Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-04
NEW COUNCIL GETS
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Has Several Lively Little Tits
Thanks Mayor White
for Good Work

street paving IN the city OF salem, Whlcn
were tried in the circuit court and APP
pealed to the supreme court, brought
the old members and some Of the new
members of the new council into an in
teresting skirmish of words at the open
ing session of the council last night.
Councilman Elliott fired the first
gun ty moving that a committee of
three be appointed to select an assistant
to help the city attorney in conducting
the cases before the supreme court. He
asked that the committee be given pow
er to act.
This was the bolt that reused Council
nan Ward and he Immediately replied
that he opposed the appointment of a.
committee if it was given the power to-
act.
Mayor Eeyes requested Councilman
Wilson tc take the chair and then took
the floor in support of the question of
an assistant. He said that the suits
before the supreme court amdeounted to
5000 and he thought at least one at
tornel who sat at the trial of the cases
i'll the lowe rcourt should appear before
the supreme court. At that time Judge
Bingham was one of the attorneys and
Mayor Keyes said he would communi-
/ cate with Montague & 0 Reilly, who
were connected with the paving bust
ness, to have new attorney appoint
led.
Afraid of Committees.
Councilman Unruh declared he felt
! like Councilman Ward about the Fpow
er to act' clause as he had one expe-
rience in that line and ii cost the coun-
ell dear, in fact over $1,000. He said
the council should clothe with caution
& committee with power to act. He said
the cases were already briefed and
ready for argument and that the brief
usually told the tale. He said that al
though the members of the supreme
court usually listened to the oral argu-
ments in case, when it came to the
actual deciding it was done on the mer-
its at the brief. He said the briefs were
ably prepared by Justice Bingham
when he was. the attorney for the city.
He admitted the city may need counsel
but not just at present.
The mayor replied by stating that
there was no iced to pay more than
$li0 for conducting both cases. He
said the etteIIey should be one who sat
at the trial Of the case in the lower
court and who Was familiar with its de-
tails.
Councilman Nelson was not in favor
tof giving the committee power to act
as he thought the council should have
some check on it.
i Councilman Roberts was of the opin-
ion that if the cases were decided, as
the attorneys said, by briefs it seemed
the work was all done and that there
was no need to hire help.
Councilman McClelland asked City
Il Attorney Macy if he needed assistance
and Macy replied that he had not asked
! for any help yet. In fact he did moi
4 see the need of it.
:. Councilman Romerts moved to amend
the motion to appoint with power to
acs by striking out the words "poweI
to act" Councilman Nelson moved to
! amend the amendment by limiting the
committee to contract for the work to
pay not more than $3.50 without consent
4 iof the council
Il When finally the smoke clead away
sIa committee consisting of Councilman
kElliott, Ward and Hoover was appointed
!, Ito investigate and report back to the
councll at its next meeting.
Lumber the Topic.
i Another skirmish broke suddenly
whot Councilman Elliott asked the
fcouncil tc authorize the city purchasing
agent to buy 10000 feet of lumber fol
. erosswalks.
Councilman Unruh took fire agaiT
and declared that anything over $25 hat
to be purchased by bids He said he die
|, not believe in granting permission
J wholesale for every little stick of yood
or barrel cf tax or keg of nails thu
+ street department wanted to buy. Ht
, said if proceedings were not going t
follow charter provisions then throw thu
| charter sway.
Mayor Keyes construed the reading
of the motion to mean that the purchas'
was to be done through proper chan
! nels.
Councilman Ward asked that the mo
tion be voted down and wanted tn,
A street committee to make an estimat
4 iof the amount of lumber it would prob
4 ably use for the year and so save mon
Eey in advertising piecemeal.
Councilman Mcclellan said that COun
Gilman Ward was now talking sense, al
3 though last year he had voted for al
4 snch small buying items, and on tn
i right track, although it would be almos
impossible to estimate the amount 0
. lumber required ON account of so mucl
j repair work and accidental needs.
CDuneilman Elliott then suggeste
i that the street department and tn
= bridge department get together to max
s. an estimate of he amount of lumbe
S needed. After Councilman Elliott ha
3 reduced his demand to 10000 feet fo
i Immediate use, the requisite pernissio
was granted.
D The rrpogts Of the old street commit
q tee of the old council to the street con
4 mttcc Of the new council were referre
= to the street committee.
New Charter Proposed.
An ordinance fixing the salary 0
street commissioner at 81 200 to nee
s. int requirements Of the budget, afte
q riding stormy waves for short peries
vas referred TO the ordinance commi
tee.
A resolution introduced by Counci
s man Jones for the appointment Of
committee to draw up commissio
81 elmrfer for Salem was referred TO tn
81 committee on ordinances.
A communication from the city Ill