The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-07-05
WATER RATES OF
CITY ARE REDUCED
Expressed Economy Plan Of the City
Council Is Put Into Effect at First
Meeting In July.

The busiest session yet held by the
present city council was that last
night, when the first regular session
Of the new fiscal year was held. The
biggest thing done by this council was
also accomplished at this meeting
the reduction of the exorbitant water
rates that have been in force for the
last two years The water rates, be-
ginning July /, will now be fifteen
cents thousand gallons to all con
sumers, whether they use one thou
sand or one hundred thousand gal
Ions per month. The council believes
this action will promote The use of
more water and that the gross receipts
from this department will not be ma
terially reduced Another act in help
ing to keep the water rates lower was
the passage of an ordinance fixing a
charge of $50 per year for each fire
plug in the city. The amount viii be
paid out of the general taxes into the
water fund and will throw the burden
Of fire protection for the city on all
of the taxpayers instead of on the
water consumers as in the past.
Following out the avowed economy
plan the council passed resolution
expressing the sense of the council
that no appropriation would be allowed
for the police force, EXCEPT the salary
Of the chief, assistant chief and one
policeman and requesting the mayor
ana ener OF police to regulate The
force accordingly 1t has been the
coateHtion of the council that the city
does not need but three police officers
and they sought to fix the duties of
two OF these for night service, but un-
der the statutes the mayor is given
the right to order the police as he sees
fit, and the executive would not agree
to having the assistant chief work at
night. In furtherance of, the economy
policy the council abolished the Office
of assistant city clerk. This will mean
reduction of $50 per month in the
salary account of the city.
In addition to the passage of the fl
nance ordinance, allowing claims for
the expenses for the city for the
month of June and the disposal of con-
siderable routine business, the coun-
Gil passed an ordinance making the
Vinita Daily Chieftain the official pub
lication of the city, repeating the blan-
ket ordinance ordering sidewalks on
all streets where there is now no wark,
heard petition from w. A. i. Hoff
for permission to change the street
grades at the corner of Flint avenue
and First street, referring this petit
| ton to the street and alley committee,
rejecting petition of Dr. +. l.. Marney
for permission to erect a frame build
ing on South Scraper street, across the
street from the fire department, to be
used as vetinary hospital, instructed
the city attorney to prepare an ordi-
nance providing for the issuance Of
building permits, referred the location
of eleven new street lights to the light
committee, with instructions to pre-
pare an ordinance locating these lights
for consideration of the council at a
future meeting, referred the ordinance
ordering a number of sanitary sewers
to the special improvement committee
with instructions to check up the list
as to the necessity of building and re-.
port at the next meeting of the coun-
Gil and transacted all other business
pending before the council.
The ordinance passed at the last
meeting of the council, declaring the
office of the city engineer and super
intendent of water works vacant was
returned with the mayors veto. The
council passed resolution to the ef-
feet that it held the Office vacant and
would refuse to allow the salary of j,
p. Gooch from July /, 1912. Formal
notice was served on Mr. Gooch today
to that effect. A tilt occurred over
the authority of the council to refuse
payment of the salary and the mayor
informed the council that he would
bring an action in the court to compel
the payment of the salary
An ordinance repeating the ordi-
nance prohibiting Sunday baseball and
moving picture shows was passed. The
council adjourned about ~ O'Clock.
A resolution authorizing the mayor
to call an election on the question of
building bridge across Bull creek
and buying new equipment for the
/ fire department