The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-03-15
Bond Trustees and Common
Council Confer.

i The meeting had been specially call
ed for public Interchange o.
thought concerning municipal prob
lens in which the tive boards are in
terested, and II knowledge of the
meeting brought out quite gather
ing of private citizens whose inter
est in these matters, while not of al
official character, is nevertheless
now showing symptoms of activity
After the preliminaries of opening
President Davis called upon DR.. E
s. Grill. chairman of the board OF
bond trustees, to address the meet
ing.
DR.. Grill thereupon presented to
the council in concise, business
like talk the problems which con-
froEted the members now that the
city was approaching the RESPONSE
bilities of municipal ownership. BE
stated that the people of Pnlatka had
invested a large amount of money
in water system and that the de-
velopment of wise plan of manage
ment-one that would make of the
water plant II revenue producer
would be the work of the council.
Municipal ownership CT public utili-
ties, the doctor stated. had been
| found profitable in large cities and
he believed that the problems of
profitable organization and manage
ment would be solved by the council
of Palatka, though to do so would
necessitate cautions deliberation in
| the enactment of ordinances. While
disclaiming any purpose Of seeking
to influence the council in its action,
DR.. Grill stated that he had given
much anxious thought to these ques-
tions aud he believed that an ordi-
nance placing responsibility for the
management of the water system in
the hands of man in whose person
could be combined the offices of city
engineer and sGperintendentO water
works would come nearest to the ac-
complishment of desired results.
The doctor also touched upon the
necessity of an ordinance regarding
the laying of service pipes, exhibited
some samples and quoted prices for
which material could be obtained.
His talk was listened to with the
closest attention.
Following DR.. Grill there were
talks by Aldermen Davis, Points,
Haughton and Browning, the out
come of which was the passing of a
resolution which requests the city
attorney to draft an ordinance crea-
ting the offices of city engineer and
superintendent of water works, COM
bining the two and prescribing their
duties. A copy of this ordinance is
to be presented each of the aldermen
for study.
Aldermen H. A. Davis and Benz. /.
GAY were constituted committee
to investigate service pipe and con-
nections and report at the next meet
ing of the council.
The city engineer on request of the
chairman presented a map which it
was explained had been prepared for
the information of the council. This
map is copy of the map of Palatka
prepared by City Surveyor G. j.
Joseph. 1t shows the width of
streets and street grades, and reso-
luton was passed accepting the map
as official in so far as it relates to
grades and width of streets.
The one lively incident of the
meeting was furnished by Judge
Haskell who requested and was
granted the privilege of The floor.
The impression created by his re-
marks, whether rightly or not, was
that the Judge entered the arena
with a chip on his shoulder. At any
rate he uttered some caustic criti-
cisms concerning the work of the
council, preliminary to some real
ly excellent suggestions. He wanted
tax payers of the city to have more
voice in deciding public questions
and thought the council had failed
in its DUTY in notinviting their con-
fidence and getting an expression of
wishes regarding matters of public
improvement. He thought a new
era should be inaugurated from this
time and that the council, instead of
arbitrarily deciding upon the width
of streets pavement, for instance,
should get an expression from the
people on the street proposed to be
paved. 1t was his implied blame of
the council for the non-attendance
of the people upon it's meetings and
the general lack of interest in mu-
nicipal matters that aroused a spirit
of resentment on the part of mem
bers. They seemed to feel that their
own "iniquities" were all they ought
to bear and that the apathetic tax
payer should tote his own.
AluOl LIhu Oihls I6pIlGu " d uuS6
Haskell with show of resentment
rarely seen in the council chamber.
He stated that the meetings of the
council were never held in secret but
were always open to the public as
also were the records of its transac-
Uions; that the fact that Taxpayers
had not attended these meetings and
taken an interest in the affairs of the
city to the extent of making their
wishes known was their own and not
the councils fault. Capt. Points
said he was pleased with the present
show of interest in municipal affairs
1t was an awakening he had long
hoped and worked for. He said the
present anxiety of certain business
men to get into the council was in
commendable contrast to their years
of former indifference to city affairs
For years, the alderman said, he hao
urged business men to become can
didates for the council, but nothing
could move them and they would
even boot at the mere suggestion OF
such q thing. He therefore resented
the attempt of Judge Haskell to put
the burden of the public's former in,
difference upon the council.
|
Merryday Bros. contemplate ex
tensive alterations to the Putnam
House, and will sell enough of tht
building to erect and equip 10,
room hotel.