Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the City Council. Austin, Tex., July 04, 1887. Hon. J. W. Robertson, Mayor, presiding. Roll Call. Present, Aldermen Brush, Graham, Phillips, and Warren – 4. Absent – Aldermen Alexander, Anderson, Caldwell Campbell, Cummings, Fisher, Jones, Metz, Odell, Platt, Schneider, Schuber, Townsend, Walker, Wellmer, Wortham – 16. Adjourned On motion of Alderman Warren the Council adjourned until Thursday, July 7, 1887. Milton Morris, City Clerk. The minutes of an adjourned regular meeting of the City Council. Austin, July 7, 1887. Hon. J. W. Robertson, Mayor, Presiding. Roll Call. Present – Aldermen Alexander, Brush, Campbell, Graham, Jones, Platt, Phillips, Schneider, Townsend, Walker, Wellmer, Wortham – 12. Absent – Aldermen Anderson, Caldwell, Cummings, Fisher, Metz, Odell, Schuber, Warren – 8. J. E. Sneed. Alderman Platt moved that as Capt. Thos. E. Sneed, a former mayor of this City, and a respected and esteemed Citizen, was lying seriously ill in the City, the City Council stand adjourned until Monday, July 11, as a token of respect to him. The motion was unanimously adopted, and the Council accordingly adjourned. Milton Morris, City Clerk. --- Page break --- 14 The Minutes of an adjourned regular Meeting of the City Council. Austin, July 11, 1887. Hon. J.D. Robertson, Mayor, presiding. Roll Call. Present, Aldermen Alexander, Brush, Campbell, Cummings, Fisher, Graham, James, Cadell, Townsend, Waller, Warner, J. Nalleman, Wortham - 13. Call. Absent - Aldermen Anderson, Caldwell, C. Metz, Platt, Phillips, Schneider, Schaefer 7. Minutes. The minutes of the last meeting was adopted as Printed. John Dowell A petition from John Dowell, attorney for Mrs. Mrs. M.A. Evans M. A. Evans, requesting, the Council to instruct the City Assessor and Collector to receive - $13.75 for the back taxes and costs on certain property, to be redeemed, was read, and, on motion, granted. gutters. Alderman James presented a petition from Citizens, requesting that the gutter on the south side of East Ninth Street, between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street, be so repaired as to improve the Sanitary Condition of the Same. Referred to the Street Committee. A. R. Roessler. The Mayor presented a petition from A. R. Roessler, who was recently fined in the Recorders Council for drunkenness, requesting that the fine and costs be remitted, owing to his old age and the injury confinement would inflict upon his health. The petition was approved by three aldermen and the recorder, and, upon their recommendation, the Mayor asked the Council to consent to the remission. On motion, the Council concurred in the remission, on condition that the petitioner leave the City. Aldermen Schneider, Platt and Phillips Came in. C. E. Waleworth The Mayor also asked the Council to remit the fine and costs, assessed in the recorder's Court against C. E. Waleworth for using obscene and profane language. --- Page break --- 15 because he believes the fine was improperly assessed from a want of knowledge of the true state of the facts. On motion of Aldermen Fisher, the Council refused to remit the fine and costs. St. Comtee The Mayor also laid before the City Council E. Cherry St. Communications from the street committee to the City engineer, which the City engineer had referred to him for advice and instructions. They were, in substance, as follows: First – Aldermen Graham and Phillips, of the Committee, instructed the City engineer to notify Mr. Fisher, to whom the contract for widening the bridge on East Cherry Street, over Waller Creek, - had been relet, by consent of the bondsmen of the former contractors, they having abandoned their contract, to begin work on the bridge on July 11, 1887. Second – Alderman Schuher, Chairman of the Committee, instructed the City engineer to defer action on the matter, and refer the same to the City Council, for the following reasons: That travel on East Cherry Street would be impossible; that North Avenue. bridge should be passable for travel before work on East Cherry Street should begin; that the reletting of the contract without a meeting of the street Committee and City engineer was not, in his judgment, right; that after the contract