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This collection consists of records (1883-1915) filed with the City Clerk of the City of Helena, Montana. The largest segment of the records consist of monthly reports of city officials and committees. In addition there are correspondence, employee records, financial records, legal documents, specifications, subject files, etc. The strength of the collection is in documenting the development of the infastructure of Helena. (LG 1 A 51:1-1; LG 1 A OVERSIZE 33:5-5, 33:8-5; LG 1 B 57:2-5; LG 1 C 57:2-5)., Records of the Helena City Clerk consist primarily of records filed with the clerk, not records produced by the clerk., Incoming correspondence (1884-1918) is filed by year. Within each year the correspondence is separated into "communications" (complaints, information, informal requests, etc.) and "petitions" (formal requests for specific action). Topics include public works requests, complaints about nuisances, and a wide variety of other topics, Court papers (1881-1917) include affidavits, several cases in which the City of Helena was a party, and "John Doe" cases concerning stray animals. Employee records include civil service applications; payrolls for the Fire Department, Police Department, and Street Commissioner; and letters of resignation. Financial records include a financial report (1911) and inventories (1891, 1894) of equipment in city offices. Legal documents (1884-1913) consist primarily of bids and contracts for work on streets, sewers, sidewalks, and other public works. There are also opinions of the City Attorney, The largest series in this collection is Reports. Each city officer filed monthly reports on operations and finances with the city clerk. Included are reports of the Accountant (1907-1908), Auditorium Janitor (1910-1912), Board of Health (1884-1915), Building Inspector (1890-1914), City Assessor (1894), City Attorney (1888-1915), City Clerk (1888-1910), City Engineer (1887-1915), City Marshal (1888-1895), Examining and Trial Board of the Police Department (1912), Fire Marshal (1888-1914), Free Employment Agency (1912), Inspector of Milk, Food, etc. (1892-1894), Inspector of Weights and Measures (1890-1915), Library Board of Directors/Librarian (1888-1915), Light Inspector (1913), Mayor (1896-1914), Police Chief (1895-1914), Police Magistrate/Judge (1886-1912), Poundmaster (1906-1915), Street Commissioner (1887-1899), Superintendent of Garbage (1897-1899), Superintendent of Sewers/Sewer Inspector (1888-1914), Treasurer (1888-1899), and Water Department (1913). There are also reports for various city committees, including Affairs of City of Helena (1890), Auditing (1893-1898, 1910), Building Licenses (1898), Fire Department (1888, 1898, 1908), Judiciary (1886, 1898), Library (1898), Police (1898), Public Buildings (1898), Sewerage (1886, 1898), Special Committee on City Clerk's Records (1898), Street Grades (1898), Streets and Alleys (1898, 1910), Taxes and Licenses (1884, 1898), and Ways and Means (1898). There are also reports on specific topics, including the sewer system, the water system, and the removal of a police officer., Subject Files include the city water system, the sewer system, investigations of Police Judge Lincoln Working and the dismissal of four policemen (1910-1912), and street paving projects (1890-1897). Miscellany (1880s-1910s) consists primarily of specifications for public works projects.

Martin Maginnis (1841-1919) was a Democratic Montana Territorial Delegate to Congress from 1872 to 1882; a member of the 1889 Montana Constitutional Convention; and newspaper publisher. Papers (1864-1912) consist primarily of incoming correspondence concerning politics; and outgoing correspondence, court papers, legal documents, and a scrapbook. Incoming correspondence includes typescript copies., The papers consist primarily of incoming correspondence concerning politics, Indian agency administration, the military, and railroad development. In addition there is a small amount of outgoing correspondence, a scrapbook, speeches, and writings. Most of the letters have been transcribed, and the transcriptions are filed with the originals. (Manuscript Collection 50).