The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-01-12
VOTE AGAIN, BEFORE We
GET CITY WATER WORKS
}. \. Coffin Of Chicago Refused to
Purchase $4,000 Bonds. De-
cJares Issue Was Illegal.

Bemidji will have to vote again
on the $4,000 bond issue for an
adequate water system, according to
the report made to the city council
last evening by City Attorney
Gibbons.
]. H. Coffin Of Chicago, who bid
S5O,501 fol, the city water bonds
voted last August, refused to buy
the bonds on account of the report
of his attorney to the effect that the
issue is not legal. According to the
city charter, as judged by Mr..
Collins attorney, we have no right
to bond the city to purchase
chemical fire engine or the 500 feet
of fire hose which were mentioned
in the last issue of bonds. Mr..
l III p '
Gibbons introduced new ordinance,
leaving out the objectional clause,
and it was given its first reading.
The propositionSwill be voted upon
again at the city election in Feb
urary.
In regard to the city poor ques-
ton, the council decided that they
did not have the right to let a con.
tract for city physician for a longer
period than until their present terms
of office expire, in March. The
council decided to return the bids
unopened to the doctors as the
advertisement had called for bids
for one year. There was only one
bid handed in for the care of the
city poor and this called for 81. is per
day for each person, with the excep-
ton of those who were sick. The
bidder was Mrs. H. S. Annette.
Her proposition was rejected.
A. w. Danaher, Yves Wright and.
Viggo Peterson waited upon the
council as az committee from the
county commissioners. Mr.. Dana
hor c+o tod ~ 4ba o1rro;1 49, A..
county wished to rent the poor farm
to the city at $500 per year and free
water for the court house. He
stated that many of the townships
would be glad to contract with
Bemidji for the care of their poor.
Mr.. Danaher thought this would be
the cheapest way for the city to
care for its poor.
Alderman Rhea stated that he be-
lieved that Bemidji ought never to
contract for the care of paupers from
other townships as, before the town.
ship system was adopted, most of
the residents of the county thought
that they were bearing the burden
of caring for this city's poor. Mr..
Rhea belieyed that after the town
ships are forced to deal with this
problem themselves, they would be
willing to vote differently if the pro-
position comes up again next year.
The roll was called on motion
to give the health committee power
to employ a city physician and to
care for the city poor until March 1,
1909, when the new council comes
in. Aldermen Smart, Miller, E. ].
Gould, Marin and w. A. Gould voted
aye; McCuaig, Johnson and Rhea,
nay; Brinkman, absent. Aldermen
Rhea and McCauig explained their
votes by saying that they believed
the council had no right to have this
work done except by bids. The
motion was declared carried.
Street Commissioner Miller re-
ported that three of the local
hydrants are frozen up and advised
the purchase of a boiler to thaw
them out by steam. The water and
light committee were given power
I to act in this connection.
There were very few bills pre-
sented. The report of the munich
pal court for the week ending Jan.
II, and showing $40 paid into the
city treasury, was read and ordered
filed.
Louis P. Eckstrom was granted a
plumbers license, both for sewer
and water work, and his bonds in
the sum Of $1,000, with George E..
Tanner and ]. A. Ludington as
sureties, were approved.
City Engineer stoner told the
council that he did not want to be
blamed for the improper spreading
of the sewer assessments and the