Council Procceedings

Council met Monday evening, Ktid tbe hond of Eugene E. Beul as city treasurer ra hn Bum ur ioo,ooo, lui the roilowlng sureties was prawnted : Junius E. Beal, A, DeForest, Moses Seabolt, George Hallur, J. T. Jacobs, John Koch, Chas. H. Worden, L. Gruner, Chas. E. Iliscock, A. L. Noble, A. J. Sawyer, Ambrose Keaniey, J. F. Lnwrence, Edward DuÖy. Owing to the briHging up of a law inssed in 1885 requiring juítiñeation on official bonds - a law that liad never before been brought to theattention of the council - the bond was referred back for such justification. Thereupon the jiistilication of Junius E. Beal (that lie was pecuniurily responsible over and above all liabilities) for the full amount of tlie bond was presented, but the city nttorney held that such a Justitlcation was not a legal one and that each signer upon the bond must justify in somo amount, the aggregate of which sliould equal the amount for which the bond was given, and that there was no encumbrances upon liis property. No matter how good a bond mlght be the letter of the law not the Inteut must be complied with. Eugene E. Beal tlien stated that he would justify then and there for the full amount of his property, upon which there was noeucumbrances, if that would help matters. This the city attorney also held not goad; after which Mr. Beal told the council that he did not feel like asking the men who liad so kindly fiivored him by signing his bond to take the oath which the city attorney held to be nbsolutely necessary, and stated that whilc he thanked the council for their compliment to and falth in Mot, he would respectfully witlulraw, and they could select a new uoan as treasurer. This declination the council did not accept, preferring to wait and see if the matter could not be 8atisfactorily arrangod, We understand thut the bond given by the county treasurer to the county contains 25 names, only 13 of whom justilled. If such is a fact (and It is a fact) then that bond is either wortlilessor the ruling of the city attorney is worthless. Then, agnin, whon a man justifies according to the letter of the law, tilthoiigh he may be wortli a millioii dollars, if he has given a note or a mortgage for any araount, however small, or lias signed upon any other bond, that constitutes an encumbrance upon his property, ai'd he cannot justify for a cent. It the strict letter of the law is held to there will be found but few active business men, however much property ihey may be possessedof, who can give n bond wlth the proper justifleation, for there are but few men of meansin the city but what naturally would have some sort of au obllgfttion outstanding,and no matter how much they may be worth, that constitutes an encumbrance upon their property, and UmjtJmb not swear that their property is unencumbered without swearing to a falsehood. That is the letter of the law; the intent is well enougli, and Mr. Beal was ready and willing to comply witli it, and give a bond that no man in the city would for a moment question the responsihility of. Of course it is unfair to require the letter of one man, and the intent of anotlier, so when the new bonds oí a new man re presented to the council, it may be amusing to see whether the present ruling of the city attorney is a just one, or merely for the occanlon. The same law was In force at the time Mr. Sorg's bonds were accepted, and the same city attorney recommended thelr acceptance without any justilication. Aid. WillPS offiprod ft rooolution author zing the Anti Arbor Savings Bank to charge up interest on daily balances for all over-dratts, at the same rate that the bank liad contracted to give, viz. 5 2C-lOOths per cent., to be deducted from whatever money may be due the city for interest. Which was carried. Aid. Swift offered resolutions directng the Mayor and Recorder to execute a deed to Peter Carey of so mucli of the O'Neil property as ia íecured to him by the contract with the city, and also autliorizing the Recorder to draw a warrant for ffiOO in Carey's fayor when he shall have executed a deed to the city of the property formerly owned by him. Botta of which were carried. Aid. Ilerz offered a resolution notifying A. J. Sawyer as agent of the opera house that the city ordinances requlres a stone walk 13 feet widtí on that portion of Main street on wliich the opera house is located, and nsking him to conform to said requiiementg. Wliich was adopted. A petitionof Almend'mgr& Schnelder to pi ice a wagon scale on First st. was granted.