Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-05-13
CITY Council Grants Third
License to James 7. Chitty
By Vote of Four to Three

planned the law in the matter and de-
clared that no action of former
council was binding upon the present
body unless in the form of contract,
and that they were not bound to re-
cognize any agreement made by
the former council. Taking up the
understanding that the number of
saloons in the city should be limited
to Gone for every 1000 inhabitants,
or major fraction thereof" he declar-
ed that the council was itself the ar
bitter of this question and it lay
within its power to determine wheth
er or not there were sufficient inhab-
itants to permit three saloons. Coun-
Gilman Fenton opposed the granting
of the license on the ground that the
council should live up to the ordin
ances of the city and the granting of
the license would override the pro-
visions of one ordinance at least.
Mayor VanOrsdeI stated that the
matter lay entirely with the council
and they could either allow the Ii
cense or reject it as they saw fit.
Councilman Hayter moved that the
license be granted and the motion
carried by the vote of four to three;
those voting Eyes" being Barber,
Gohrke, Hayter, McBee; voting mo
Barham, Fenton, Riser.
Previous to action on the license
application, Councilman Gohrke pre-
sented and had read by the auditor
an ordinance amending section three
of the ordinance limiting the number
of saloons to one for each 1000 in
habitants. The new ordinance re-
moves this restriction entirely and
permits the granting Of as many Ii
censes as the council may vote. To
this ordinance was attached an emer-
gency clause making it effective inn
mediately after its passage which
will probably be on Monday night
at the next regular meeting of the
council.
Officials Elected
Following the reading of the appli-
cations for the different city offices
to be filed, vote was taken which
resulted in the election Of Jeff ID.
Bevens for marshal by the vote OF
four, to three for p. S. Greenwood;
and d. H. Grant for night policeman
by the vote of four, to three for Hen
line
The matter of employing an en-
gineer at the rock quarry and an en-
gineer for the city road roller and
other employees, was left with the
street committee with power to act,
The employment of a city engineer
and street commissioner was also left
with the street committee The mat
ter of the selection Of city treas
urer went over, and no action was
taken in the employment of a city
attorney, Ed f. Coad, the present
incumbent being retained.
Mayor VanOrsdel voiced his be-
lief that the street commissioner
should be placed on a flat salary
rather than the fee system and want
ed a resolution to that effect.
An ordinance reducing the fees of
the city treasurer from One-half of
one per cent to one-fourth Of one per
cent for all moneys handled by him,
was read the first time.
To Improve City Park
Mayor Van Orsdel announced the
appointment of Councilmen Hayter
and Riser to act in conjunction with
the city park board consisting of j.
+. Miller, U. S. Grant and N. l..
Guy in park matters and the sum of
$3.50 was allowed the board for the
improvement of the park. This will
take the form of placing water in
the park, the planting of shrubbery,
construction of sanitary arrange
ments and other general improve
ments in accordance with recommen-
dations previously made by the park
CONTINUED on Page Six.)