Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-04-22
WAS A WARM SESSION.


brought Alderman Russell to his fee
TO defend the minority report. which
he did. not only at this time, but or
several -other occasions during the
discussion which lasted for nearl,
two hours.
Alderman Hannah. chairman of
the committee. together with Alder
men Fullerton. Ogden and Fuller,
championed the cause of the majority
report as the means of the greatest
saving to the taxpayers of the CITY,
Alderman George W. Pulfrey stated
his position as favorable to the
minority report. and made a talk
along lines that should have been
heard by every member of the Good
Citizenship league. To combine the
offices of marshal and street com
missioner means that if, as street com
mismsioner, he was doing work In the
outskirts of the city, we would prac-
tically be left without a marshal In
case of trouble on our down town
streets. The speaker said, 1--WE may
have business for two marshals. we
have local option to contend with !;
lately things are gradually getting
loose and must be looked after local
option had effected the speaker finan-
cially. but he believed in the enforc-
ing the local option laws to the letter
and believed there was work to be
done now. He wanted he city bust
ness conducted in manner that
would secure the largest degree DOS
sible of public confidence in the Judge
ment and acts of the council. The
speaker cited the fact that the city
must have money. The board was
helpless without it, The members
would become careless and a quorum
hard TO secure. He favored the
minority report and strictest economy
possible to secure results. and closed
bis remarks bv saving. do not be
penny wise and pound foolish. "
Alderman Russell. who now sees
the necessity. for a bond issue. said
his report was made simply for the
purpose of reducing expenses and if
we do not reduce expenses there is no
use asking taxpayers to bond the civ
to raise necessary funds.
Alderman Hannah of the m majority
report. fought hard for the passage
OF the report he had submitted, and
was. throughout the discussion. ably |
assisted by his colleagues. Aldermen
Fullerton. Fuller and Ogden. and had |
the question been called for. the dis
cussion stopped and the vote taken at
an early stage of the meeting. it
would appear to an outsider that the
majority and not the minority report
would have been voted out. But the
hadow of defeat began to hover
lround the majority report when the
mayor arose and stated briefly that he
nd not want to he bull-headed. but
e favored the combining of the
tfices of water and street commits
Toner and rather than see il other
Use he would advise adlourning the
leeting and presenting the entire
natter before citizens mass meet
ig. The mayor then got busy with
Is lead pencil and produced figure
howing saving in round numbers
1892 by the passing of the minority
'port as against S532. saving bv the
lajorlty report as presented. Such a
lversity of oninion had been aroused ,
lat at $50 it was thought best to
All the missing alderman. DIR. Day.
nd get his opinion and have a full
bard present at the final vote. The !,
derman from the Third arrived
a short time and when the reports
ere submitted to him he said II de-
dedly favor the minority report" and
'plained his position in short order
? saving In part. when we need
most is in the early hours of Al
70 evening; he should be easily ac-
sslble. If necessary. to go to the depot
other public place to Quell a dis
rbance. he should not be attired in
g costume necessary for the street oil
mmissioner to wear when at work b,
the street. He should be a man aC
40 could present an appearance to br
inform TO his position. After N,
neral re-hash of the entire subject to
der discussion the question was I'll
lied and the vote ordered. the clerk
ling the roll. The vote on the CO
option of the majority report was SIT
ken and was as follows: su
AYES Aldermen Ogden. Fullerton, vi
ller. Hannah. Gu
Nays Aldermen Hollenbeck. Pull dy
", Dav. RUSSELL in
Mavor McClinton had evidently kent RI
se tab on the vote and had an DO
'ciated the fact that there was a tie.
before the clerk had time to an ce
unce the result of the call he had tn
'ken the tie bv voting no, thereby
eating the majority report fin
The question was then ON the biz