Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1908-09-10


Attorney Wilder who pointed out
that the city is not liable under the
state statutes for such expenses;
that while in some instances such
bills in the past had been allowed by
the city without ANY proceedings
taken to recover from the proper
source that the law places the re-
sponsibility for payment on the coun-
ty instead Of on the city. The law
in this respect says that where pa
tient, suffering from a contagious dis
ease is able to pay for bills incurred
during such sickness, that he shall
do SO and proper steps be taken to
collect said sums in case of refusal.
Where patients are wholly unable to
pay for such care the case shall he
investigated by the local board of
health and if found unable, the board
shall SO certify to the county auditor
and such expenses shall be paid by
the county. Last year some of these
expense bills were allowed with out
steps being taken to collect from the
county. The city tax payers are
taxed in the general taxes for such
expenses and it is not regarded as
right that the expense of patients
with contagious diseases found with
in the limits of the city, be borne by
residents of the city exclusively, but
that it become a charge upon the
entire county. If this view of the
case is correct it will have saved
the tax payers of the city in two
cases about $500 for bills that have
been incurred for prevention Of dis
ease. .--
The matter of cement cross walks
was next considered and the relative
merits Of stone and cement crossings
discussed. Several bills were present.
ed for cement cross walks that have
been ordered under the contract with
the cement contractors. It was de-
cided not to lay any additional ce-
ment cross walks and to further learn
the expense of stone crossings and
the cost of stone from different quar-
ries. The great superiority and ulti-
mate cheapness of stone crossings
over cement crossings, is apparent,
and it is probable in the future that
what street crossings are laid by the
city will he of stone instead of ce-
ment as the former is durable while
the latter is not and the difference
in cost is small.
The purchase of the new city pump
was considered and representative
of Whitaker & Co., St. Paul engine
and pump manufacturers, was pres
ent. He gave the council some in
formation regarding the capacity and
cost of pumps to be placed in the
proposed new city well. He suggest
ed that two pumps operated by elec-
trio motors, each pump having Ca
pacity of 500 gallons per minute, be
purchased instead of one larger and
one smaller pump as has been con-
sidered. For the present a single 500
gallon pump operated by motor would
answer all purposes, and the present
steam pump outfit could be retained
and used for additional service. The
estimated cost of one such pumping
outfit delivered in Jamestown and
placed in the well, was $1,000. The
expense Of pumping with such pump
would be no greater than at present
under the city's contract with the
electric light company. Manager
Canham offered to keep the pumps in
repair for $40 a month, and this sum
may be reduced further as the care
of an electric pump would be less
than the care of the present steam
pumps in the well where the temper
.ature is about 40 degrees. The
pumps operated by motor could be
speeded up to capacity of 800 gal
Ions minute. The proposed new
well would contain three such pumps,
each of which weigh $1,000 pounds
without the motor; each is II feet
long, IL wide and about I feet
high. Two of such pumps have been
recently installed in the new RUSSELL
Miller Mill of Minneapolis. M M
Communication was received from
c. A. Klaus asking that the council
construct cement cross walk from
the railroad right of way east of the
city flower garden, across Front
street, in the middle of the block,
between 4th and 5th avenues. No
action taken.
Mayor Blewett vetoed resolution
passed by council authorizing install
lation Of several electric and gas
lights for reason that funds do not
warrant and several expensive neces-
saries are to be provided for in in
creased water supply and mainte-
nance Of city hall etc.