The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-11-19
COUNCIL HAS A
WARM SESSION
TWELFTH STREET WORK VEyES
Payment Of Bill Causes Tie Vote Peti-
tiOn Calling for Tobacco Ordinance
is Presented

The Monday night meeting of the
city council was one of the most spir-
tied of the year. Since it was first
proposed, the Twelfth street improve
ment has been a thorn in the side of
the city fathers. The residents owning
abuttlng property demonstrated against
the payment of assessments. declaring
that the new surfacing should be paid
for out of the general fund. Their pro-
tests, however, were unavailing. The
discussions Of Monday night revealed
an interesting situation among the
members of the council, themselves, as
to payment of bill of 81, 1870 to the
Transfer & Livery Co., who were
awarded the contract of surfacing the
street.
When the street work came up, the
council faced one of two alternatives
either to hire substitute for City En-
gineer Morse. who was busy at that
| time with work in the water depart
ment, and let the substitute take over
the water system work temporarily, or
to emlpoy an engineer to supervise the
street work. The latter course was
chosen, and Murray Kay was employed
to supervise the building of the street.
| However, when MIR. Kay took hold of
the street work, he stated that he
would not continue in charge of the
task according to the specifications as
given. The specifications as drawn
provided for surfacing in the center
of the street of two inches in thickness,
the dressing tapering away to feather
edge at the curbs. II was advised that
the dressing would be of no benefit,
and the street was improved with the
material being of a thickness of four
inches at the curbs, the center. remain
ing the same.
A delegation of Heights people were
at the Monday night meeting of the
council to protest against acceptance
of the street. J. H. Gill addressed the
body stating that the surface was peel
| ing up in places.
1t was then that the council decided
to visit the street Friday morning and
inspect. Murray Kay addressed the
city fathers and stated that the street
provided that sufficient funds be held
back to pay for the completion and to
care for defects that had been re-
| ported.
Councilman Bell suggested that
Councilman Stranahan, liveIyman.
be made to furnish the city fathers
with an automobile to take them to the
scene of the inspection.
The street then rested until towa
the final part of the session, when bills
were being allowed. The bill for So, 1870
was among the statements rendered
| the city. 1t lacked the o. k. of men,
bers of the finance committee.
Councilman Bell favored the immedi-
ate payment of the bill. He stated
that the ordinance calling for the
street provided that the specifications
could be changed if the city engineer
saw fit. lie pointed out that the work
was needed that the specifications as
drawn up by Engineer Morse would
have given but little real benefit.
Councilman Franz, ending his re-
marks by the unqualified statement
that he would not %. k. the bill. de-
claied that the bill had been run up
without authority of the council.
Councilman Stranahan took the floor
and stated that the change had been
made by authority. He said that City
Engineer Morse.had turned the work
over entirely to Engineer Kay and that
the council had given the street COM
mittee power to act in the matter.
During the informal discussion, Prof.
}. o. Mclaughlin, who was present
at the meeting, addressed the mayor
and asked if the council conducted all
of its business in such a manner. His
query drew the united fire of the body
on himself. 81 assure you," he said,
"that the school board does not do bus
mess that way" "They are always
fighting, was the remark of council
man.
The councilmen had taken Prof. Nc
Laughlin's remark to mean that he was
criticising the informal mode of pro-
cedure. He, however, explained that
his criticism was directed against the
method of incurring the Twelfth street
extra expense. 81 make my criticism
as a taxpayer" he said. ''but appre.
ciate Twelfth street since its improve
ment; travel it.
The matter of payment of the bill,
deductng $500 to be held back until
the defects were mended, finally came
to vote. Franz, Castner and Scobee
voted against payment, while Bell,
Stranahan and Culbertson favored it.
The buck was passed to Mayor Reed,
who questioned City Attorney Wilbur
as to the legal status. Mr.. Wilbur,
who stated that he had not before
heard Of the matter and would not rem
der an opinion until he was fully con-
versant with all facts, suggested that
the matter be tabled until it could be
fully investigated. AS he stated, there
might be some possibility of the con-
tractor having overstepped his author
ity.
"While believe the scity is liable
and will have to pay the bill at some
time or other" said Mayor Reed, ''af.
ter hearing MIR. Wilbur's remarks
will vote 10.
DR.. C. H. jenkins. of the city school
board, and Prof. j. o. Mclaughlin
presented the council with petitions,
signed by many citizens, asking that
the council draw an ordinance, supple.
menting the state laws governing the
use of tobacco by minors and schoo
/ CuiluTen. iHt petltiulb Wcte tclSIISt
to the judiciary committee, who were
instructed to bring in the desired ordi
nance.
The fire and water committee recon-
mended that g. F. Sumner be allowed
to build corrugated iron automobile
shed on his property at the corner o
State and Third streets. The recon
mendation was adopted.
Il The fire and water committee. througl
Il Councilman Culbertson, announced tina
the city was investigating the purchas
/ of an electric siren to be used in givinl
/ fire alarms. This was announced afte
/ the discussion of bill of s43.50, tn
H expenses of last Sundays fire ON tn
II Heights. Counclamn Bell thought tn
= bill was too heavy, but was satisfied b
: the statement of Fire Chief Mcclure
who stated that all of the firemen wer
present, although they were unable