Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-05-20
FENTON AND MAYOR HAVE
SMALL SIZED CLASH OVER
THE QUESTION OF
CURBS.
TO BURY DEAD ORDINANCES
Ladies of w. G. T. U. to Install
Beautiful Drinking Fountain; City
Also to Install Several Fountains;
Private Meeting Tonight to Dis
cuss Water Question.

Fireworks flashed and the tension
was acute for a few minutes at the
city council meeting last night when
Councilman Fenton made an effort
to apportion the assessment for the
cost of the curbs on Mill street,
placed some time ago. Mayor Van
Orsdel who lives on Mill street and
who is directly interested in the
question of these curbs declared to
the council that the curbs are not
located in the right place, that they
are out of line and that they should
be torn up and replaced if the street
is to be hard surfaced.
eff the council wants to go ahead
and attempt to collect this curbing
assessment they can have all the law
they want" asserted the Mayor.
The question evoked considerable
discussion. Fenton stated that the
curbs had been laid and that for the
first time after over a year and a
half objection had been made to them
because they were out of line and
not placed in the proper place. He
stated that two of the residents
along the street had already paid for
the curb and he believed it but just
and fair that the balance of the
property owners also pay.
Hayter advised caution in going
ahead on a move which might result
in an end only in the Supreme Court
and urged that perhaps the cost of
such litigation would be more eXpen-
sive than the cost of the curbing.
eff we start anything | believe in
finishing it" he said, "but | think
we should weigh well the situation
before we start. "
The motion of Fenton was lost.
Mayor Van Orsdel stated that he had
been citizen Of Dallas for many
years and had always paid his taxes
and assessments promptly. "When
hard surface pavement is put in and
The curbs are properly laid the city
will get its money and every cent Of
it," he concluded.
A beautiful fountain for Dallas
probably on Main street either in
front of the court house or directly
across from the court house on the
business side of the street is practi-
cally assured through the ladies of
the w. C. T. U. A delegation Of
those ladies headed by Mrs. Van
Orsdel waited on the council last
night and took up the question. On
motion of Fenton it was decided to
place four or five public drinking
fountains in convenient places. The
ladies present, however, stated that
it is their desire to place something
of more elaborate fountain than
those contemplated by the city and
will raise the money for the purpose.
A committee consisting of Risser,
Fenton and Hayter was named to as
sist the ladies in locating the foun-
tain and the services of the city en-
gineer will also be extended.
"The ladies will please take notice
that l placed Councilman Riser at
the head of this committee, " said the
Mayor as the women were about TO
leave. ."Inasmueh as he is some
what of ladies man | thought the
place appropriate for him, "
On motion of Fenton the members
of the street committee were named
as a purchasing committee for the
city. On suggestion of Hayter the
ordinance committee will draft or
dinances repeating some dead wood
in the ordinance books. One Of these
relates to a city pound; another to
railway grant on Mill street and
another to a city license which many
years ago was charged on automo-
biles used for hire.
A committee will also investigate
the question of the cost of road oil
ing and the mileage that it will be
necessary to oil this year. On sug-
I gestion Of FentOn it was also decided
I to serape the maeadam streets as