO per month, the appointment OF a
committee to investigate the manage
ment of the Ottumwa Public library
and the placing on sale of the copies
Of the revised ordinances of the city
at 80 cents each were a few OF the
important items Of business transacted
at the meeting of the city council In
the council chamber last evening.
VIII Go Ahead With Work.
The decision of the council to go
ahead In the matter of constructing the
%riprapping for flood protection came as
q result OF the desire for the council
to get at the work without any fur
Their delay. The councilmen are OF
the opinion that the officials of the Wa
bash railway are simply delaying the
matter Of holding the conference in
the hope that the agitation for the
Improvement will die out and that
nothing will be done.
It is evident from the remarks of the
councilmen that in the future the city
will go ahead with the work of treat
ing the Wabash right of way where 1t
touches the bank of the river and is
In the way of the proposed improve
ment, as il 1t had been abandoned. Any
objections on the part of the officials
will hereafter very probably have to be
fought out in the district court.
The councilmen feel that the rail
road men have been given every reas-
enable opportunity to show their hand,
that they have practically broken faith
with the city on the matter Of negotia-
tions several times and that hereafter
the matter will be handled as If the
road had abandoned their right of
way.
The Scale Matter.
The appointment of a city weight
inspector was urged in a communica-
ton brought into the city council room
by G. kirkland. Mr.. Kirkland made
q short talk before the council follow
ing the reading of his petition in which
he called attention to a coal ticket
held In his hand as one bit Of proof Of
the need of the inspector. The ticket
was for a load of coal and stated that
the load which it covered had 10 bush
els. When weighed this load had 58h
bushels. He recited other instances
where loads purporting to have SO
bushels had in fact but SO, 80 and 40
bushels.
Alderman Keyhoe thought that a
city scales or possibly two city scales
would be better than a weight inspec-
tor. The matter occasioned consider
able discussion and was finally refer
red to the city solicitor for investiga-
ton.
Ordinances At so Cents.
Another matter that aroused no end
: OF discussion was the proposition of
selling the copies of the revised city
ordinances. There are about 300 of
these books ordered and the cost to
the city has been approximately $1,000.
Alderman Fielder as chairman Of the
finance committee wanted the price
placed at 50. Alderman O'Malley
wanted to place a premium for any
body that would take one home and
study 1t thoroughly, but was willing to
have the price placed at so cents. AL
derman Hall hated to see books that
had cost the city SO, sold for so cents
and tried to boost the price to 81 but
the council would not have it so, and
the price will hereafter be SO cents.
The city clerk is to have charge of the
sale Of the books.
All the councilmen were present ex-
cept Alderman Hoglund when Mayor
Picker called the council to order.
J. w. Scott. contractor for the Fin
ley avenue sewer presented a com
~munication asking that the city pay
him 6 per cent interest on the vari
Gus estimates of the city engineer al
lowed by the council during the past
year. On motion of Alderman Fled
Ter the matter was referred to the city
solicitor.
Bridge Repairs.
A communication from City En-
gineer C. r. Allen stated that as one
of the piers of the Market street
bridge had been found to be in no con
dition to Withstand a heavy flood
without possible serious damage to the
bridge, it had been thought best to let
contracts for the material needed for
the repairs without the delay of pre-
senting the matter before the council.
1t was reported that the material
would cost about $3.50 or $275. On
motion Of Alderman Keyhoe the action
OF the city engineer was %concurred in.
Library Report.
The annual report of the trustees of
the Ottumwa Public library was read
and produced a spirited discussion.
Several of the aldermen thought the
salary list of the library entirely too
high, others stated that many com
plants were made that charges were
made for hpokc taGop from tho Jihrorv