285 Called Meeting of City Council June 26, 1877 Council called to order at 6.30 P.M. Mayor DeGress in the chair Roll called and the following members answered. Aldermen Cook, James, Sarmour, Robinson Maas, Taylor, Ward, and Withers Absent Aldermen Bremond and Daffenbaugh Quorum present The Journal of the last meeting (June 21st) was read and approved Petition of M J Cavanaugh, B B Watkins, R Ho Willinborg and others stating that the building near the Corner of Walnut and Brazos streets was used as an arsenal, which had for many months been stored with powder and fixed ammunition to the great danger of the lives of the people in the Neighborhood, and asking that it be abated On motion of Alderman Withers the petition was received Alderman Maas moved that the petition be referred to the City Marshal with instructions to give the parties controlling the arsenal building Ten days notice to remove all powder and other ammunition from said building. Carried Petition of John A Watt and Brother for authority to erect a certain kind of building on Pecan Street Alderman James withdrew the petition Reports The city atty to whom was referred the Bill of Costs from County Court in case of John Dougherty vs City of Austin, returned the same with the following endorsement I am of the opinion that the within claim is just and that it should be paid by the City, to the end that the sureties on the Certiorari Bond be released from responsibility Geo T Prendelin act City Attorney June 26th 1871 Alderman Robinson moved that the --- Page break --- 286 report of the City Attorney be received and adopted and that the Bill of Costs be paid. Carried The City Engineer submitted the following Austin June 26th 1877 To the Hon Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin Gentlemen In obedience to instructions from his honor the Mayor I have given attention to the following matters complained of by Citizens The Central Railroad has a Stone Culvert near the Round House and a wooden one near the Freight Depot. Through which a very considerable amount of water passes and contributes a large share in forming a pond extending from Mason Town to Waller Creek, inundating at times not only the property of that company, but also that of Citizens, and inflicting great damage upon the businesses and health of all that portion of the 10th Ward I submit the most practicable remedy for this would be to close the Stone Culvert, conduct the water west along the North side of the track, to the wooden culvert, thence through that, south to the lowest part of the ground, thence west to waller creek. This much of the work at least should be done by the Railroad Company, as it effects the street occupied by their road, and the natural drainage as indicated by the lay of the ground lies through their own premises most of the distance, the City could then easily connect with this outlet from Masontown, thus completing the drainage so necessary in that quarter I have also to report that it is the practice of the Central Railroad Company to run their passenger cars to within one Block of Congress Avenue and wash out their water closets leaving the filth upon the street. I find that in the gutters of Congress Avenue there are deposits of sand and mud at some points after every rain This may be accounted for as follows Uniform grades were once adopted from Mesquit to Hickory Street, from Hickory to Pine Street, and from Pine nearly to Water Street, and had these grades been maintained in the construction of Side --- Page break --- 287 walks and gutters there would have been no difficulty in regard to drainage. But because the grade line of the pavement would necessarily have passed a little above some of the door sills, the owners of buildings thus affected remonstrated against it, and I was instructed by the Mayor to arrange the grade for each Block so as not to interfere with any of the door sills. This compelled a break in the grade at certain points, checking the flow of water in the gutters and hence the deposits, while there can now be no complete remedy for this except by a return to the original grade. The evil may be corrected in a great measure by laying a course of broad flagging in the gutters so that the inner or lower edge shall rest against the curbing, and the outer edge be raised so as to correspond with the shape of the street, this would have the effect of throwing the water and washings upon a smooth surface causing the whole to pass off more rapidly, and could be more easily kept clean. The same plan would apply as well to Pecan Street. The present cobble stone paving in the gutters would answer except that portion next to the curbing which would have to be removed to give place to the flagging. There are points in the side walks as well as in the gutters of Pecan Street that have never been paved at all, and consequently offensive matter is continually accumulating, much to the annoyance of the public and the detriment of trade. I have to report the wooden bridge across Waller Creek on Cedar Street as being in a dangerous condition. Also the small stone bridge on east Pecan Street. The one at the intersection of Mulberry and [illegible] Street remains in an unfinished state, requiring only a covering of plank to render it serviceable. Many of the streets are in bad condition and need working on. Very Respectfully Your obt Servant W D Anderson City Engineer On Motion of Alderman Taylor