The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-03-18
ellis of City
Affairs in
Recent Yeors

keCenC Ie0rS
Continued from Page y
city hall which were purchased for
space for mixing oil and gravel
should now be sold and gotten back
on the tax rolls. Mixing should be
done on the vacant lots back of
city warehouse.
City Hall
Fifteen years ago the only build
ing owned by the city was an UNI
painted shack which housed the fire
equipment, council chamber, and
small Jail Ut was not unusual to
hold a council meeting with few
tin cans on the table to catch the
drip from the leaky roof In 1884
the taxpayers voted bond issue in
the sum of $4,000. The city pro-
vided $4,000 additional in cash and
the government through PWA grant
furnished 100000. Total cost Sl6,-
600 90 Present book value SIS
05900. There remains unpaid 8
bonds of $4,000 each. The maturi-
ty date on the last bond is in the
year 1854
Suggestion. Reduction in the cost
of heating this building can and
should be made by changing the
| heating system so that the fire de
partment and Jail can be heated
separately from the balance of the
building
Fire Department
Substantial improvement has
been made in the fire department
equipment during this period. The
records disclose that the city owned
two Model-T Ford trucks for fire
trucks. Today's equipment Chev
truck and | International. Consid-
erably more hose, better firemen's
clothing are on hand. The depart
ment has separate meeting and
recreation room. In 1923 mill
levy was granted the department
for purchasing capital outlay items
and for maintenance and repairs.
This levy is made each year
Parks
Our park system was in its in
fancy IS years ago. At that time
our ball park consisted of the space
between the Great Northern depot
and the Kootenai river. Two blocks
of Lincoln Blvd had been inn
proved In 1928 through the efforts
of Mr.. Dexter, the then chairman
of the Park Committee, the city re-
ceived donation from Mr. ] Neils
of $1,000. School District No. do
mated $500 The city then purchased
blocks and II \of the Original
| ToWnsite of Libby for park pur-
poses, and this is now an excellent
ball park, with good grandstands,
swimming pool fully equipped,
lawns, etc. Maintenance and OPP
Grating cost for the ball park and
swimming pool is rather heavy,
with only very small income from
these the city must pay all the bal
ance of the costs out of park funds.
T Three additional blocks of Lincoln
Blvd. have been improved, SO that
now, with the exception of block,
very excellent parking strip ex-
tends across our city. One of the
finest lawns in the City with flower
beds and shrubbery is maintained
/ in connection with the City hall
building. A few years ago through
{ the kind cooperation Of Supt l. E.
Manion of Whitefish, the City Sc
/ cured the right to maintain park
: between the depot and First Street
: Our genial caretaker, Mr.. Dalton
has done a wonderful job each year
/ in making this park thing OF
: beauty. The present worth of our
entire park system is estimated tc
s exceed 100000.
Suggestion. The City owns q tri-
! angular plot at the corner of 9tt
St. and Michigan Ave. lat the lef
/, of the main highway when head
v ing south from the Leslie Leigh
! home). Also triangular plot at thu
a corner of 10th ST. and Montan;
q Ave (across from ST. Johns Luth
d eran church,. These small plot
should be leveled and seeded ii
lawn, and small amount of Low
= shrubs.
Il The approach to the overpass ant
= bridge should be handicapped in ac
;. cordance with plans prepared TO
Il this and which plans are in tn
U hands of the city. This should b
= done rather than to permit TIL
6 slopes to grow up with weeds
c. Health
| have dealt in material wa
p with all of the preceding subject.
es but the subject of health cannc
I'd be measured in dollars and cent
OF The work of the Health Depart
ad ment has saved the citizens of Liz
or by many thousands of dollar
We through eliminating conditions thu
cause sickness
u For many years prior to 1890 III
er residents of the city experience
r. epidemics of various diseases. an
is schools We're often closed on tn;
er account. Typhoid cases blackcne
the pages Of our history for mar
n years. In 1929, after several NEE
ie- ings with representatives of IL
State Board Of Health and at Il
suggestion of that board, a mi
pasteurization ordinance was q
acted. Conjunctively other ste
were taken by the City council t