511 The Minutes of a regular Meeting of the City Council. Austin, October 07, 1889. Hon. Joseph Nalle, mayor, presiding. Roll Roll Call – present, Aldermen- Boland, DeGress, Graham, Jones, Lawrence, Linn, Metz, Morris, Newton, Nitschke, North, Pillow, Platt, Schneider, Townsend, Wilson, Wortham, Ziller. Total - 18. Call. Absent, Aldermen- Assmann, Haigler - 2. Minutes. The minutes of the last meeting of the City Council were adopted as printed. Mrs. Townsend A petition was presented from Mrs. M. W. Townsend and contained a request to have Lavaca street graded near her residence. Referred to the Street Committee. D.P. Hatch. A petition was presented from D. P. Hatch, asking to have part of money paid for license tax refunded. Referred to City Attorney. Light. Alderman Lawrence introduced a petition from Citizens requesting that a light be placed at the Corner of West Tenth and Colorado Streets, near the First Baptist Church. Referred to the water and gas Committee. Friedenhaus- Alderman Ziller introduced a petition from E. Waechter Friedenhaus, Mrs. A. Waechter and Edmund Alley Waechter, owners of lots 1 and 2 in block 178, requesting that alley in said block be opened. Alderman DeGress moved to refer it to the Street Committee and City attorney with instructions that if they find no legal objection the Street Committee shall have power to act. Adopted. Jas. Carey Petition from James Carey for remission of fine and Costs assessed in recorders Court, was presented and passed over without action, the mayor not recommending the remission. Fire Cisterns The City marshal reported on the condition of the fire Cisterns and stated that two out of the six are in good Condition. Filed. A&C Tax The city assessor and Collector's report of sale of Sale real estate for the taxes of the years 18[illegible] and --- Page break --- 512 1888 was presented and referred to the Finance Committee. In. The report of the City Treasurer from September 2, 1889, to October 7, 1889. Balances Sept 2 $6,029.03 Receipts 11,218.43 $17,247.46 Disbursements $5,202.78 Balances Oct. 7 12,044.68 $17,247.46 Referred to Finance Committee. Sexton City Sexton's report for September, 1889: Total number of deaths, 12. White 10; Colored, 2. No burial ground for Colored people. Referred to Cemetery Committee. Marshal City Marshal's report for the month of September 1889. Total amount of fines and costs assessed in recorder's Court $605.05 Collected in Cash 185.40 Worked out 83.80 Escaped 46.15 Appealed 91.80 Carried Forward 197.90 $605.05 Back fines and Costs Collected $73.00 Found fees .50 Arrests made 39. Referred to police Committee. Phys. Report of city physician for the month of Sept 1889. Number of patients in hospital September 1 9 " " admitted to " " 12 " " discharged from hospital in Sept 5 " " deaths 1 " " patients remaining in hospital Oct. 1 15 No Scarlet fever or diptheria reported. Visits made 93 Prescriptions 161 Health of the city remarkably good Referred to the hospital Committee. City Clerk Report of City Clerk: Statement of Warrants issued during Sept 1889 was read and referred to the Finance Committee. --- Page break --- 513 maple to The Street Committee reported on the two petitions Orange St of Citizens, requesting that a Street be opened from Orange Street to Maple Street, between Blocks 46, 47, 52 and 53, division "J", and recommended that said petitions be referred back to the petitioners, as there appears to be a conflict between the petitions as to the mode of procedure desired. Adopted. Water rates Aldermen Morris and Yiller, of the Special Committee on obtaining lower rates of water from the Water Company for water used by the City, presented a report, stating that the President of the Company had been conferred with and would neither make, nor consider proposals looking to the reduction of the present rate. The report recommends that the City Council take steps to place the fire department in proper Condition to act in the extinguishment of fires independent of the Water Company, and that the assistance of the Water Company be dispensed with until such time as the Water Company shall agree to substantially lower rates than are now paid for such service, and to this end the report recommends that the pending Ordinance to repair the fire engines now owned by the City, be passed, and that the Cisterns built to furnish water for the extinguishment of fires, be placed in repair and filled with water, and that such other steps as may be necessary, be taken, to place the fire department in proper Condition to act without the Water Company's assistance. Report laid over. Light The Special Committee appointed to ascertain the Cost of a Brush electric light, to be placed in the Alliance Cotten yard, for three months reported that the Cost would be $60. Alderman Wortham moved that the terms be accepted but that the light be placed in the Street at a point to be selected by the Alliance. Adopted. Hospital. The Special Committee appointed to Confer with the County Commissioners Court of Travis County relative to the running of the City and County Hospital, Submitted a report which states in substance that the Commissioners Court proposed, 1st to pay to the City --- Page break --- 514 at the Rate $1,750 per annum toward defraying the expenses of the City hospital, beginning