Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1919-12-05
ORDINANCE DEFEAT'D
LUMBER SHED ORDINANCE DOES
NOT S-DISCUSsION BE-
COMES PERSONAL.

For years past, rarely has the temper
ature in the council chambers of Little
Falls attained such high mark as il
did few minutes before adjournment
last Wednesday evening, when, at the
conclusion of a discussion of the lumber
shed question, the attorney for the op
position opened up on the aldermen and
literally charged them with being in q
combination with the concern in ques
tion. To other citizens who were pres
ent it was considered nothing short of
strange that fist fight was not precip
itated.
| The ordinance introduced at the pre-.
vious meeting Of the council, by Presi
dent Hall, to extend the fire limits SO
as to include the south half of Block
II, original plat, was again brought up
for consideration.
D. NJ. Cameron, attorney, represent.
ing the petitioners. who opposed the
erection Of frame lumber shed at the
proposed location, was first to take UP
the discussion or to "start the ball
rolling,' as he put it. He stated that
the ordinance as drawn up is none too
limited and includes nothing that should
not justly be incorporated in the fire
limits. There is nothing in reason why
this ordinance should not be passed and
every reason why it should be, he said.
He added that no one has any right to
submerge the public interest to matters
of private concern; that Mr.. Mullow-
ney, who has charge Of construction of
the lumber shed, is here only temporar'
lily and when the work is finished his
supervision will be at an end; that
there is not single argument against
the ordinance and every argument for
it and that if the aldermen vote against
it they do so for personal gain.
! Alderman LaFond spoke up and stat.
ed that no doubt many residents of the
block in question were not aware that
the proposed ordinance would put the
entire south half of block II within the
fire limits, bringing in the Nathe, For
tier and other property.
Fortier property, located at the south
property as well as the building on the
northwest corner OF the block were
hardly up to standard, but that he
would rather see the lot OF which the
! Carpenter company proposes to build,
remain vacant for SO years than to
have that building on the corner. He
favored putting the entiae block into
the fire limits and concluded by saying
that if this concern thinks enough Of
Little Falls to come here and do bust
ness they certainly ought to put up I,
decent building
O. 2. Fisher suggested d. 8: 81. the north
half of the west half OF Block 45 be
also placed in the fire limits as there
were rumors that a local concern was
contemplating erecting lumber yard
there. He added that the council must
have been asleep on the job and ccr~
tainly should not have waited until af-
ter the Carpenter Lumber company had
begun to build, before taking steps to
extend the fire limits.
| Mr.. Cameron interposed that be-
cause a person has been successful in
pulling the wool over the peoples eyes
for while that he should not be made
! to come to time when the matter does
come to their attention and that there
can be no reason to permit anything
| like this except sentimental ones, false
rumors and failure of the company to
consult the council in the matter.
| (There is no ordinance at this time re-
| quiring permit outside the fire linn
its.)
Mr.. Mullowney, representing the Car
penter Lumber company, stated that
nothing had been done on the sneak by
him; that he had been present during
building operations and was ready to
answer any questions but that none
were asked. He said that he did not
know what more he could have done un-
less it might have been to put up sign
on the corner stating that the building
was to be non-freproof. He went on to
say that he was now aware that there
are people that do not want the lumber
company to come here but that there are
also great many that do want it.
| This concluded the discussion and Al
derman LaFond moved that the ordin'
ance be voted upon. The motion was
carried and the clerk called the aye
and naye vote. Aldermen Moeglein
Blake, Brown, N. J. Peterson, George
Peterson and LaFond voted "no' and
Alderman Hall, president Of the coun'
ell, who introduced the ordinance, vot'
ed "yes.'' Thus the ordinance was
defeated and so declared.
Mr.. Mullowney then asked for the
floor and he stated that he would try
to show the people of Little Falls that
the company lis anxious to do what is
right and fair and that therefore he
would go to Minneapolis and consult
Mr.. Carpenter with view Of getting
the company to put on stucco walls on
the building, which he believed they
would be willing to do.
On behalf Of the council Chairman
Hall thanked Mr.. MulloWney for this
offer and stated that as far as he per
sonally was concerned he would be sat
isfed if the company would put stucco
walls on it's building. He added that
the time is now fast approaching whe1
we must have better class Of build
ings here; that he had nothing persona
against the Carpenter company but be
lieved in good fire protection.
! Mr.. Cameron had the last word, anc
this was the point at which the temper
ature took jump. As he donned his
overcoat and started to leave the coun
Gil chambers he stated that Mr.. Mul
lowney could show his appreciation NJ
better than to do his banking with N
J. Peterson and get John Vertin to lool
after business deals. He then sale
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