The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-01-24
MAYOR eREENLEAF AND
CONDITIONS IN MIN0T
Talks About the Kickers in His
Usual Plain Manner Gives
Previous Administration q
Drubbing The Moral Side of
MinOt.

MinOt.
Mayor Dank G. Greenleaf was
seen by an Independent reporter
the other day and induced to
talk about Minot anG her moral
side. The Mayor admitted that
there was a moral side to our
city and said that himself and
council were now doing what
they could to better the moral
condition OF the city. Mr.. Green
leaf said that he expected a GER
tain amount OF kicking would be
done by the opposition. There
is q lot of truth in what the
Mayor says:
ri understand that some of
the aldermen and the Chief of
Police have been before the
grand Jury. l will be satisfied if
they will go lack three or four
years and make a comparison.
The change of administration is
like a change of climate. One
must get acclimated. We all ap-
preciate the fact that Minot is
not composed wholly OF Christian
people and as far as that is con-
cerned, we have passed the day
when we burn witches.
In Minot, we have a natural
condition (not theory that is
not easily met. When we took
possession OF the city, we discov-
cred there were dozens Of meas
ures to be adopted in order to
properly look after the interests
OF the city. We also discovered
Minot in bad shape in every way.
We found the city $4,000 in
debt beyond the Constitutional
debt limit. We found that ST.
| 1000 had been spent which we
should have had this year to
spend on improvements. All Of
these things have not hitherto
been shown up. We have thot
best not to say anything about
the conditions that we discover
ed, but find that We are COMPEL
ed to do so.
We found no streets, no sewers,
no waterworks, everything in
demoralized condition. The
council has worked overtime,
oftimes meeting twice a week
and remain in session until mid
night and one and two O'Clock in
the morning, when we are re-
quired to meet but once a month.
We could have neglected the
matters we have taken care OF
and given the whole time to the
moral side. 1t was the opinion
OF the aldermen as we'll as OF my
self, that there were other mat.
tiers which needed our attention
more than the moral features.
After we had looked after a
great many OF these matters, we
disposed OF enough OF them to
let them remain in their condi-
ton till we could give our atten-
ton to the moral side. We
passed an ordinance recently in
reference to pigging, etc.
council who is a practical man
who believes that the city will
ever be able to entirely stop the
illegal sale of liquor for the
reason that those who are
against the prohibition law, will
not complain and those who are
in favor of the enforcement, will
not pay a dollar.
Taking the administration as
a whole, 80 per cent OF the peo-
pie who helped elect the admins
tration, are satisfied. The peo-
pie who opposed usin the spring,
are now making the ''holler. /"
Some people die hard and we
knew they would 'sholler." They
don't know that the war is over.
can say one thing, and that
is that Minot is in better shape
today morally, financially and
every other way than she ever
was.
There are twelve hotels in Mi
not and one thousand strangers
are here regularly. This is not
a common town, like some OF
the dinky towns of the state
where a stranger is spotted with
in ten minutes after he strikes
the place and the people are sure
to know his business within an
hour. There are a large number
of people here who favor and
support an open town. Yes sir,
about the only kicks that have
been made, have come from the
constitutional kickers."