The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-04
ENTERTAINMENT IS
GIVEN BY COUNCIL
City Fathers Engage in a
Friendly Word Battle
Last Evening.

FduoSFiAS, apparently uuOcI the
auspices of the city, in which two of
the city's councilmen featured, took up
large part of the time of the city
council last evening. Councilmen
Thatcher and Evans appeared to be
the center of attraction and words
passed between the two men. Quiet
was finally restored and matters of
business were taken up.
The discussion Of the report of the
committee which made the inspection
of the alley between South Eighth and
Ninth from A to B streets, at the de-
mand of the council at the last meet
ing brought on arguments which re-
suited in a free-for-all fuss" between
two of the councilmen, later the entire
body of the fathers of the city taking
part.
Councilmen King and Thatcher both
announced themselves opposed to the
improvement saying that with the i'm
provement of Eighth street, the prop
erty owners would be too heavily tax
ed to pay both improvements the same
year, suggesting that the matter be
dropped for another year Several
years have passed with the same re-
suit on this improvement. This elicted
an immediate reply from Councilman
Evans who claims that the improve
ment has been delayed for several
years because the property owners
claimed that they could not pay for the
Improvement
Two Head "Biil."
Thatcher then replied that there are
several persons who want the improve
ment who do not pay taxes to the city.
Assuming that reference was intend
ed for him, Councilman Evans chal-
lenged Thatcher to prove that he did
not pay taxes and asked him to look
at the county tax book. Police Com
missioner Slower, who was present and
is a property holder affected by the
improvement, was called upon to ex-
press himself on the matter At this
time the entire council took sides,
challenges and retorts flying back and
forth between the councilmen. Thirty
minutes passed in this manner. Finally
a vote was taken, killing the measure
Complaints about a frame garage
which Is being erected within the fire
limits led to an adjournment of the
council for fifteen minutes to amend
the ordinance and make it unlawful to
erect, with the fire limits, any frame
building, shed or any other outbuild-
ing. 1t was found on examination that
the original ordinance setting forth
the fire limits prohibited this as pass
ed in 1879 Amendments made in 1897
to the ordinance allowed the erection
of frame buildings less than II feet
in height.
The committee on ordinances met
during the adjournment and made an
ordinance repeating amendments. Aft
er the ordinance was read twice, the
rules were voted suspended and the
ordinance was read for the third time
1t was unanimously decided to repeal
the former amendments.
Auto for Chief.
Mayor Zimmerman recommended
that the ordinance transferring 81 900
from the miscellaneous fund of the
fire department to a special fund for
the purchase of an automobile receive
the three readings and that a vote be
taken so that the automobile could
be purchased at once. The rules were
suspended and the ordinance passed
unanimously. The machine will be
purchased Immediately.
Mayor Zimmerman announced to
the council the appointments he had
made to fill the vacancies caused
through the death of Police Commits
cir paf1 -
Fund Commissioner NJ. J. O'Brien and
the resignation of former City Attor-
ney Gardner. Police Commissioner
Tiff, Sinking Fund Commissioner Fo-
ley and City Attorney Gardner have
all furnished the necessary bonds.
The board of works reported that
the swinging bridge in Happy Hollow
was temporarily repaired and would
be permanently repaired as soon as
the weather permits. Cinders will be
placed on the walks through Happy
Hollow later.
The complaints on the condition of
North Tenth street below the railroad
were dropped as the contractors will
begin work on bricking the street
next week. The Richmond Street
Railway company will be notified to
repair the street crossing at the west
end of the Doran bridge. Councilman
King asked that the matter of having
Waterman at the corner of North
Third and streets be looked into.
Minor matters were discussed
Matthew Won Pein, councilman-at-
large stated last night at the meeting
of the city council that the building
code was placed in the hands of form
er City Attorney Gardner four weeks
ago for him to approve. He said that
| it should have been submitted to coun-
Gil more than two weeks ago. The
committee on contracts and franchises
completed their work on the code a
month ago. City Attorney Will Bond
will investigate the matter immediate,
ly and present the code at the next
council meeting.