The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-10-07
CITY COUNCIL NOTES
The council met in regular session
Monday evening

an opinion as to the authority of the
city council to permit the Shipbuilding
Corporation to maintain gates prevent
ing public access to the "island' street
His answer is that it cannot be law
fully done except by vacation OF the
street in the statutory manner. Inc
gist of the opinion is that all abuttlng
property owners in Wisconsin owr the
street; that the city merely holds an
easment of travel over it; that this cas-
ment is a trust for the public benefit
and that it cannot be sold or impaired
by any city officers or. body, and can be
vacated only for a public purpose in
the manner provided by law. 1t fur
ther holds that the right to permit nee
essary and temporary obstructions
such as are common in building opera
tions does not include a total obstruc-
ton for an indefinite period as is here
contemplated. The council took no ac-
ton on the matter and the street com
mittee will report on it at the next
meeting
The Manitou Realty company popu-
larly believed to be largely the Lind
tedt-Hoffman company, offered to do
nate seven and one-half' acres adjoin-
ing Riyervew for park site. The
land lies below the bluff upon which
the government houses were built and
is partly wooded. Filling of a small
space would make it all fine park land.
The city park commission recommends
acceptance.
The city will soon bs in occupancy
of the new city hall and the important
matter of selecting janitor therefor
occupied the attention of the council
for a considerable time. The commit
tee recommended the employment of
Louis Geisler, Sr., at $S5 per month
and quarters, but the Socialists seemed
10 nave 9nOtnCT GdiluiudtC SSiNNtSu "'N
Thompson succeeded in deferring ac-
ton until the qualifications of the ap-
plicants to keep the marine boiler, with
which the place is equipped, from go
ing out through the roof has been
thoroughly examined.
The matter of remodelihg the small
er brick building IN the premises fac
ing Nirth street into a ianitor'S fesit
dence is receiving corside 'ation. Max
ing police station of it was also sug-
gested,
The visiting nurse, Miss Caroline
DuenO, was raised $40 per month and
withdrew her resignation. She was in
structed to attend the state social wei
fare conference to be held at Oshkosh
Oct. 1915.
Some of the tentative figures from
which the city budget is prepared were
on file. The total for the year threat
ems TO be over a half million dollars.
| Last year it was $336,000. The school
budget is S247, 900, of which the city
will raise $4,000 as against Sl56,OOo
last year Nearly every department
cost more the past year than was eStl-
mated and the city ran behind.
The city hall, park and cemetery pur-
chases, Twenty-frst street bridge ana
other permanent requirements took a
lot of money not contemplated. The
finance committee will make report
and the annual battle to keep down
taxes will be staged
City Building Inspector John Pep
pard issued twenty-six building per-
mits during September, made lO2 in
and collected $l92.02 in fees
The Platts have been kicking for
wears over the paving flooding their
at the corner of York and
Ninth streets and the pavement will
be lowered to remedy the condition.
The annual library report on file
shows an increase in book borrowers
of over 10 per cent and book circula-
ton increase of over "a per cent. The
board testifies to the efficiency OF
Librarian Martha Pond and staff
1t was the last council meeting in the
old chamber. The desks will be moved
at once 1t is expected that all depart
ments will be in the new home by Nov.
Is. The third floor, where the new
council chamber is located, is ready
now.
The old chamber has seen much
mua cipal history in the making. Many
battles were fought in its walls. Some
statistician should figure out how many
times to the moon and back all the elo-
ouence there spilled in years gone by
would reach. The fibers of the wood
work reacted to sound so much that it
ought to be possible to make Stradiva-
rious fiddes from it. Change is the or
der of the universe and few if any,
will pause to sentimentalize over the
passing of the old chamber where for
mer Mayor Henry Stolze waged his six
years of warfare.
ASSESSMENT FIGURES