55 Called Meeting of City Council. Austin, March 18, 1880. Mayor De Gress presiding; Roll called. Present – Aldermen Gardner, Coombs, Crooker Nalle, Robertson, Reichman, Sheehan, Tobin and Rahrenberger Absent – Alderman Metz. Alderman Crooker moved a call of the council. Carried. Minutes of the regular meeting of March 8th 1880 were read and approved. On motion the call of the council was suspended The following communications from the city physician with accompanying resolutions from the board of health were read, received and ordered filed. Austin, Mar. 17, 1880. Hon Mayor & Board of Aldermen of City of Austin. Gentlemen: At a convention of the board of health upon this date, to consider the matter of emptying the contemplated sewer from the post office to the Colorado, and designate the point a full board being present, I was instructed to report the accompanying resolutions to your honor -able body as embodying their views in relation thereto. Very Respectfully [Illegible] L Bibb M. D. City Physician & Pres't B. of H. Resolved, First: That the board of health, from consideration of vital importance to the health and lives of the citizens of Austin, its general good order as well as from considerations for the health and lives of people living below the city and contiguous to the Colorado river, declines to indicate the point where the contemplated sewer from the post office to the Colorado River shall empty into said stream. Second: That in the opinion of the board, the cheapest, best, and only safe method of disposing of sewage matters presents itself in the "irrigating process" by which not only is the fluid portion of sewage deprived of those noxious and poisonous --- Page break --- 56 properties that render their introduction into streams of so much danger to those using water therefrom, but in addition, the fertilizing and solid particles are made available and useful. Third: That for the purpose of disposing of the subject submitted to them by the city council believing themselves, after mature deliberation, supported by advanced leaders in sanitary science the board most heartily commends and urges the adoption of the "irrigating process", as the safest and most reliable method for disposing of all sewage matters from the city. Alderman Nalle moved that petitions to build sewer be allowed to empty contents of sewer into the Colorado river at any point they might chose. Alderman Reichman moved to amend by inserting "at any point east of the center line of Congress Avenue." Accepted by Alderman Nalle and as amended, carried. Petitions of parties doing business on block No. 70 asking that alley be paved. Read and offered to street committee Petition of Monroe Miller foreman of Washington engine company No. 1 asking that a drying frame be built by the city to dry hose of said company. Granted. Resolution appropriating eighty dollars to erect a drying apparatus for the hose of Washington engine company No. 1. Read first, second and third times under a suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas:- Aldermen Boardman, Coombs, Cooker, Nalle Robertson, Reichman, Sheehan, Tobin and Wahrenberger. Nays:- None. Report from the city attorney stating that he had examined the title to the property sold the city by Mrs. Caroline Wahrenberger and found title to be good. Report adopted. The accompanying communication from a large number of our citizens was read, together with the following resolution offered by Alderman Nalle Austin, March 15. 1880 --- Page break --- 57 Hon. S. C. De Gress, Mayor of the city of Austin. Dear Sir.— We have learned with much pleasure that Genl. Grant has accepted the invitation warmly extended to him by the honorable mayor, as board of aldermen and citizens of Galveston to visit their city, and that preparations are being made to receive and welcome him in a manner due to him as a distinguished American citizen. We would respectfully suggest to yourself and the honorable city council that, as chiefs of our city, the initiative should be made to extend an invitation to him to visit the beautiful cap-ital of our great and growing state. We feel confident that the people of Austin and all Texas will gladly unite in the grand wel-come that has been extended him everywhere; a welcome warmly accorded by every nation, creed and profession. Resolved, by the City Council of the City of Austin: That Genl. U. S. Grant and the party accompanying him be invited to visit this city during their stay in Texas. Resolved, That the mayor be, and is here-by instructed to appoint a committee of three aldermen and seven citizens, to present this in-vitation to Gen. Grant and party, as provided herein, Adopted. Alderman Kalle that the Mayor be added to the committee. Carried. The Mayor appointed the following committee Aldermen Kalle, Crooker and Wahrenberger; citizens S. J. Davis, Thos. J. Purnell, J. P. Richardson, Kalle Sife, John W. Glenn, W. H. Holland and Wm. Bruggeshoff. Petition of P. A. Gerhard, to erect a five ton wagon or hay scale, on west side of Colorado street near the corner of North Avenue. Granted. A memorial from the following named citizens: Geo. Struve, V. O. Wied, B. Heidbrink, J. P. Schneider N. T. Pattison, J. P. Sprinkle, J. F. Cummings, A. Platt, Peter Smith and Chas. J. Payne was read, and on motion refered to a special committee. --- Page break --- 58 The mayor appointed the market house committee. The mayor stated that upon the recommendation of the city physician, he had granted L. W. Bradley city clerk, a leave of absence for three weeks. An ordinance granting authority to the Government of the United States (or residents of this city) to construct a sewer from the Morgan B. Hamilton building on Congress Avenue in block 83 to the Colorado river; read first time, and on motion, the rules were suspended, and the ordinance placed on its second reading by the following vote: Yeas: – Aldermen Boardman, Coombs, Crooker, Nalle Reichman, Sheehan & Wahrenberger. Nays: – Aldermen Robertson & Tobin. Ordinance read second time. Alderman Tobin offered an amendment that the contents of the sewer be emptied in the river on the second street east of Congress Avenue. Alderman Nalle moved to lay the amendment on the table, and that the yeas & nays be taken. Carried by the following vote: Yeas: – Aldermen Coombs, Nalle, Robertson, Reichman and Wahrenberger Nays: – Aldermen Boardman, Crooker, Sheehan & Tobin. Alderman Robertson moved to lay the ordinance on the table. Lost. Alderman Crooker moved to lay over further consider ation of the ordinance to next regular meeting. Carried. The chairman of the finance committee handed in the following report, together with the accompanying communication. Austin Tx. March 