Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-14
SITUATION
UP TO CONGRESS
Council Plans to Bring Mat.
ter to Attention of Solons
in Hope of Relief.

The fuel situation was given close
attention by the city council Saturday
evening and steps were taken to v
the gravity Of the proposition brought
to the attention Of North Dakota rep
r~esentatives in congress for the pur-
pose of securing government aid IN
relieving the shortage and assuring
the residents of an adequate supply
for next winter.
The sign ordinance requiring q
small annual fee for various signs and
a bond of $1,000 for certain sizes
where the property owner does not
make the application for a permit was
also passed by the city council.
The question of the suit OF Ira
Jewell against the city for alleged In
fringement Of patent rights in the use
Of the local filter. 1nasmuch as sew
eral features Of the case. including
actions pending elsewhere, are not
clear, the council decided to send City
Attorney Bangs to Fargo to look into
the case pending against that city,
and, II necessary, to go to Minneap-
oils to investigate a case which That
municipality o from the same
plaintiff under similar circumstances.
The proposition Of the Red River
Power company to furnish power for
the pumping station and the street
lighting plant will be Investigated by
Dean Calvin A. Crouch, Of h uni
versity, to determine whether or not
the company has done the work
cheaper than it now IS being done.
The company made the proposition a
little over six months ago, and 1t was
referred to the water and light COM
mittee. The committee met with rep
resentatives Of the Northern States
Power company, the parent organiza-
ton. The committee decided that 1t
was advisable to have the situation
thoroughly investigated before accept
ing or rejecting the proposition. Tho
members recommended hiring Dean
Crouch to make an investigation and
the council accepted the recommends
ton.
A Serious Situation.
Tho coal supply question came up
question Of advertising for bids was
preached. The committee declared
that local dealers said that it would
be useless to advertise for bids. for
they themselves were unable to state
when or how they would get q sup
ply or how much they would have to
pay for it. The aldermen were unan-
imous in the opinion that immediate
action should be taken to bring the
situation to the attention Of the gov
eminent and. on motion. tho mayor
and city auditor were instructed to
communicate with the North Dakota
senators and congressman and ask
them to take the question up with
the proper authorities. It also was
decided 10 ask for bids for supplying
the city with coal, just by way of
learning what can be expected from
local dealers.
The Jewell suit against the city was
the subject of a report from the city
attorney. 1t seems that in January.
1914. the New York Continental
Jewell Filteration plant started action
against the city for alleged infringe
ment Of patent rights In the use Of
the down-grade. negative head sys-
tenn Of altering water. This case
time It was filed, the same company
had q similar suit pending against
the city Of Harrisburg, Pa. This suit
was decided by h United States cir
suit court against the plaintiffs, and
consequently the local suit was not
pushed.
Jewell Case q Mixup.
Now. Ira n. Jewell is suing for al
legged infringement Of patent rights.
but local officials have been unable
to learn whether or not the case has
| NAl OSaA AAl6 VA SAo 31lox dSI1Olls
The answer which must be filed by
May 20. cannot be written until this
and other vague points + cleared
up.
The sign ordinance was amended
previous to it's second reading and
final adoption. AS it now stands. 1t
requires a 81 fee for a permit to erect
OF hang a small sized sign and a fee
Of $l.60 for he larger signs. Tho
| ~0pdinanca doc1qrer that m Si0u ovor
40 per cent solid shall be erected on
the top Of a building. 1t, provides a
bond Of $1,000 from the advertiser for
the large signs, unless the property
owner signs the petition for the per-
nit.
The North American and Postal
Telegraph company was granted q
license for messenger service, and ].
T. Ktngsbury was given an auto liv-
cry license.
The council decided to make Peter
Lamater superintendent of water
mains and distribution at a salary of
800. The ordinance committee was
instructed to draw up an ordinance
covering the ONCE.
Ruscho Saves His Bees.
Tho board Of health. through DR..
Saunders, reported that there was no
Just " for forcing Clarence
Rusche. who recently was wounded by
two near-yeggmsn, to move several
hive. Of bees he has at his home.
Netghbors complained that the bees
were nuisance. Bee authoritiss
who were interviewed by the board,
declared that the bees caused no
trouble and that to move them now
would mean the loss Of the entire
1hensy supply for this season which