The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-19
HOUCHTON VILLAGE COUNCIL
TRANSACTS MUCH BUSINESS
Trustees at Special Session Act
on Paving and Electrical
Matters.
TOIMPROvE SEVERAL STREETS


tant business. Probably the most mn
portant matter acted upon was relative
to the paving of several north ana
south streets in the central portion OF
the village. the action OF the trustees
last night making II almost certain that
these streets will be paved during the
coming summer. other matters coming
up for consideration at the meeting
were the question Of the extension OF
the fire limits and the electrical inspec-
ton ordinance.
President Miller was the only MEM
Der OF the village board not present
when the time for the calling of the
meeting to order arrived. Trustee
Stoyle was elected to preside over the
meeting.
New Inspection Ordinance.
The first matter to come before the
meeting was the proposed electrical
| inspection ordinance. Upon request
of the trustees, Clerk Brand read the
ordinance now in force in Laurium aft
er which there was a general discus
sion of the features of that ordinance
and it was finally decided to refer the
entire matter to the village attorney
with instructions TO draw up new
ordinance to embody the best features
of the existing law in this village and
those of the Laurium ordinance.
Village Attorney Hambitzer who was
present at the meeting of last night,
promised to have the ordinance ready
for the consideration of the trustees at
some meeting to be held soon. The
proposed ordinance will be rather
drastic. in that it provides that any
user OF electricity or any contractor
about to install any wiring for electric
current for any purpose whatever must
notify the electrical inspector and get
his sanction of the plans and also per-
NIT the work to be inspected after be-
ing installed. He must also pay the
inspectors fees, which are provided
for in the law, being from 40 cents up
according to the amount of work to be
done and the amount of electricity to be
carried on the wires.
New Fire Limits Established.
The second matter of Importance
before the meeting was that of the
proposed extension of the village fire
limits. After considerable discussion
in which each of the trustees advanced
his ideas pertaining to the subject, II
was finally decided to have the village
attorney. draft an entirely new ordi-
nance setting forth the kind of con-
struction to be used within the fire
limits. BY the terms of this law all
new buildings erected within the fire
limits must be OF solid construction Of
brick, stone or concrete, no veneer
construction being permitted and no
building TO be constructed OF wood
and covered with a sheathing of iron
or other substance. Any contemplated
additions to or repairs upon any old
buildings now standing within the pre-
scribed limits will have to be passed
upon and approved by the village coun-
ell.
The new fire limits as fixed by the
contemplated ordinance are to extend
from the harbor line to point 100 feet
north OF Montezuma street and bound
ed on the east by Franklin street and
on the west by Fifth street.
Streets to be Paved.
Upon the recommendation of Trus-
tee Michels. chairman OF the street
committee, the matter of the paving
OF the streets running south from Shell
den street was brought up for discus
sion as il has been at many previous
meetings of the village council in the
last few years, but this time the result
was different. At first there seemed
to be some sentiment in favor Of delay
ing the paving of these streets until
next year but it was soon demonstrate
ed that there was a decided majority
in favor of getting some definite action
taken in the matter at this meeting.
Trustee Michels took the lead in the
advocacy of the paving cause and soon
had introduced a resolution providing
that the street committee be authorized
to employ an engineer to prepare plans
and specifications and estimate the
cost of paving all the streets from Da-
kota street to Portage, inclusive, for
one DlOck south ITOHl oilelutH -Sli'''
with the exception of Dodge and HUI
ron streets, wherein the pavement will
be continued south to Albion street,
providing splendid approaches to the
court house
Besides the pavement, which Is to
be of sandstone laid on a sand cushion.
these streets will also be provided with
cutters and suitable catch basins and
sewers TO catch the mud and other
matter at Montezuma street and pre-
vent IL from being washed down upon
Sheldon street. When this important
matter had been disposed OF the village
fathers seemed TO be affected with the
street improvement favor for they then
took up the question of matchmaking
the West Sheldon street. from Dakotah
street to Sixth street. No definite ac-
ton was taken In this matter. II being
the sense OF the members that the en-
tire question be passed over until flu
ture meeting Trustee Michels seemed
10 think that the entire job could be
done by the village for $4,000 and that
the road would stand up without re-
pair for twenty years.
Executive Session Held.
on the motion OF Trustee Stoylc the