The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-01-23
Council Ratifies Action Of Mayor
and City Attorney in Regard
to Gas Rate Fight
TO SET NEW FIRE LIMITS
Ordinance for Salaries of Mayor and
Alderman Is Laid Before the
Council and Will Be Pub
lished at Once
lFrom Tuesdays DaiIy.l


The City Council Of Kenosha will
stand behind Mayor German in his
investigation of the rates charged by
Kenosha Gas and Electric Cmpany, be-
fore the State Railroad Commission as
at. the meeting held last night the
council passed a resolution ratifying
the action taken by the Mayor and
CITY Attorney in fling the complaint
with the State Commission and direct
ing that all the city officials give every
aid possible to the furtherance of the
investigation. The resolution also ask
ed the State Commission to go deeper
into the matter than demanded in the
original complaint and it is demanded
that the commission investigate the SER
vice in Kenosha and the quality Of gas
supplied to the patrons of the Company
1t is understood that the city is to pay
the expenses of the investigation so
far as it IS officials are concerned but
no provision for an appropriation for
this purpose was made in the resolution
passed on Monday night. The resolu-
ton was passed by unanimous vote
and most Of the members Of the council
spoke in favor of it.
To Amend Charter.
The council spent much Of it's time
at the meeting in listening to ordinance
and resolutions providing for the sala-
ries of the Mayor and the Aldermen.
1t was found by the committee that
in order to pass an ordinance giving
salaries to the Mayor and the Aldermen
lit would be necessary for the city to
amend it's charter and an amendment
to the charter was offered at the meet
ing last night. This amendment was
given it's first reading and ordered pub
lished in the official paper. 1t will take
up for consideration at the first reg
ular meeting of the council in February
The ordinance fixing the salaries of the
Mayor at $500 annually and that of
the Aldermen at 5000 was then pre-
sented and it was also ordered published.
1t will be acted on at the meeting to
be held on February Is, the ordinance
coming up as a special order of business
for a special meeting. There is some
doubt as to whether the hold over
aldermen will be effected by the ordi-
nance if it becomes a law, some Of the
members of the council holding that the
aldermen elected after the ordinance is
passed will be the only ones to benefit
by the ordinance. Others hold that it
will effect all aldermen afer it s pass
age and publication.
The matter will present a knotty
point of law for the consideration Of
the City Attorney and should any of
the present aldermen seek to collect
salaries under the ordinance it is pos
sible that the matter will get into the
courts.
Ordinance for Fire Limits.
The long delayed ordinance to set
new fire limits for the city was given
it's first reading and the provisions
make a material change Of the limits
The new limits will start at South street
on the South, at the lake on the East
and run West as far as Ashland avenue
Then over to Chicago Street and thence
North to Middle Street and East on
Middle Street to the Harbor. Much ter
ritory will be added to the fire limits.
The ordinance provides that no building
shall be built in this limit without it's
walls are of stone or brick. 1t also pro-
vides that no frame building shall be
moved from any other part of the city
into this territory. In the past the
same provisions have prevailed with the
exception that the territory included is
larger.
Alderman George R. Wade presented
his resignation as an Alderman from the
fifth ward announcing to the council
that he had moved out of the ward
and for that reason could not remain in
the office. No action was taken to fill
the vacancy caused by the resignation
and the place will probably be left
vacant until the city election is held
in April. There was the usual amount
Of routine bushes before the council
No. III