The Seward gateway., 1915-05-04
COUNCIL GETS
 DOWN TO WORK
LAST NIGHTS MEETING MADE INTERESTING BY SOME
 CLASHES.

The city council meeting last night was interesting in many respects. 1t showed cleavage in the opinions of two different parties in the body and also it revealed a feeling that the city fathers might have made a mistake in undertaking the big expenses which would be the result of the decisions of the last meeting with respect to increase of salaries and improvement work. Quite a tiff occurred on one or two occasions and Councilman Youngs suggested that we have al ready reached that political status which is manifested by "big four The big four is always open to suspi- cion as it suggests political combin- ation to run matters, although in this case only suspicion is possible. The chances are that the alignments will be different after a time.
 Well, for the details:
 The mayor stated that Judge Nor ford had informed him that the city can use the railroad sixty acres for sanitary camp. It was decided to place a notice on the wharf to keep people from running the danger of crowding out at the end when boats are docking.
 Lots 12 and 13 in block 15 were purchased from Frank Ballaine for a city hall, Attorney Green reporting that the title was absolutely perfect.
 Chamberln said that the business people were petitioning in favor of licensing pedlers and the matter goes to the city attorney who will decide what powers the counci, has in such matters. Nuzum and Coppernoll sent in their resignation as city attorney to give the council a chance to recede from it's difficult position on the ques- tion of appointing two men to one position. The resignation was accept ed. Later the application of w. D. Coppernoll was read and a contest between him and Judge Green result ed, Coppernoll wining by that same four to two. But more anon. Tozier withdrew his application for the posi- tion of city engineer. Harry Hoben offered lumber at a price that will save money to the city but an argu- ment started up although the offer was accepted. Chamberlin of the street committee declared that two hundred thousand feet will be requir- ed for the work on Second and Third avenues. The total cost on those two avenues, Chamberlin said, would be about $5,O0O. Two applications 10" the position of city engineer were read. They were from J. A. Coombs and w. w. Lukens. Then came warm few minutes when the proposal came to amend the ordinance relating to salaried officials so that city en- gineer and an assistant fire chief might be placed on the payroll We're going too fast with street i'm provements, etc." said Borgen or words with the same meaning, and Chamberlin jumped to his feet. "Bor- gen voted for the Improvements last week" he said "and I'd like to know what has changed his mind" These may not be the exact words but both men were speaking fast and rather warmly. Borgen suggested that the improvements contemplated would cost forty thousand dollars but Chamberlin said they would cost only eighteen thousand dollars, six thou sand of which would only have to met by the city. "Where are you going to get that six thousand?" said Borgen, and he and Chamberlin threw figures at each other so fast that the finan- cial standing of the city of Seward might we'll look to a stranger to be we'll up in the billions. Daggett ex- pressed the belief, with word edge wise, that it might be advisable to slow down on expenses. Crawford said the city will know what to do when an engineer makes lis esti- mates.
 Daggett moved that the old salary ordinance be amended to raise the salaries to the figures named at the last meeting. He wanted the ordin- ance made law that night but Chamb- erlin said that the Seward council could not do so. But the ordinance went to it's first and second reading. Chamberlin and Youngs voted mo" and they stayed together all night.
 Then came the proposal to elect a president of the council pro tempore' Continued on Page 4