Drawing the Lines of a New City

A called meeting of the city council of Spokane Falls was held Monday evening, Sept. 17, 1883. Present: Mayor Glover and Councilmen Cannon, Gray, Burch, Grimmer, Meulxer and Friedenreich. On motion Mr. Cannon was chosen chairman.

The mayor stated that the meeting had been called to act on a number of questions submitted to the board by Col. Bradshaw, who was engaged upon a new charter for the city. The first question was the extent of the boundary lines. The mayor and several members thought the lines should be extended to embrace several additions laid out that summer. The old boundary description was read and proved entirely wrong. J. J. Browne, being present, was requested to draw a boundary to include the territory mentioned. He did so, and on motion the following boundary was adopted: commencing at the northeast corner of section 18, township 25, running west 11 miles, thence south 11 miles, thence east 2 miles, thence north 11 miles, thence west 1 mile.

Second, how many members in the Board of Education? Mr. Brown, a member of the present board, said it would be injudicious to change existing school regulations, and on the strength of his statement the question was removed from the charter entirely.

Fourth, how shall the clerk, marshal, treasurer and attorney be elected—by the people or by the council? The mayor gave reasons why he thought it wiser for officials to be elected by the council, but several members differed. A long and rambling discussion ensued. Dr. Burch moved that the attorney, marshal and treasurer be elected by the people and the clerk by the board. Carried.

Fifth, how long shall officials hold office? It was moved and carried that the city be divided into four wards, the division lines being made by Howard Street and Riverside Avenue, and that two aldermen be elected from each ward, one for one year and one for two years. It was moved and carried that the mayor, marshal, treasurer and attorney be elected to serve one year. On motion it was decided that compensation of officials shall be fixed by ordinance.

A lengthy discussion followed a suggestion that the charter should be submitted to a committee of attorneys to examine it so that there could be no errors in the document. Dr. Burch moved that the mayor appoint a committee, with Bradshaw, to present the charter to the council and discuss it. Carried. Mr. Grimmer mentioned the importance of making some provision for examining chimneys in the city, to guard as far as possible against fires. On account of the lateness of the hour the matter was postponed until the next meeting. On motion the board adjourned.