Newport's $300 City Hall Was a Secondhand Newspaper Office
The council accepted the Idaho Washington Northern's offer of the old Miner building, then appointed a committee to move it to Washington Avenue for use as fire apparatus storage, council chambers and police court.
The city council met in the council chamber Tuesday evening. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Vawter, all of the members being present except Councilman Reid.
The clerk read the minutes of the last regular meeting, which were approved. A petition from residents on the south side asking for street lights was presented and read and referred to the street committee.
The resignation of E. E. Reid as councilman was next presented and read and accepted. Mr. Reid has served on the council for several years and has worked for the best interests of the city. His resignation came as a surprise to many and was reluctantly accepted.
The finance committee reported favorably on the quarterly reports of the city treasurer and clerk, and same were approved by the council.
The application of W. S. Anderson and others for a telephone and telegraph franchise was, by request of the petitioners, held over to the next regular meeting.
The following bills and demands were allowed: Newport Water Co., $24.00; Rogers-Tillmadge, rent, $5.00; Northern Electric Co., lights for October, $52.50; Alva S. Sherlock, city attorney, two months, $20.00; W. Kirklin, special police, $2.00; A. H. Bromley, special police, $2.00; W. F. Millard, screen for jail windows, $2.00.
The matter of purchasing a suitable building to be used as a city hall was next discussed. The Idaho Washington Northern Railroad having recently purchased the property on which the old Miner building stands, offered the building to the city council for $300. The city fathers, having considered the price reasonable and the building suitable, voted to accept the offer of the railroad company. The mayor appointed Councilmen Rowell, Bennett and Eckerson a committee to receive bids for moving the Miner building from its present site to the city lots on Washington Avenue. It is the purpose of the council to use part of the building for the hose cart and other fire apparatus. The building will also serve as a council room, polling place and police court.
Judge Lusher and other residents of North Washington Avenue appeared before the council asking that the assessment for the Washington Avenue grade be reduced, contending that they are entitled to partial relief therefrom. The matter will come up for further consideration at the next meeting.
The council adjourned to meet Friday evening, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m.
“The city fathers having considered the price reasonable and the building suitable, voted to accept the offer of the railroad company.”
Newport's city government once fit inside a moved newspaper office bought for $300—a reminder that civic infrastructure is often assembled from what's available. The same meeting saw a councilman resign and homeowners ask for relief from a street assessment, the kind of local government business that still fills council agendas.
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