White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-03
MAYOR AND EX-MAYOR
CANNOT AGREE ON CITY AUDIT

There was a small attendance ut
the regular meeting of the city coun-
Gil Monday evening, but considerable
business was transacted. Officials
absent were Councilman Russell and
City Engineer Frank w. Millard.
The minutes of the preceding meet
ing were read by Clerk Fannie Cupid
and approved and n number of bills
which had been passed upon as to
their legality by City Attorney Lock
hart were approved and ordered paid.
H. w. Edwards addressed the
meeting relative to the Fourth of
July observance by the Stray Elks.
Mr.. Edwards said that the Elks, re-
GREETING there was to be no general
observance of the national holiday,
particularly SO far as the children are
concerned. had decide to do some
thing on their own account, having
5000 available for the purpose. The
Willow clubhouse and grounds will
be opened to the public and the chill
dren invited to come in the morning
and enjoy themselves. Ice cream and
lemonade will be served and there
will be a patriotic address. In tho
evening the fireworks will be under
the supervision of G. +. Boreman.
Mr.. Edwards further said that 500
was needed in addition to the sum
already available and asked that the
city council donate $50, the county
commissioners having already prom
Used a like amount.
The meeting was heartily in favor
OF the proposition as represented by
MIR. Edwards and on motion of Coun-
Gilman Purcell the donation of $50
was unanimously voted.
At this point the question of state
Industrial insurance for members of
the Ely volunteer fire department was
introduced, and in the discussion
which followed considerable informa-
ton was forthcoming on the subject
in general. a letter was read from
the Nevada Industrial commission
saying the cost of insurance is at the
rate of t~hirty-seyen and one-half
cents per man per month. The dis
c%ussion was relative to making the
city tire department ordinances con-
form to present fire department con-
ditions. and so regulating the pay
ment of the industrial insurance pre-
miums so that everything will con
form In a legal manner, with no dis
c~repancies hat might cause delay or
anu CudUtlIlk Tic
hre department and the city council
to coordinate in their respective
functions. Fire Chief r. F. Matthias
was present and took part in the dis
cussion.
1t appears that according to the
city ordinances the fire department
consists OF three companies of twen-
ty men each, including officers, and
the pay Is at the rate of 81 an hour
or ~ II called u When the auto
Ire truck was purchased the fire de-
~partn'ent made an arbitrary change
TO n company of thirty members. A
change was also made in rate of pay
Affecting the fire chief and his as
sistant, the change being an increase
to $5 per call and 81 an hour. These
changes appear to be a matter of rec
ord on the fire department books, but
ordinances ave not been made to
conform, and City Attorney Lockhart
said new ordinances should be draft
ed and adopted TO cover the situation.
In connection with the industrial
insurance the idea is that the city
council be kept fully informed as to
the lumber and personnel of the fire
department, that warrants for the
payment OF the insurance premiums
may be drawn accordingly. In dis
eussing the change in the ordinance
1t was suggested that it provide a lot
itude for membership. as. for exam
PIE, the hre department to consist of
not more than seyenty-fiye nor less
than twenty members. This would
admit OF increasing the membership
II city growth requires without the
necessity Of changing the ordinance.
which inVnlvnS Tina md
Chief Matthias said that at the pres-
ent time the department consists of
twenty-eight members. He also said
there Is a firemen's fund, a local in
stitution used for various RIO
and that during his time as chief this
fund had been drawn upon once for
injury to n fireman. the occasion be-
ing when Fireman Billy Lawrence re-
ceived two broken ribs while in per-
Torrance of duty.
The discussion chrystalized with
instructions to the city attorney to
draft a fire department ordinance
covering the needs of the existing sit
uation, and Ii was voted further that
an order be drawn for the payment
OF the state industrial insurance for
fire department members.
Mayor Gallagher introduced the
subject of an audit of the city ac-
counts. a matter deferred from the
preceding meeting. The mayor said
that he preferred employing a man
by the day to do the job, as he be-
lieved better work would be done.
He said 1t should be attended to o
as 1t would enable the city clerk to
make up her quarter,. report, which
will o o be due.
Ex-Mayor A.. B. Witcher took the
foor and after saying that the pres
ent administration had won their
campaign on a reform platform in
which the accounts and business
methods of the preceding mayor had
been criticised, he asked that an
audit be made of the six years GOV.
ering his (Witchcr's) administration,
and also the two years OF the time
when Mr.. Gallagher was a member
OF the city council.
At the time referred to by Mr..