Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1907 — NICHOLS’ CLAIM DISMISSED. [ARTICLE]

NICHOLS’ CLAIM DISMISSED.

City Attorney Holds It Is Illegal.— Other ProceedlnOs of City Dads. The regular meeting of the common council Monday night was attended by all members except Councilman Irwin of the Second Ward, who was iu Chicago on business. Nothing of importance was done at the meeting except to allow the regular batch of claims and dismiss the claim of $75 of S. R. Nichols for collecting special assessments for the city as county treasurer. The city attorney reported on the claim, that it was illegal, and the council dismissed it. [lt had been the custom here to allow the county treasurer extra pay for this work, and several hundred dollars have been paid out for the purpose in days gone by. Some two years ago, when a claim was filed for such services, the writer filed a written protest against its allowance and referred the council to supreme court decisions wherein it was held that a county treasurer was entitled to no extra pay for collecting such assessments and that a council had uo authority to pay for it. At the same time attention was called to the allowances previously made and the council was asked to take steps to recover it baok to the city treasury Tbe matter was referred to the city attorney who held that such payments were without any legal authority, and the claim in question was dismissed. But nothing was ever done to attempt to recover the money that had been paid out previous thereto, not even to a demand being made for its return, notwithstanding the city treasury was practically bankrupt and city orders were being protested. City councils, as well as individuals, should be just before they are generous with the people’s money, and the recovering back of this money illegally paid out, would have taken care of some of the city orders tbat Were being hawked about hunting buyers.] The members of the fire department who attended the blaze of the telegraph pole near the Babcock & Hopkins elevator recently, were allowed $1 each for their services at such fire.

The following claims were allowed: CORPORATION FUND. E. M, Thomas, salary as uightwatch., 125 00 W. S. Parks, tame, marshal 30 00 Chas. Morlan, same, clerk, August.... 25 00 John O’Connor. boarding prisoners.. 200 H. L. Gamble, city engineer 22 50 Guy Gerber, assisting same 140 C. A. Tuteur, same...., 6 75road fund. Mort Murray, work on street... 22 75 Johu Hordeman, work on sewer 2 00 John Albertson, work on street 5 25 O. S. Baker,same... 700 A 1 Fletcher, mowing ... 12 25 Chester Zea, labor with city team 2r> 00 WATER FUND. Ed Hopkins, salary to Aug. 15 30 00 Gould Co., water supplies 18 88 ELECTRIC LIGHT FUND. C. 8. Chamberlain, salary to Aug. 15.. 50 00 Mel Abbott, same ...; ' 30 00 Dave Haste, same 30 00 Standard Oil Co., oil H 04 Platt Iron Works Co., repairs pump ... 88 Shirley Hill Coal Co., coal J 32 0« Mose Leopold, freight 47 67

SPECIAL MEETING The council met in special session Tuesday evening to hear remonstrances and objections to the preliminary report of assessments for the construction of tbe Cnllen and Forest street sewer. After hearing objections the following changes were made in tbe assessment roll adopted Aug. 12. Harriet W, Ferguson, 7 Marilla J. Saylor. [ from $20.90 to $5.25 Terzah P. Vanatta. ) J.E.andß. E. Hopkins 11 21.30t0 5.61 Susie Moneghan “ 21.30 to 18.96 James Matheson “ 21.30 to 18.96 Charlotte L. Benjamin “ 21.30 to 18.96 William M. Hoover “ 45.44 to 40.45 Berry Paris estate Margaret D. Williams “• 28.40 to 32.86 Addison Parklsou “ 40.32 to 35.89 Wm, Donnelly •• 33.65 to 29.95 Frances J, A Mary Donnelly “ 18.18 to 16.18 Same, out lot 11 “ 51.97 to 46.26 Julia A. Enslen “ 51.97 to 46.26 S. P. and Alfred Thompson “ 22.00 to 46.28 It was also decided that the city of Rensselaer pay $53.20 as its part of said improvement.