the report of the City Engineer was received and referred to the Street Committee The Chairman of the Fire Committee stated that in compliance with a resolution passed at the last meeting of Council the Fire Committee had met with the Officers of the Fire Dept and had been informed by --- Page break --- 288 them that the Fire Dept could not join in any parade but would be willing to participate in a picnic if invited On Motion the report was received The Committee on Streets submitted the following report Austin Texas June 26th 1877 To the Hon Mayor and City Council Your Committee to whom was referred the petitions of Island Roberts Have the honor to make the following report. That the Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the said Island Roberts for 75 feet of the River front for the term of 25 years. By paying the sum of $25.00 in U.S. currency quarterly rental in advance for each and every quarter as it may become due and payable and that the said Island Roberts shall within the next thirty days begin their work on the same J H Robinson M A Taylor S A James Alderman Cook Moved that the report of the Street Committee be received and adopted, and that the Mayor be authorized and instructed to lease the ground of [illegible] for, for Tannery purposes in accordance with the terms recommended by the Committee. Carried By Alderman Whitten. Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin. That the Mayor of the City of Austin be and he is hereby authorized and directed to appoint an additional police Officer whose duties shall be to act as Market Master and Health [illegible], and whose salary shall be Fifty dollars per Month. Resolved further that the said Officer shall enter into bond with good sureties payable to the City of Austin for the faithful discharge of his duties in the sum of one thousand dollars conditional that he will faithfully discharge his du- ties in accordance with the ordinances of the City now in force or that may hereafter be enacted Alderman James Moved that the Reso- lutions be adopted The Yeas and Nays ordered and the --- Page break --- 289 Resolution was adopted by the following vote Yeas Aldermen James, Maas, Ward and Witlins Nays Alderman Cook, Larmour, Robinson and Taylor. The Vote being a tie the Mayor cast his vote in the affirmative Alderman Taylor moved that a special Committee of three be appointed to prepare an ordinance defining the duties of the Market Master and Health officer and present the same at next meeting of council The Yeas and Nays ordered and the motion carried by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook, Larmour, Robinson, Taylor and Ward Nays Alderman James, Maas and Witlins The Mayor appointed Alderman Taylor Maas and Witlins on the committee On motion of Alderman Taylor the Mayor was added to the committee 109 By Ordinance Committee, An ordinance appropriating the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars to C D Anderson, City Engineer for back Salary for nine Months from the first day of October 1876 [illegible] the first day of July 1877 The Ordinance was read and passed to its second reading Alderman Witlins moved to suspend the rules and put the ordinance on its second reading The Yeas and Nays ordered and the motion to suspend the rules carried by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook James, Larmour, Robinson, Maas Taylor, Ward and Witlins, Nays None The Ordinance was read the second time and passed to its third reading Alderman Robinson moved to further suspend the rules and put the ordinance on its third reading The Yeas and Nays ordered and the motion to further suspend the rules, passed by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook James, Larmour, Robinson, Maas, Taylor, Ward and Witlins Nays, None The Ordinance was read the third time --- Page break --- 290 Alderman Robinson moved that the Ordinance do pass The Yeas and Nays Ordered and the Ordnance passed by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook. James. Larmour Robinson, Maas, Taylor, Ward and Withers Nays None By Ordinance Committee, An [illegible] Committee 110 An Ordinance Fixing the Salary of the City Engineer The Ordinance was read and passed to its second reading Alderman Robinson moved to suspend the rules and put the ordinance on its second reading. The Yeas and Nays ordered and the motion to suspend the rules carried by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook James. Larmour, Robinson Maas, Taylor, Ward and Withers Nays None The Ordinance was read the second time and passed to its third reading Alderman Cook moved to further suspend the rules and put the ordinance on its third reading The Yeas and Nays ordered and the Motion to further suspend the rules carried by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook James Larmour, Robinson Maas, Taylor, Ward and Withers Nays None The Ordinance was read the third time Alderman Cook moved that the ordinance do pass The Yeas and Nays ordered and the Ordinance passed by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Cook, James Larmour, Robinson, Maas, Taylor, Ward and Withers Nays None By Alderman Maas, Resolved that the City Marshal be instructed to request the Agent of the T. Central R.R. Co. to have such improvement made as recommended by the City Engineer in his report Carried On motion the Council adjourned Amended and Approved John H. Herbert July 1. 1871 City Clerk