People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1896 — Municipality Organized. [ARTICLE]

Municipality Organized.

The last session of the town board met at the city hall Monday evening and after the form-ality-of approving the ereden tials of the new officials the new officals took charge of the newly organized city, J. M. Wasson, who presided, at this last meet ing made a few remarks nicely modulated to the occasion and gracefully asked Mayor McCov to take the chair. The many present were somewhat disappointed in not hearing an inaugural address by the executive of the City of Rensselaer. On drawing lots', as the law prescribes, the long and short terms for the councilmen were determined. Messrs. Alter Spitler and Right being the unfortunates who drew the four year terms. The SSOOO bond of Thomas McGowan, marshal, bears the names of Wallace Robinson, Geo. E. Marshall. M. F. ChilcoteRobert Randle and M. L. Spitler. The council is to meet the second and fourth Monday nights in each month. J. W. Childers was hired at s‘2o to act as night watch. A docket and statutes were ordered purchased for the mayor's use as police magistrate. There was considerable unfinished business. The new marshal's attention was called to a healthy patch of Canada thistles within the municipality and he was directed to look after their harvest at once. It was stated that there was S7OOO in the hands of the treasurer last month. The treasurer’s bond was fixed at S2O, 000, the statute requiring that it shall be at leust twice the amount taxes to be collected as shown by the tax duplicate. Mr. Starr was not present and his bond will not be acted upon until the next meeting. The mayor's bond was fixed at s.'looo. the lowest allowable under the statute, and as he had anticipated the action of the board and provided one, it was placed on tile and will be submitted to the comity clerk for his approval. The sureties on this bond are Tlie clerk's bond sos SSOO was accepted as presented the securities being J. F. Irwin and J. F. Warren* A goodly number of citizens attended the meeting to witness the installation of the new offleiuls, probably fifty seats being occupied. Without disparagement to any member of the council, the prediction is ventqjed that Alderman Spitler will make his personality felt, during his whole term of office. He is well up in parliamentary pract ice, has a clear understanding of tinlaw. and a tine sense of the fitness of things generally. A conspicuous feature of the first ses sion of the city council was the evident lack of preparation made by the several members. Few seemed to have a very comprehensive understanding of the work to be done and the way to go about it. Sessions of the city council should be conducted with such decorum and correct parliamentary usage as to give the proceedings the dignity pertaining to so august a body of law makers. If effort is made to always have the deliberations carried on with precision and order, the meeting will prove a valuable object lessons to all who attend. The next meeting will decide on the acceptance of Mr. Bostwick's proposition to be made city engineer, He proposed to work for the city at the rate of $3.00 per day for actual time employed, and to make no charge for lefes than a fourth of a day. Mr. Bostwick has an equipment of instrument costing SSOO or more and is a competent man. The suggestion that the members of the council and mayor serve without compensation was received with favor, but as the law allows a month in which to fix salaries, no discussion of the sub ject was made. The fire department will be instructed to recommend a chief and two assistants, who are to be appointed by the council, and who will be clothed with police powers. One of the first things the council should do is to adopt Roberts rules of order. An t.rdiance should be passed at once to prevent fast bicycle riding on the streets, and require that wheels be provided with lamps after dark. Fast driving of horses should also be prohibited.

The Sunday schools of Milroy township will hold a township contest and basket dinner on Sunday. May 17th, 1896, in a "rove on the farm of G. W. Foulks, near Banner school house, two mjles south of McCoysburg and one mile east. The contest will be for a banner. Good essays, recitations and declamations have been prepared by each school. The county Surday school ofticers'have been invited. Each has been given a subject as well as Revs. Farmer Huston and Foulks. Everybody invited. Bring your basket. G. W. Foulks. Sec.