Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-25
CITY COUNCIL HAS
VERY BUSY SESSION
Question of Fees Collected by Officers
Stlll UnsettIed-Wants City At
tOrney Salary Reduced.

BY the indefinite postponement of
the majority report Of the ways and
means committee of the city council
last night to the effect that eX-Chief Of
Police Hamilton was entitled to keep
certain fees retained by him while
serving in the capacity of a constable,
that question Is still in the air and
promises to cause trouble for some
time to come.
The question: was first brought up
by Alderman Minton two weeks ago,
and as a result of the agitation the
city attorney was instructed to pre-
pare an opinion on the question. The
opinion was a lengthy one and upheld
the action of the constable in retain
ing the fees The majority of the
ways and means committee reported
favorably in view of the opinion Of
the city attorney. Alderman Minton
dissented.
MintOn declared that there was
three-fourths Of the material in the
opinion of the city attorney that had
no relevancy to the question at issue,
and that he did not believe in bringing
in extraneous matter. He said that he
carried in his pocket the opinions Of
four attorneys Of the city, one Of
whom was a former city attorney, and
that all agreed that the marshal had
no right to retain the fees in question.
He said that the same decision was
reached in an opinion written several
years ago.
Bank Company Favored.
Important on the list of routine
business taken care Of last night was
a favorable report by the ways and
means committee on a petition Of the
Salem Bank G. Trust for the deposits
of a part of the city funds.
The street committee reported that
the remonstrance against the improve.
ment Of Oak street contained enough
names of property owners to kill the
improvement for the present, The
: demonstrators desire the improvement
: held up until Liberty street is in al
improved condition. An unfavorabl,
report was submitted by the commit
tee on the petition for the improve
ment Of Washington street from Fair
, mount avenue to Fir street. The com
: mittee holds that the street is not II
a fit condition for improvement at thi
, time,
Settle Printing Trouble.
l The report Of the printing commit
4 tee on It's investigation into the charg
J, that Is made by Salem newspapers 70
r printing done for the city was favora
4 ble and as a result tho city will con
n tinue to advertise in both the dali
- papers a. the prices now existing, ur
less tho prices are changed by th
d printers. Alderman Rigdon said thG
n out Of consideration 10 many peopI
@ who take only one daily paper he be
4 lIeyed It would show niggardly spil
i II to advertise in only one paper bc
= cause II that were done the adyertsln
would reach only a par of the pee
IS pie,
e After Attorneys Salary.
e Alderman Jones was author Of
's resolution to declare null and void Il
II ordinance raising the salary Of u
i, city attorney from $1,000 to $500
s year Alderman Minton attacked Il
* custom Of paying bookkeaper in u
4 office Of the city treasurer $50 a mon
p because It Is not provided for In Il
ID city charter. The resolutions we
le referred to the finance committee.
.y resolution by Jones for the purcha
Id Of two now desks for the Office Of II
ie city recorder not to exceed $40 W
adopted
Salaries Are Raised.
ie At the request Of the city record
re Alderman Rigdon introduced a resol