The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-03-21
NO ELECTION
FOR RECALLING
COMMISSIONER
City Commission Adopted Bur-
toms Reports; Holds Peti-
tions Insufficient.
BEST WOULD HALT INQUIRY
Votes With Thompson Against
City Investigation of Pub
lie Utilities
BEST WOULD HALT INQUIRY

Bismarck will have no recall cleo.
ton.
The city commission last evening
on motion of Commissioner Best un.
animously voted to reconsider its
former resolution calling an election
to be held April %. BY vote of three
to two 1t rejected a second motion
from Best that an election be held on
April IS, Best and Thompson voting
in the minority, the commission vot
ed to rescind it's former action re.
jecting the report Of City Auditor
Burton holding that through the with.
drawal of 10 names the recall peti-
tions filed with the city commission
were insufficient. BY the same vote
the commission finally adopted Bur.
tons report, which threw the petitions
out of court on the grounds OF their
insufiiciency
designations in Order
After this action. Commissioner
Bertsch offered to resign if Best and
Thompson would do likewise. Then
We'll have real election" said Bert
sch. Best was non-committal, but
Thompson was willing to resign if the
whole board would quit. No official no.
tice of any Of these suggestions was
taken by the commission.
To Investigate Utilities
Again overriding the opposition of
Best and Thompson. and in response
to demands from j. p. Sell, A. J. 'Nath
an and others, the city commission,
by three to two vote, ordered that
committee of three be named to
confer with the Hughes Electric Co.
and the Bismarck Water Co., relative
to rates, The president named as
such committee Commissioners Kirk.
Bertsch and Thompson. President Lu-
cas- declined to accept Thompson's
withdrawal from the committee, de.
claring that his knowledge of the
water situation would be invaluable
to the city. and insisted that it was
his duty to serve.
To Send out Questionaires.
Commissioner Kirk announced his
intention Of sending out questionaireS
to ascertain the rates paid for water
and light in other cities of Bismarck S
class. J. P. Sell had addressed the
commission on the subject Of water
for war gardens, suggesting that it
was the patriotic duty Of the water
company to make a specially reduced
rate during the summer months in or
der that every householder may aid
the food conservation movement by
growing his own winters supply OF
vegetab bles. Gardens will not pro
duce their maximum if not frequently
watered, said Sells. He endorsed the
action Of the commission
Nathan Approves.
A. J. Nathan spoke on the general
subject OF light and water rates, eX-
pressing himself as opposed to re.
call but declaring against what he
termed "horseplay" with regard to the
regulation of public utilities. After
President Lucas had put his motion
that a committee be appointed to
make an immediate investigation, and,
If convinced that rates should be
lowered and unable to obtain the de-
sired action from the utility compan-
les themselves, then carry the matter
before the state railway commission,
Mr.. Nathan said: "Now you're doing !
Commission Should Act.
Best objected to the city commits
siOn's investigation. He wanted the
commission to investigate. 81
think" said President Lucas. that
this commission has the authority and
the moral right and it has the Qualifi-
cations necessary to make an investi-
cation of these matters. These com
panies come to us, asking us for
franchises and other favors. We pay
them big bills for water and lights
every year. This commission is com
posed of men who have been reason
ably successful in managing their own
business; they should be qualified to
make an investigation of this kind and
TO get to the bottom of it"
,.,. casseIman Approves.
Judge w. S. Casselman spoke in
approval of the actio nof the city
expressing his belief that
the municipal board should exhaust
it's prerogatives before passing the
matter out of its hands and over to
the railway commission. Commission
er Kirk noted that Minot had caused
sue han inxestigatio nof its electric
light rates, and that as a result the
old eleven.ceht rate had been incEeas.
ed ten, per cent He suggested, that
ina smuclf as a. number of public utiii-
by 00mpanies had Zee entity been ggffsaafllt.! Y
lContinued on Page Three.