Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-06-17
NEW LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO
CONTRACT MADE PRIOR TO
JUNE 2, SAYS ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
PAVING CONTRACT MODIFIED
City Council Adopts Resolution in
Conformity With Decision; New
Ordinances Passed; Disposal of
Surplus Rock is Problem For Prop
erty Owners.

Resolution authorizing tne mOdlH-
cation of the contract entered into
by the city with the Clark & Hen6ry
construction company, relating to the
hours of labor of the men in its en-
ployment, was passed by the city
council at its regular meeting on
Monday night. When the contract
was entered into, it was thought that
the new state law requiring that la
borers on all city contracts should
not work more than eight hours daily,
would apply, but, according to a re-
cent decision of the Attorney General,
as explained by Attorney Oscar Hay
ter, who appeared for the Clark 4
Henery company, it had been held
that the law aid not apply TO con-
tracts entered into before June 2,
the date the new law went into effect.
The resolution, therefore, provided
that the company might employ their
men for longer than the eight hours
per day mentioned in the first con-
tract In the passage of the resolu-
ton, Councilman McBee was the
only vote cast against it. Later, on
motion of Councilman Fenton, the
city attorney was instructed to bring
in a resolution at the next meeting,
extending the same concession to the
contractors for hauling rock for the
city, which agreement had also been
made prior to the going into effect OF
the new state law.
New Ordinances Passed.
An ordinance to license billiard
and pool tables in billiard and pool
halls was read the second time and
passed with the following vote: Vot-
ING eyes" Councilmen Barber, Hay
ter Gohrke and McBee; voting
"no," Barham, Fenton and Risser.
An ordinance placing the city mar
shal on flat salary of $50 per month
and requiring him to turn all fees and
other emoluments which he now re-
ceives into the city treasury, was
passed unanimously.
Resolutions appropriating the sum
of 800 to pay the premium on in
demnity insurance for city employees
at the rock crusher and one apprO-
priating $61.80 to pay for the pur-
chase of a screen jacket for the
crusher, were passed.
Disposal of Surplus Rock.
The question of the disposal Of the
surplus rock, that must be removed
from the surface of the streets in the
proposed hard surface district, pro-
voked considerable discussion. Coun-
Gilman Gohrke, reported that he had
interviewed the property owners
and, while some of them didn't care
what was done with it, others want
ed to use it, but "didn't know what
to do with it." Some wanted the
city to store it somewhere to be used
at some future time, and all sorts Of
ideas were advanced as to its disp0s-
al. He thought, however, that IT
would be possible to secure enough
rock to complete the proposed i'm
provement of Miller avenue. It was
also reported that the county court
had under contemplation the con-
struction of a concrete walk around
/ the Jail property on Court and Jetfer-
son streets, and that Sibley & Eakin.
Hayter Bros. and Abel Uglow would
do likewise in front of their prop
erty on Court street, thus giving a
concrete walk from the Main street
corner to the Dallas garage. 1t was
suggested that other property owners
who had an interest in the rock in
front Of their premises might take
advantage Of the opportunity to place
the rock and build concrete walks at
+ this time.
No More Paving.
Mayor VanOrsdel again brought
up the matter of paving the addi-
f. tional' four blocks heretofore men
toned. but Councilman Hayter,
from the finance committee. declared
that the city did not have sufficient
finances 10 undertake the expense of
paving the intersections. and the mat
ter will probably be dropped.
The city auditor was instructed ia
notify the railway company 10 repair
I IT, crossing on Main street.
Bills Allowed.
The following claims against the
city were audited and allowed:
Holman & Grant. labor on rock
erusher ---------------.-- SlAW
IA IL. L.. 4. 4 ..----s..-- q. ~ +