The City Council's Permissive Grift

Complaints have been frequent of late that little or no attention is being paid to the provisions of the ordinance establishing fire limits and prescribing the limits in which wooden buildings shall not be built. These limits extend from the waterfront, up Washington Street and other streets, to University Street, east on University Street to the alley west of Third Street, thence south to Mill Street, thence east to the alley west of Fifth Street, thence south on Fifth to Washington.

Among the complaints were the following: W.H. Cowie, in violation of the fire limits ordinance, has raised a wooden building on Second Street and built two stories under it. J.W. Hunt, on the same street, has put in a small wooden store next to his shop, using part of the old blacksmith shop in the construction of the building. Geo. H. Kittinger has raised his building on Washington Street and is putting a basement under it, to use as a restaurant.

The above are a few of the complaints which have been made. And in order to place the blame, if blame there be, for these violations of the ordinance, a reporter was detailed to see Mr. Josiah Collins, Jr., and learn from him the facts. Mr. Collins said: 'In all cases where persons have applied to me for permission to raise, improve, or construct wooden buildings within the fire limits, I have uniformly refused, telling them that the city council was the only body with power to grant such permits. In the case of Mr. Hunt, of which you speak, I went and had a warrant sworn out for his arrest for violation of the ordinance, but he applied to the council for a permit, got it, and that let me out. I also swore out a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Cowie, but he, too, got a permit from the council and I was powerless to act. In the case of Kittinger, I went to the city attorney to get a warrant; the attorney asked me to wait until he could consult the mayor. I waited, and the attorney informed me that the fire and water committee of the council had been seen, and had consented to grant Mr. Kittinger a permit to construct his basement, and so it goes. Just as long as the council makes laws and then grants permits for people to break them, just as long will the officers be powerless to compel their enforcement. For my part, I believe in repealing every ordinance that the city is unable to enforce, so that all may be treated justly alike.'