Semi-weekly herald., 1912-08-19
JOHN L. MCNEIL,
]. l.. PARSONS,
B. N. FREEMAN.

| After giving protest due consid-
Grafton Mayor Hood called special
session of the council at the city
hall last night to reconsider purchase
of the auto fire truck. In addition
to the mayor and city clerk the fol-
lowing aldermen were present:
Logan, Jarvis, Hauno, Owen, Vim
gate and O'DriscolI. Alderman Meu-
ser is in Mercy hospital and AL
derman Wertin is at Pagosa Springs.
By request Attorney b. w. Rit-
ter, who represents the taxpayers
who signed the protest and City At
torney Moody We're present. After
reading of both the call and pro-
test Mayor Hood asked Attorney
Ritter if in his opinion the city had
any legal right to enter into the
contract with the American La
France company. Mr.. Ritter stated
while personally he thought the pur-
chase bad business and bad policy,
he would not have made any protest
regardless of fact that he did not
consider the contract legal. When the
above mentioned tax payers asked
him to represent them he stated he
frankly told them he considered their
action tardy and that they were in
part to blame foI action of the coun-
ell, although he, in his Judgment, was
certain that the contract was illegal.
After reading reports given by COM
mittee of citizens appointed to de-
termine the feasibility of purchasing
the fire truck and the city clerks ac-
count of the councils conference with
the committees representative,
Mr.. Clay he was certainly the council
carried the impression that the citi-
zens and the committe would be with
them in the purchase even though
the transaction was not exactly le-
gal.
But as the taxpayers insisted he
should represent them in the mat
ter he had in accordance with their
request prepared the protest.
IN order to prove his contention
that contract such as entered into
with the American La France COM
pany is illegal and would not hold he
cited a number of similar instances
which had been so decided by the
courts.
Immediately Alderman Wingate
asked City Attorney Moody if the
petitioners contentious was correct.
MIR. Mody replied by calling atten-
tion Of the council To the fact that
he stated to me u. France represen-
tative, Mr.. Thomas, that all expen-
ditures must be made within the lin
it Of the appropriation, and any made
beyond hits limit was illegal. This
beng true would the aLFrance COM
pany be willing to accept the pro
rosed contract. Mr.. Thomas replied
that his company We're willing to
take the chances.
Alderman Wingate stated the con-
tract which was in substance that
81 900 Of the amount be paid out
Of this years fire department appro-
priation and the remainder to be
provided for when the appropriations
were made in the spring. Mr.. Win
gate reviewed his position on the
matter of making the purchase of
the truck. At first he stoutly op-
posed it but after careful investi-
cation he decided it would be both
wisdom and economy to make the
purchase. He found where the auto
fire trucks had been used the eff
cheney Of the department had been
greatly increased from various stand
points. He further determined to his
own satisfaction that the auto truck
would pay for itself in period Of
six or seven ears by saving in the
operation of the department but be-
fore the purchase he favored the res
olution that a committee of citizens,
representative tax payers, should in
vestigate the feasibility of the pur-
chase and report to the council. Such
a resolution was adopted and a COM
mittee appointed and later report
submitted. Mr.. Clay who acted as
spokesman for the committe express
ed himself as converted to the coun-
ellis point of view. After the con-
ference with Mr.. Clay Mr.. Wingate
further offered a resolution that the
other members of the committee be
i. IL
position the nihgt the contract and
purchase was coming up for consid-
alton. Although the resolution was
passed and invitation extended the
committee did not appear so in com
mon with the other members of the
board he thought they had no further
protests to offer and had shared Mr.
Continued on Page Four.