was abandoned by the first contractors, it should have been relet to the lowest and best bidder, as the ordinances of the City require. Alderman Fisher moved that the City Council ratify and confirm the contract, and approve the action of the majority of the street Committee and the ordering of the work to begin. Adopted. Ald. Phillips. Alderman Phillips was excused from further attendance upon the meeting. The Mayor then read the following: Gentlemen of the City Council: Greenwood ) beg to call your attention to the fact that Cemetery. The obligation executed in the name of the City --- Page break --- 16 " " of Austin, in favor of J. H. Pallott, for $1000 falling due June 1, 1887, has not been provided for. This note has been presented and payment has been demanded. It is held by Messrs. J. H. Raymond & Co. This matter demands Some action at the hands of this body. If this transaction is to be repudiated, let it be done openly and publicly, So that the holders of the City's paper may know what to do for his own protection! At the very least! when the City has put its paper in circulation, and a respectable holder presents it and asks payment, he is entitled to respectful treatment. The City Council Cannot afford to ignore this question. You all understand it, and it had just as well be disposed of now as postponed. I suggest that the matter be referred to Special Committee or to the Cemetery, with instructions to See all the parties interested, and to Consider the matter in all its bearings, and to report at the next regular meeting of this Council with recommendations for final action by the City. Very Respectfully, J. W. Robertson, Mayor. " " Alderman Fisher Then moved to refer the whole matter to the City Attorney, with instructions to give the Council, at its next regular meeting his written opinion as to the legality of the transaction. Adopted. Alderman D. Wasler had a copy of the note due read. Treas. Repts. Officers reports for the month ending June 30, 1887: Treasurers report. Balances on hand May 31 $23.518.82 Rec'd from Ass't Collector: Ad Valorem tax $6.528.00 Licenses 922.70 General fund 498.60 City Cemetery 44.00 --- Page break --- .Greenwood Cemetery 160.00 - 5.152.70 Rec’d from M. M. Roliason, May, Referred to appre- priation dept. 1555 for special police service. Total Cash Balance $31.691.52 Credits from Comm. [illegible] City Cemetery, Paid Warrants General Fund “ $ 35.55 Cash Balance June 30: 7.396.59- 7.432.42 City Cemetery $ 750.10 Greenwood “ 160.00 Bank & School Fund “ 172.73 General “ 17.746.29 Interest “ Lien Mgt 5.200.00 - 24.059.10 Total - $31.691.52 Unappropriated Balances: Greenwood Cemetery $160.00 Refered to finance Committee. Marshals Rept. Marshals Report. Total amount of fines and Costs Assessed $925.25 Amount Collected in Cash, 305.80 “ Marked out 355.85 appealed and escaped 260.60 925.25 Total Amount of Cash Collected: Fines and Costs for the month of June $305.80 Police fines Collected 60.30 Fees and sales of City pound 58.50 $424.60 Total number of arrests made: 98. Refered to police Committee. Clerks Rept. Clerks Report. Total amount of Warrants issued during June $8.209.93 Phys. Rept. Report of City Physician. Number of Patients in Hospital June 1, 13 No. “ admitted to “ “ 7 “ “ discharged from “ “ 12 “ “ remaining in “ July 1 8 “ Visits made during June 146 “ prescriptions written “ 202 --- Page break --- 18 Sexton's Rept. ~Health of City very good for this season of the year. Report of Sexton. Total number of deaths 19 V White 13 Colored 6 Male 9 Female 10. Pease Park. The City Engineer presented a report of the probable cost of fencing Pease Park, placing the amount at $799.50. No action was taken on the Report. N.S. Walton The City Attorney presented a report on a suit brought by Mr. N. S. Walton against the City of Austin for $987.42, for Commissions alleged to be due him. On fines collected while he was City Attorney. The report states that the suit was duly tried, and, after being appealed to the Supreme Court, was virtually decided in favor of Mr. Walton; that in view of the ultimate outcome of the case, he had proposed to Mr. Walton to Compromise or settle the suit by paying to him $941, less $29.05 delinquent taxes due to the City