441 Regular Meeting of the City Council Austin Texas January 21, 1884 Alderman Brush moved that as the mayor and President of the City Council were absent from the City that the Council come to order and proceed to business Motion adopted Alderman Brush moved that Alderman Hancock be appointed to preside at this meeting, motion adopted Hon L. Hancock Presiding Roll call, present Aldermen Schneider Pillow Hancock Wells Campbell Underhill Crooker Cade S.L. Robertson Bluth Erwin Brush & Spencer 13. ch Aldermen Lutox DuBois Maas Carrington and Gill came in and answered to their names. Absent Aldermen J.W. Robertson and Durkie Minutes of January 7th 1884 read amended and approved. Alderman Pillow offered a petition from taxpayers residing on West Blanco and Hickory Street asking the Council to appropriate $200.00 for improvements on said street. Referred to the Street Committee Alderman Underhill presented a petition from Citizens of the fourth and fifth ward residing and doing Business on Lavaca Street calling the attention of the Council to the bad condition of said street and asking that the street committee be instructed &r Instructed to have the gutter cleaned and the street repaired Referred to the Street Committee ed Alderman Campbell present a petition from W.H. Firebaugh asking the Council to allow him to place his fence 20 inches over the line of his lot on ash Street to protect a row of shade trees, referred to the Street Committee The following report was received from the street Committee on the petition of C.E. Anderson which was adopted --- Page break --- 442 To the Honorable Mayor and Board of Aldermen Your committee to whom was referred the within petition asking that C. E. Anderson be permitted to deviate from the requirements of the ordinance in respect to the character and material to be used in constructing pavement on East Pecan street, Have considered the same, and by leave to report, that we can see no good or valid reason for granting the petition and making an exception in this case advised for D. Bluth Chairman W. B. Brush The following report was received from the Finance Committee which on motion was adopted To the Hon. Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin Gentlemen Your committee to whom was referred the petition of Fred Stassig Assessor and Collector asking the Council to relieve him from the payment of the full amount of license granted to Chas. Dyer by leave to report that they have carefully considered the same and recommend that he only be required to pay the full amount due on said license during the time said license was used by the said Chas Dyer J. M. Odell Lewis Hancock N. Trass Finance Committee The Police Committee submitted the following report which was accepted and the report of J. P. Kirk ex City marshal ordered filed To the Hon Mayor of the City of Austin Your Committee on police to whom was referred the within report of J. P. Kirk City Marshal by leave to report that they have examined the same and find that it is correct and in accordance with the City Ordinance Respectfully J. F. Schneicun W. J. Brunner R. J. Hill Police Committee --- Page break --- 443 The Police Committee submitted the following report which was received and ordered filed. To the Honorable Mayor of the City of Austin. Your Committee on police to whom was referred the written report of H. S. Bell the City Marshal beg leave to report that they have examined the same and find that it is correct and in accordance with the City ordinances. Respectfully J. P. Schneider W. J. Brennan R. J. Hill Police Committee Alderman Ervin report back the report of the City Sexton for Dec 1883. and moved that it be received and ordered filed motion adopted. Alderman Crooker reported back the report of W. J. Burke and asked that the same be read as it contained matter that should be acted upon by the Council after reading the report it was referred back to the Hospital Committee. Alderman Crooker offered the report of J. Cumming City Physician for Nov 1883 and moved that it be received and filed motion adopted. The Committee on Gas and Water submitted the following report which was adopted To the Hon Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin Your committee on Gas and Water to whom was referred the petition of residents of Pecan street praying that the hydrant at the corner of Colorado and Pecan street, was by this court should be moved by the City is, to report that they have inspected said hydrant and consider it as now used a nuisance and recommend that the same be removed to some point on the north side of Pecan street west of San Antonio street and east of Nueces street. S. Hancock Chairman R. Peach Water and Gas Committee --- Page break --- 444 The special committee to whom was referred the Petition of R. J. Carroll asked for further time as they were not ready to report further time granted Alderman Meads called up an ordinance fixing the amount of money to be paid to the companies composing the Fire Department of the City of Austin The ordinance provides that each of the following companies shall be allowed fifty dollars per month for services Austin Hook and Ladder Co No 1 Washington Engine Co. Colorado Fire Engine Co and Protection Hook and Ladder Co No 3. The ordinance was read second time and then read third time under suspension of the rules and passed by the following vote yeas Aldermen Schneider Seton Gillett Hancock Overstreet Campbell Schulze Underhill Evans Crooker Odell Carrington G. L. Robertson Hill Erwin and Brush Nays Aldermen Plath and Brennen Alderman G. L. Robertson introduced the following resolution which was adopted Resolved that the City Engineer be and is hereby authorized to expend the sum of three hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary out of any money heretofore appropriated for the improvements of Water Street and the construction of a bridge and approaches therein at the intersection of Neuces Street and East avenue. Alderman Plath called up a Resolution autho­ rizing the Mayor and Cemetery Committee to purchase land for cemetery purposes The Resolution was read and then referred to the Cemetery committee with instructions to report on the same at the next meeting. Alderman Brennen introduced the following Resolution Whereas 1st The police force is appointed especially for the purpose of preserving order and peace in the City and for arresting violations of this laws and ordinances Chief --- Page break --- and whereas 7. The present police force of this City has failed to accomplish said purpose and whereas 3. it is the duty of this Council to ascertain whether said failure is not the result mainly of inefficiency, and incompetency, of the City Marshal and the Sergeant of Police and whereas 4 The office of Sergeant of Police is entirely useless and unnecessary Therefore be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin That a special committee of three be appointed by the present of the Council whose duty it shall be to ascertain and report to the City City Council at its next regular meeting in regard to the non-performance of duty on the part of the City Marshal and the Sergeant of Police in connection with the recent disturbances of the peace and good order of the City Alderman Platt moved to amend the resolution by striking out the word 6 and insert a committee of 3. Alderman Brush offered the following anendment which was accepted by Alderman Platt, That the same be referred to a committee of five to be composed of three police committee composed of three members and two to be appointed by the Chair. Alderman S. L. Robertson offered the following amendment moved to amend as follows strike out the words, That a special committee of 3 be appointed whose duty it shall be to" and insert in lieu thereof the words That the Police committee Alderman Fellow offered the following amendment which was lost by the following vote. Yeas Alderman Sutton Fellow Wells Brush and Brewer, Nays Alderman Schneider Danver Cook Campbell Echubn Soderhul Mace Crooker Cox Carrington Robertson S.L. Hill Platt and Erwin. 10. Whereas it has been currently reported that there have recently been certain violations of law in this City and that our City Police have been accused by the public press and by other parties of cowardice or negligence or both and whereas these reports are exceedingly damaging --- Page break --- 446 the good name of our City Therefore Be It Resolved that a special committee of 3 be appointed to investigate the charges of ineffeciency and negligence of the Police force and make a report on the same at its next meeting. Alderman Campbell offered the following Resolution as a substitute for the whole matter which was adopted by the following vote (yeas) Alderman Schneider, Ritor, Hancock, Wells, Campbell, Schuber, Underhill, Maas, Crooker, Odes, Carrington, S S. Robertson and Hieslmays Alderman Pillow Peart, Erwin, Brush, and Bremmer 5 Substitute for Resolution Resolved that in view of the recent disturbance in the City the Police Committee be instructed to inquire into the matter and ascertain if there has been any dereliction of duty by the Chief of Police or any of his subordinates. Alderman Pillow introduced the following Ordinance An ordinance adopting Rail Road Time as City Time Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Austin Section 1 That the standard time as recently adopted by the rail road companies for this portion of the United States be and the same is hereby adopted as the official time of this City and that the various City officers be and are hereby required to conform thereto Section 2d. That this ordinance take effect from and after its passage. The ordinance was read second and third time under suspension of the rules and passed by a unanimous vote. Alderman Brush introduced an ordinance entitled an ordinance requiring the removal of obstructions from the sidewalks, alleys, and public high ways of the City of Austin. The ordinance was read second time under suspension of the rules --- Page break --- 447 Alderman Hill moved to amend section 4 by striking out after the words shall have the word for and insert instead the word ten. amendment was adopted The ordinance as amended was read third time under suspension of the rules and passed by a two thirds vote Alderman Hill introduced an ordinance entitled an ordinance regulating the proceeding in the Recorder's Court. The ordinance was read and then referred to the City attorney who reported verbally on the ordinance stating that he had examined the same and indorsed its provisions. The motion to adjourn was lost. Alderman Platt moved to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on its second reading. The motion to adjourn was lost. The motion to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on its second reading was lost. Alderman Pellow introduced the following Resolution which was referred to the Cemetery Committee Whereas it is reported that several parties are in possession of lots or parts of lots in the City Cemetery by the burial of their friends on the same who have not paid for them. Be it therefore Resolved That all lots or parts of lots so held if not paid for by those claiming within sixty days shall be declared vacant and offered for sale and that the City assessor and Collector notify all persons who have their friends buried on such lots or parts of lots of the action of the City Council On motion the Council adjourned. Thomas E. Curnall City Clerk