City of Seattle Records

SEATTLE, WASH., MARCH, 6, 1896.

TO THE HON. T.M. DAULTON, A.ANDERSON, J.F.BREWER, H.R.CLISE, H.F. COMPTON, J.E.JORDAN, M.W.LOVEJOY, J.P.SWEENEY, LEANDER MILLER, and J.E.CRICHTON, Wm. CHAPMAN, GLEESON, FRANK W. GOODHUE, F.H.HURD, JA[?] A. JAMES, A. KISTLER, FRANK N. LITTLE, Wm VOIGT, Mem bers of the Board of Aldermen and the House of Delegates.

GENTLEMEN: You and each of you will please take notice, that section V111, of Article XV111, of the Charter of the City of Seattle, adopted October, 1890, requires that you shall meet in Joint Convention at 7 o'clock P.M., today, March 6, 1896, for the purpose of canvassing the re-turns and declaring the result of the Municipal Election held March, 3, 1896.

Respectfully Yours, RF Stewart CITY CLERK

A. C. Perry I. A. Bailey J Larsen S. L. Hamilton J. L. Kline Erick Krisch L. A. Rosteui Chas. H. Stoltz A Stein J Redelsheim J K Basyr W E Sangdom C Reichards C D Beebe Jas Sheehan

Albert Milbrandt A. H. Maiynard W. Stewart Scott W. B. Maynard R. A. Chisholm C W Parker J. C. Grasse Ed L Serry F I. Grey Frank W. Goodhue J K Edmeston P. A. Purdy F W Clayton J Adler A. Lurie

991778

Mr. President:

Your Committee on Police License and Revenue to whom was referred petition requesting the passage of an Ordinance licensing amusements to be carried on and conducted in places where liquors are sold or disposed of beg to report in favor of such an ordinance which would keep the places so to be regulated under proper control and restrained said petition bearing the signatures of the majority of the best business men of our city.

Majority Report

Frank W. Goodhue Chairman

_________________________ _________________________ Committee

Date Adopted __________ 189 _______

J E Crichton president G K Coryell Deputy Clerk and Clerk of the House Standing Committees Judiciary, Legislation and Railroads Voigt, Hurd, James Finance James,Voigt, Little City Lights Kistler, Hurd, Chapman Streets Little, James, Gleeson Harbor and Wharves Goodhue, Kistler, Hurd Police License and Revenue Goodhue, Hurd, James Fire and Water Hurd, Kistler, Little Library and Printing Chapman, Goodhue, Kistler Claims James, Little, Goodhue Sewers and Drainage Gleeson, Goodhue, Little Health and Sanitation Chapman, Voigt, Gleeson Public Buildings and Grounds Little, Gleeson, James Elections and Boundaries Chapman, Voigt, Kistler Engrossed Bills Voigt, Kistler, Chapman Rules and Order of Business [Crichton]], James, Goodhue Labor Gleeson, Chapman, Goodhue Seattle Wash 189 Mr Claude Troop Mr Frank Goodhue

Chambers of the House of Delegates 4

Seattle, Wash. ____________________ 189 ________

its taxpayers would best be served by maintaining the present licenses and report adversely on the petition and accompanying bills.

We make reference to and incorporate with our report, as a past thereof, the opinions of the Corporation Counsel and City Comptroller hereto attached.

Respectfully Submitted Frank W. Goodhue, Chairman

F. H. Hurd J. A. James

WILLIAM H. SCOTT, Corporate Counsel

FRANK A. STEELE Assistant Corporation Counsel

MELVIN G. WINSTOCK City Attorney

The City of Seattle LAW DEPARTMENT Seattle, Washington Nov. 1, 1894.

Hon. Frank W. Goodhue, Chairman, Committee on Police, License and Revenue, House of Delegates.

Dear sir:--

House of Delegates Bill No. 146, being entitled "An ordinance fixing the license fee for the sale of wholesale and retail of intoxicating liquors for the period of one year from the day of publication hereof," has been refered to me for an opinion as to its legality.

In my judgment it is a bad kind of legislation to provide for the fixing of license fees for any specified time, and might possibly lead to litigation which would be injurious to the rights of the city in collecting the revenue from such sources. This bill does not pretend to amend any portion of the present license law for the sale of liquors, but is an independent ordinance covering the whole subject matter, and by the third section of the same it provides for the repeal of all ordinances in conflict therewith. This provision might be construed by the court as an absolute repeal of the license law as it now exists, and if this ordinance should pass with the provision that its operation should cease at the expiration of one year, then there would be no law upon the subject.

I would not advise the passage of any ordinance of general nature so as to attempt to control subsequent legislation upon the subject; and while I do not say this ordinance should be construed in that way there is a doubt in my mind whether it would not be so construed.

This ordinance does not provide any penalty for violation of any of its provisions, and therefore is not complete, so that a failure to comply with its provisions could be punished.

Yours truly, W. J. Scott, Corporation Counsel