18, 1880. To the Honorable Mayor & Board of Aldermen; City of Austin: Under a resolution passed by your honorable body February 3, 1880, directing that a committee be appointed to ascertain if a more advantageous way could be obtained for lighting the street lamps of this city, we, the committee, report that we have corresponded with the authorities of the --- Page break --- 59 different cities of the Western & Eastern states to ascertain the kind of light and cost of same used by their respective cities for street lanterns, and we find that the light we have adopted and recommends for use in this city is in great use in a number of cities in the Western and Eastern states. We had before us propositions from two parties, one from the Case Lamp Manufacturing Company of Chicago, and one from S. Patterson, representing the Watkins Gas Attachment of Boston. We also directed the city clerk to notify the Austin Gaslight & Coal Company that we would be pleased to receive a proposition from them, as we were receiving propositions for that purpose, if possible, of reducing the expenses of lighting the streets. They replied to the clerk's notes that they could make no change in their present contract; and the clerk told us that the superinten-dent said to him his company would not reduce the price from its present contract. The Case Lamp Manufacturing Company made a proposition that would average about $28.50 per lamp per annum besides, we were not satisfied with the lamp. Mr S. Patterson, for the Watkins Gas Attachment, proposes to light 100 lamps and as many more as may be required by the city for $26.50 per annum for each lamp, and the city to be at no expense for putting on the attachment or keeping the lamps in repair. The present contract with the Gas Company for lighting the street lamps is $50. per annum per lamp for forty-four lamps and a reduction of one dollar per annum from each lamp for every five lamps that may be taken by the city until the number shall reach one hundred, and then the price per annum for each lamp shall be forty dollars ($40). We now have eighty-six gas lamps and at that rate are costing the city per annum for each lamp $45.50. Therefore by accepting Mr. Patterson's proposition the city saves $1,950 per annum on 100 lamps, to wit: for 100 lamps lighted by the gas company per annum $4,600, for 100 lamps lighted by the Watkins gas attachment $2,650 per annum; and the saving to the city upon 200 lamps per annum would be $3,900, and the latter number --- Page break --- 60 in our opinion will be in use at no distant day. The light we put on trial with the light furnished by the gas company, and we have no hesitancy in saying that in our opinion it is much the better light, and as far as we have heard op-inions expressed by those who saw it, we are fully endorsed in what we say as to its superior-ity over the light furnished by the Austin Gas Light & Coal Company., We therefore recommend that an ordinance be passed authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into a contract with Mr C. Patterson for lighting 100 street lamps with the Watkins gas attachment in place of those now lighted by the gas company, and as many others as may be required by the city, in accordance with his proposition. Very respectfully Joseph Nalle M. Crooker L. D. Boardman Committee Austin Tx March 17, 1880 Messrs. Nalle, Crooker & Boardman Finance Committee City Council, Present. Gentlemen- I learned yesterday, on emerging from my sick room, where I had been confined for three weeks, that it was contemplated by the city council to supercede the gas lamps, and substitute oil lamps in their stead. Two years ago I was instrumental in obtaining a contract from the city to erect gas lamps along all the mains in the city at certain stipulated prices, until the number of lamps amounted to 100, when the uniform cost per lamp should remain at $3.33. We have now, I believe, in operation eighty-seven lamps, and the fact can be demonstrated that the net profits arising from from the gas consumed by them for the two years has not amounted to $500, and, besides this, the gas com-pany has not expended less than $4000, in extending mains, erecting lamp-posts, etc. I understand that the opinion is held by some that this contract can be abrogated by the city at any time it thinks proper. --- Page break --- 61 I did not so understand it in drawing up the ordi-nance, but believe it would be coextensive with the charter, and have eighteen or twenty years to run. I may be mistaken, but it certainly would not be equi-table or just, after the expenditure of such vast sums of money, to abrogate the contract without notice or compensation, leaving on the companys hands the then worthless lamps, and improvements. I did not know until today that it- was intended to interfere with the gas lamps, but be-lieved the action contemplated only the oil lamps. I have not had an opportunity of seeing any number of the committee for the reason before stated and before action is had by the council affecting the gas company, I ask for time to show, which I believe I can do, that there is not a city this side of St Louis and New Orleans that is receiving gas cheaper than the city of Austin. I wish also for time to show, which I believe I can do, that nothing better than gas for lighting cities has, as yet, been invented. I wish also for time to show, which I believe I can do, that this furor in favor of lighting cities with oil or gasoline, because it is cheaper, is nothing new. I have heard of several cities that have abandoned the use of gas within the last year or two for gasoline that have abandoned the gasoline and gone back to the use of gas. Trusting you will give me an opportunity of being heard before your committee or the council before definite action is taken detrimental to the gas company, I remain yours truly John M. Swisher Sec. Austin Gas Light & Coal Company Read and received. Alderman Robertson moved to postpone further consid-eration until next regular meeting. Carried. A communication from August Tiedemann in relation to lighting etc, the oil lamps, was read and received. An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter a contract with August Tiedemann for lighting and --- Page break --- 62 keeping in repair the oil street lamps of the city. of Austin. Read first time. A motion to suspend the rules and put the or-dinance on its second readings, was lost by the following vote: Yeas. — Aldermen Coombs, Crooker, Robertson, Shee-han, Thin and Wahsenberger. Nays. — Aldermen Boardman and Natte. Alderman Coombs moved to lay over for further consideration until next meeting. Carried. On motion the council adjourned. DBennett April 3/80 Acting City Clerk.