Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1899 — The City Council. [ARTICLE]

The City Council.

John F. McColly, the newly appointed member from the third ward, succeeding Jos. Kight, resigned, appeared and took his seat as a member of the council. John W. Paxton and others petition for a system of street improvements. As petitioned for it contemplates a crushed rock pike on Cullen street, from Washington to Forest, and on Forest to Merrett street. East on Merrett street to Main, and also east on Vine street to Main. Also from Cullen street west on Clark to Milroy. All the improvement south of the railroad is to be 30 feet wide, and with a plank curb, and to cost not more than $1.50 per lineal foot, or 75 cents per foot of property frontage, on each side, exclusive of the grading. North of the railroad, the pike is to be 16 feet wide, without any curb, and the cost not to exceed 75 cents per lineal foot, exclusive of the grading. The matter was referred to the street committee. A crossing was authorized on Washington street, on the center of the block, about at Eger’s grocery store. The property owners to pay the cost, but the street committee to have supervision of the work. The new fire limits ordinance was passed. An ordinance restraning bicycle riding on cement walks was introduced and referred to committee on ordinances. A representatiAe of the Central Union Telephone company, which already has long distance telephone connections with all the cities in the country east of Omaha, and with every other city in Indiana as large as Rensselaer, asked for a franchise to run a long distance line to Rensselaer. He was received with coolness, and when the ordinance he presented was referred to the committee on ordinances, he was given to understand that that was the last he would ever see of that.

An ordinance introduced to regulate the granting of plumbers’ licenses, and to prescribe the qualifications necessary to secure a license. On motion, the resolution granting a 20 years extension of franchise to the Jasper Co. Telephone Company was reconsidered, An amendment was then proposed to reduce the term to ten years. Those votsng aye, were Meyer, Murray and Eger; those voting no were Spitler and McColly. Beam was absent. The two voting against the amendment were supposed to be opposed to extending the franchise at this time, at least without some provision for compensation to the city. The motion was then mado to adopt the resolution as amended, the vote, as before was Meyer, Murray and Eger for it, and Spitler and McColly against.