The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-03-10
THOMPSON POINTS
OUT "ERRORS" IN
FRAMED DOCUMENT
Refuses to Adopt it as Off
cial Because of Misrepre.
sentatiOn of Actual Facts
LARSON NEVER READ 1T
French Admits He Saw 1t
For First Time at Meeting
of A. c. Directors
LARSON NEVER READ 1T

Last nights session of the city
commission moved along smoothly
and serenely approving bills, grant
ing franchise and receiving petit
tions for street light and an alley
opening, until President Lenhart sub
mitted his report to the Association
Of Commerce, when the water de-
partment geyser broke loose in a
shortlived but resplendent display.
1t sizzled and gurgled, shot up and
subsided only to break out again
quite vigorously. President Len
hart and Commissioner Thompson
were the main actors, though Com
missioners French and Larson broke
through their suppressed excitement
long enough to inject gurgle or
two.
After City Auditor Atkinson took
the report from his pile of papers,
President Lenhart directed him to
read the statement from beginning
to end. Commissioner French later
stated that this same report took
two hours to read at the Association
of Commerce meeting last week and
required relay of three men to do
the job. So Auditor Atkinson began
at the beginning and droned through
nearly four pages Of the forty-three
which 60 to make up the statement
plus numerous exhibits, when he
was interrupted in the reading of the
nineteenth of the twenty-three pre-
liminary points. by Commissioner
Thompson.
Raises Issue
The commissioner claimed that the
statement did not give all the facts,
and besides he wanted copy Of the
report so that he could examine it
carefully before the commission act
ed upon it. He accordingly moved
that each commissioner be supplied
with full and complete copy of the
document before any further pro-
ceedings were taken in. the premises.
This was too much for President
Lenhart, who grew red in the face.
glowered at Thompson and shouted:
"All you want is propaganda and
propaganda. l know what you want"
alright, call it what you want to-"
countered Thompson, you're going
to get your share of propaganda too.
Now, all want is a statement Of all
the facts no matter what they are
nor whom it hits. That is what the
Acc nf 4
that is what it will get from me, if
this commission is going to make a
report of any kind on the water de-
partment. l claim that statement
does not give all the facts. Besides.
l thought the commission was sup
posed to make the report and not
some member of it."
Takes the Responsibility
President Lenharr contended that
the report was to be made by him as
President and not by the city COM
mission as body. Commissioner
Thompson took issue with him on
that point and said.
Don't you remember that when We
got this letter from the Association.
City Auditor Atkinson asked if he
should make the report and trans
NIT it to the Association and you in
structed him to make it to the Com
mission"
Commissioners French and Larson
then came to President Lenhart's aid
and disagreed with Commissioner
Thompson, which resulted in an ap-
peal to the official proceedings. This
reads as follows:
"City auditor was instructed to
prepare for the President of the
Board statement covering the in
formation asked for"
The words, "for the President of
the Board" are interlined as . cor
rection. Commissioner Thompson
still was obdurate that the city COM
mission was asked by the Associa-
tion Of Commerce to make the re-
port and not it's president, and this
brought request for the original
communication of the commercial or
ganization.
Not In Files
Auditor Atkinson stated that it
was not in his files but in the pos
session of city attorney Young.
Commissioner Thompson then re-
newed his motion for copy Of the
statement for each commissioner 50
that each might learn what il COM
tanned. President Lenhart wanted to
know what was wrong with the re-
port, whereupon Commissioner
Thompson said the very last para
graph read 10 not correct because IL
claims that the large supply " east
iron pipe was ordered befors the city
commission ordered the stoppagS of
further construction Of water nains.
The other commissiq dtaakseed.
tCsktsxSst a -