by Maj. W. M. Walton, in full settlement of the suit, and that Mr. Walton had agreed to the terms of settlement. On motion, the report was adopted and approved. Bawdy houses The City Attorney also submitted a report on an Ordinance Confining bawdy houses to Certain limits in the City of Austin which had been referred to him, and submitted as a substitute an Ordinance punishing persons for renting houses to be used as houses of public prostitution within certain limits in the City of Austin. The report and substitute were read and laid over until the next meeting of the Council. Finances. The Finance Committee, in Compliance with a resolution which was recently adopted by the City Council, submitted the following: Austin, July 11, 1887. Hon. J. D. Robertson, Mayor: --- Page break --- Sir- Your Committee On finance, to whom was referred a resolution requesting a statement of the Condition of the City’s finances, have to report the following as the receipts and disbursements for the five months ending December 1, 1887: Receipts - Estimated. Ad Valorem Taxes 1886 $17.299.83. " " 1885 445.54 " " 1884 89.48 License Taxes 7.171.69 From County for Hospital 500.00 Fines, etc., Recorders Court. 2.341.60 Ground Rents 139.00 Costs of Tax Sales 89.16 Add Cash On hand 10.000.00 " Amount of appropriations that will not be used before Dec. 1, and other that will be covered back into the Treasury - say 4.500.00 Add taxes for 1888 that will be paid this year - say 1.000.00 Total $ 43.576.30 Disbursements - Estimated. Pay Roll, Gas, Fire Companies, Feeding $25.000.00 Teams, Paupers, Printing, Miscellaneous, &c, Appropriations existing 18.500.00-43.500.00 Estimated. Balance, Dec. 1, 1887. - $ 76.30 Your Committee finds that no further appropriations, other than those for Current expenses, Can be made without danger of a deficit. Respectfully Submitted, W. B. Wortham W. B. Walker. Finance Com. Sanitary. No action was taken on the report. The Sanitary Committee reported On a report from the Sanitary inspectors, Complaining of the use of the fire plugs by parties who sprinklee the streets, stating - that the Contract between the City Water Company and the City Covers the Case, and recommending that the proper person enforce the Contract. --- Page break --- 20 in this regard. No action was taken on the report. Hospital. The Hospital Committee reported favorably An An Ordinance amending Articles 231 and 232 of Chapter nine, title five, of the Revised Civil Ordinances of the City of Austin. The Ordinance was then read a second time, after which Alderman Brush moved to strike out all of that portion of the Ordinance which relates to the Chief engineer of the fire department Adopted. The remainder of the Ordinance relates to the length of the term of office of the matron of the hospital and the Resident Physician. Approved accts. Alderman Odell presented an Ordinance appropriating the sum of $8.218.32 for the purpose of paying approved accounts. The Ordinance was read first time, after which motions were made to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on its second and third readings, and that the Ordinance do pass, all of which were adopted by the following Vote. Yeas- Ald. Alexander, Brush, Campbell, Cummings, Fisher, Graham, Jones, Odell, Platt, Schneider, Walker, Warren, Wellmer, Wortham, 15. Pease Park. Alderman Brush introduced an Ordinance appropriating the sum of $200 for the purpose of fencing and putting in gates in the Pease park. The Ordinance was read first time after which a motion was made to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on its second reading, which was adopted by the following vote; Yeas- Ald. Alexander, Brush, Campbell, Cummings, Fisher, Graham, Jones, Odell, Schneider, Townsend, Walker, Warren, Wellmer, Wortham - 14. Nay- Alderman Platt. The Ordinance was then read a second time after which a motion was made to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on its third reading, which was lost by the following Vote; Yeas- Ald. Alexander, Brush, Campbell, Fisher, --- Page break --- Graham, Jones, Odell, Schneider, Townsend, Webster, Warren, Wellner, Northam - 13 Nays - Ald. Cummings and Platt. Adjourned On motion The Council then Milton Morris City Clerk.