The Nome nugget., 1919-12-20
COUNCIL TO OVERSEE
COAL DISTRIBUTION

I
 ka Lighterage and Commercial Com
 pany and the presentation of d claim
 for the care of Il Chinese erysipelas victim who died in the hospital during
 the influenza epidemic last year. no
 development of unusual moment oc-. cured at the last meeting of the City
 Council last Monday.
 Thes councilmanic action regarding
 the coal distribution was taken follow
 ing a statement by Mayor Holt that
 the lighterage company would agree to
 handle and sell the remaining supply
 of coal at the rate of $36 per ton as long as it lasted. on condition that the citizens appointed a committee to look after the issuing of acquisitions and
 see that the coal was properly distrib-
 uted among those who need additional
 supplies to carry them through the
 winter season. This new develop
 ment apparently hit the council just
 right and motion that the council act
 as committee to look after the dis
 tribution, etc., was speedily passed. The claim for compensation for the
 care of the deceased Chinaman was
 presented in q communication from A. 1 l'olet who stated the bill had been re-
 ferred to his care by the special com mittee appointed by the governor to handle the epidemic situation last win-
 ter. with a view to securing remunera- tion from the city. The claim was
 refused by the governor on the score
 that it was not for influenza relief despite the fact that it was vouched
 for by the aforesaid special relief com
 mlttee appointed by himself. The bill was also refused liquidation by the federal judge of the district on the ground that the claim could not be all lowed under the provisions regarding the indigent fund. over which the court exercises control. Finding the bill persona non grata to every body. so to say. the committee apparently decided to try the city. The council could not see it that way however and the claim was summarily turned down by the city dads. During the debate following the presentation of Mir. Polets communication it developed that the councilmanic opposition was due primarily to the view that the payment of the bill would establish a precedent which might bankrupt the city treasury. as there are several bills apparently contracted by the special lcommittee which are also still unpaid. One of them for the cost of refitting up
 the Sons of the North hall as q tenn to approximate around $1.OO0. Judg-
 ing from the remarks of the members
 the council feels, first. that the liabili- ties were contracted independently of
 the city and without consultation with the city authorities and. secondly. that
 the payment of the bill presented
 would result in all of the remaining claims whom nobody owns being pre- sented to the city. Several council
 members strongly criticized the lax methods employed by the special re-
 lief committee in connection with the
 handling of relief measures during the jepidemic.
 The report of City Treasurer G. k. Jackson WIS presented to the council but failed to evoke affirmative response to his recently rendered resignation.
 Some of the council members were ap-
 parently in doubt regarding the pro-
 priety of agreeing to MT. Jackson's re-
 quest for official retirement. The
 fact that Mfr. Jackson is an elected official appeared to be cause for ob- jection to some of the councilmanic
 minds and after some debate 1t was
 decided to lay the matter on the table
 pending fuller determinations.
 | The shade of the rejected street con.
 tract was also raised during the meet
 ing through the presentation of a
 statement from MT. Rowe showing the
 amount of expense contracted by him
 in street repair work from June to the
 close of navigation. The statement
 was apparently not intended as a
 claim against the city. as 1t amounted
 to about twice as much as called for
 in the contract which the council re-
 fuses to recognize. It's presentation
 was seemingly aimed at enlightening
 the council regarding what the cost
 would have been had the street work
 been affected without contract. It
 at least had the effect of creating | IuoxaafIinaE Al ol l.. LII