The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-08-20
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BAN'DONE''-:S'!i'l|'E|||:;''P| !.
HASALDERMEN
DOING *'WlCCLE
Clerk Vainly Reads Minutes as
Trombone Tears OFF
Several Yards
QUIETNESS is RESTORED
AND PANIC AVERTED
Another Claim Against Bond
Company Settled; Sweeper
on Pension List

| chamber last evening, the regular
meeting night Of the city fathers. A
few minutes after s o'clock President
Clark called to order and City Clerk
| Stein commenced the reading of the
minutes of the previous meeting.
In the hall above sounded the
! roll Of a drum, following by the
boom of the big bass. The blend Of
horns, clarionets and the shrill notes
| of the piccolo. The rythmic cadence
of a catchy air, now and then inter-
lection of the slide trombone, the
snappy notes of the alto and the ac-
compartment of the rasping reeds.
The city clerk struggled with his
reading.
Trombone Player "There."
The short cadence of the music up
stairs continued. The trombone play
er tore off several yards from the
| same piece at intervals. City Clerk
| Stein commenced to hesitate. Alder
| man Bagley with his 800 pounds
twisted uneasily. Joanis Of the Fifth
commenced to look around the room.
| Staid Backus never batted an eye.
Neither did Barnell, whose cigar
went out as his mind wandered. The
mayor commenced to swing. one foot
as, he was tilted: back in his swivel
chair. Benner sat like statue. Pal
mer finally swished around and
shun ted to 4one. side of his chair. Pres
fdent Clark even grew nervous. The
left. foot of a. Pioneer representative
unconsciously commenced to keep
time on the floor with the one-step
notes. City Attorney Fisk, sitting
near an open door, looked around the
frame into the city clerks office.
Everybody Doing It.
The trombone player con ntinued to
tear off several more yards. The alto
got in its deadly work Everybody
was doing it."
The city clerk stuck manfully to
his task. The pace Quickened. The
city attorney could stand 1t no more.
He closed the door.
"Gee, whiz! Does that band prac-
tice every time there is a council
meeting?" calculated President Clark
And the aldermanic body relaxed as
the clerk finished reading his notes
and the one step ceased.
CITY Makes $50.
The city made $50 in about 30 Sec
onds during the meeting. 1t all came
about when the matter Of an offer
for settlement of a claim Of the city
against the Title Guarantee & Sure
| ty company of Scranton, Pa. surety
for George Kirk as water clerk. The
principal of the sum claimed by the
| city was $S78.72 on one suit for re-
covery, and $326.S6 on the second,
a total Of $1,205.5S, plus interest
A letter was read by City Attorney
Fisk where the company offered
$1,1O0 in settlement of the claim.
Wire Contains Offer.
While it was being discussed,
the council practically agreed to &C
cept 1t and save litigation, the city
| attorney was notified of waiting
telegram. 1t was opened and the sure
ty company had made another offer
of $1,150 in settlement The city
| attorney was authorized to notify the
company of the acceptance Of its
| offer of settlement at the $50 ad-
vance.
Williams Everts addressed let
ter to the council applying for the
vacancy in the city engineers office.
The matter was tabled
A plumbing bill came into the city
and the council was at a loss as to
who was responsible. 1t transpired
that Driver Zacharias Of the fire de-
| partment had ordered the work, but
the building and grounds committee
Of the council was unable to under
stand how it was that others not au
thorized were contracting bills for
the city, and the claim was held up
for VeStigatfOn
| Street Sweeper Down. =
After manfully striving to do its
allotted task, the old street sweeper
has just about given up the ghost on
account of it's age and a general
breakdown of its nervous system.
Bids were ordered advertised for, for
| figures on a new sprinkler and sweep
er combination.
| Mayor Vandersluis broached the
subject of the city's annual wood and
coal buying as winter protection
measure. One hundred cords will be
advertised. for.
Then followed an experience re-
cita1 on the wood question, followed
by discussion Of the water problem
/ y 4 ~, ia fr,ly on