Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1912-02-10
MUNICIPAL NEWS
Some Items of Interest From the
Public Offices About Occur.
rences of the Week.


commissioners and the Empire vot.
ing Machine Company for the pur-
chase Of 1000 voting machines at a
cost of approximately $1,O00,O0O.
Alderman Charles M. Thompson of
the Twenty.fifth Ward led the at.
tack on the board of election commits.
sioners, and while he did not direct.
ly charge graft, he intimated he was
not satisfied In his own mind that the
deal for the voting machines was free
from faint.
The vote was taken after long
debate.
Alderman Thompson was supported
by Aldermen Lips and Pringle.
Alderman Richert, chairman Of the
finance committee, and Aldermen
Derpa, Hyldahl. Ryan and Donahoe
spoke in favor Of the contract.
1T looks to me-" said Alderman
Thompson, as II the whole thing Is a
frame up The present board Of
election commissioners was not In
once four months before IL adver.
tised for bids"
The alderman charged that the call
for bids was SO worded as to elm.
mate other voting machine concerns
from competing.
An ordinance providing for vaca.
tons for employees passed with the
recent budget was repealed. Another
ordinance, which will not include va.
cations for policemen, will be drawn.
The new ordinance will give the de.
partment heads more leeway in
granting their employees vacations.
A communication from States At
torney Wayman asking that building
inspectors be given "official titles" 80
that they can be prosecuted II found
guilty Of bribery. was received.
Mayor Harrison sent In the name
Of Rev. Julius Rappaport as q mem.
Der Of the small park commission, to
succeed Frederick Greeley, deceased.
The appointment was approved.
At the request Of Spanish.American
war veterans the council ordered all
flags on public buildings will be kept
at half stan. Feb. Is. the anniversary
Of the sinking Of the Maine In Ha.
vana harbor.
Several protests against the renew.
al Of the contract with the Chicago
Reduction Company were received. A
proposition from the Indiana Reduc.
ton Company. offering to pay the city
for Its garbage. was received and sent
to the committee on finance. At pres.
ent the city pays the contractors S47.-
| 900 o year for reducing garbage.
The council directed Traction Eek.
pert Buckley to make an investigation
and report to the council at its next
meeting the reason street car com.
panies have taken Off numerous cars
In the last few weeks.
II was alleged the companies have
an expert here from the East, who
Is installing new time tables which
make II impossible for the car crews
to keep to schedule.
Ticket scalping is not so popular
as 1t used to be.
The city can compel theater ticket
scalpers to discontinue their business,
according to an opinion given on
Monday by Nicholas Michels, assist.
ant Corporation Counsel.
Mr.. Michcls' opinion was given in
! response to request of Alderman
Cermak.
1T would seem that the council has
power to regulate the operations
pretty fully" said Mr.. Michels, land
in my opinion even to the eradication
of the scalpers."
The plan to establish q central
ticket Office In the lobby OF the Great
Northern Hotel and to handle tickets
for all theaters at this Office without
any advance In price to the general
public has been abandoned. Theater
managers opposed the plan. declaring
1t was not feasible.
Chicago cannot have q municipal
ice house. according to an opinion
from Assistant Corporation Counsel
Michels. He held that the city has
no power to construct an ice house
or to furnish the people with ice any
more than with food or other necessi.
ties Of life. State legislation was de.
| clared the only resource.
~
| To meet the needs OF Edgewater,
which has outgrown Its public school
facilities. the board of education Is
planning to erect additional buildings
In that district. This fact was
brought out when large number Of
Edgewater residents united In com.
| plant regarding conditions.
Supporters of the agreement be.
tween the Illinois Central Railroad
and the board Of South Park commits.
sioners, temporarily defeated by &C.
ton OF the council committee on har.
bors, wharves and bridges. In voting
down the proposed shore plan ordi.
nance Monday night. announced to.
day that they are still full of fight"
Though the action of the committee
was regarded as severe blow to
Chicago's lake front and downtown
Field museum site prospects, the
boosters Of the south park board deal
look to public opinion to cause the
council committee to change its mind.
BY vote OF to 8 the council com.
mittee decided to recommend to the
council that 1t ask Governor Deneen