Oct. 1, 1889, and Continuing until Dec. 31, 1889, or longer, if agreeable to both parties, the City to manage the hospital; Or, 2d- the County will manage the hospital, the city paying the County at the rate of $1,750 per annum toward defraying the expenses of the same, beginning and ending as above stated. On the recommendation of the Committee the first proposition was adopted, and the City attorney instructed to draft and to report to the next meeting of the Council an Ordinance in accordance therewith. With reference to the expenses of the hospital, which the Committee state, the Commissioner's Court appeared to believe might be somewhat Curtailed without impairing the efficiency of the hospital, the Committee suggests that this question was not embraced in the matter submitted to them, but in deference to the Commissioner's Court and in justification of the City authorities this subject be referred to the hospital Committee. Fire Eng: An Ordinance to provide for repairing the fire engines owned by the City of Austin, and to make an appropriation therefor, was taken up on its second reading, and read, after which Alderman DeGress moved to amend the Ordinance by inserting the following: Provided, That before any money hereby appropriated shall be used, the party or parties repairing said engines shall furnish to the City a guarantee that said engines will perform the services required of them. The amendment was accepted and the Ordinance laid over without further action. W.L. Isbell. On the recommendation of the mayor, and Aldermen Graham and Wertham and the City Attorney, the Council remitted the fine and Costs assessed in the recorder's Court against W. L. Isbell. Tom Scott On the recommendation of the Mayor and four aldermen the Council also remitted the fine and Costs assessed in the recorder's Court against Tom Scott. Sylvester Watts A petition and Ordinance from Sylvester Watts was laid before the Council. The petition requests the Council to --- Page break --- 515 pass the accompanying Ordinance, in Order to assist the Austin Gaslight and Coal Company to extend its plant. The Ordinance is entitled: An Ordinance granting to Sylvester Watts and his associates, assigns, or Successors the right to establish gas works and the privilege of laying and maintaining gas pipes within the limits of the City of Austin and in its Streets, alleys and Commons. It was read first time, after which motions were made to suspend the rules and place it on its second and third readings and that it do pass, all of which were adopted by the following vote: Yes, Aldermen- Boland, DeGress, Graham, Jones, Lawrence, Linn, Metz, Morris, Newton, Nitschke, North, Pillow, Platt, Schneider, Townsend, Wilson, Wortham, Ziller - 18. H+ J.C R.R. Alderman Wortham offered an Ordinance amending Section two (2) of an Ordinance entitled " An Ordinance granting the right of way to the Houston & Texas Central Railway Company, and to repeal an Ordinance entitled "An Ordinance amending articles 487(1) 488(2), 489(3) of the revised Ordinances of the City of Austin, approved January 12, 1881, approved October 4, 1881. It was read first time, after which a motion was made to suspend the rules and place it on its second reading which was lost by the following vote: Yeas, Aldermen - Boland, DeGress, Linn, Metz, Morris, Newton, Nitschke, North, Schneider, Townsend, Wortham - 11. Nays - Aldermen - Graham, Jones, Lawrence, Pillow, Platt, Wilson, Ziller - 7. Ballots. Alderman North introduced "An Ordinance to provide for printing and distributing election ballots by the city of Austin, to regulate voting at city and ward elections in the City of Austin, and to amend article 254 of the revised Civil Ordinances of the City of Austin". Alderman North moved that the reading of the Ordinance in full be dispensed with, and that it be considered as having been read, and that it be referred to the Ordinance Committee. Carried. apprd Alderman DeGress introduced an Ordinance appropriating the sum of $1808.82 for the purpose of paying --- Page break --- 516 approved accounts. It was read first time, after which a motion was made to suspend the rules and place it on its second reading which was adopted by a two thirds vote of the whole Council. Alderman DeBress then moved to amend it by adding $25 to the $100 allowed in the ordinance for making tax rolls and receipts for the year 1889. Adopted. H.F. Murray. Alderman Platt also moved to amend the ordinance by inserting $100 to pay H.F. Murray for one mule purchased for the use of the city. Carried. The Caption and section 1 of the Ordinance was changed to read "$1933.82" to conform to the amendments, and motions were made to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on its third reading, and that it do pass, both of which were adopted by the following vote: Yeas, Aldermen - Boland, DeBress, Graham, Jones, Lawrence, Linn, Metz, Morris, Newton, Nitschke, North, Pillow, Platt, Schneider, Townsend, Wilson, Wortham, Ziller - 18. Oct. Salaries Alderman DeBress also introduced an Ordinance appropriating the sum of $3,100 for the purpose of paying officers and regular employes of the city for the month of October 1889. It was read first time, after which motions were made to suspend the rules and place it on its second and third readings, and that it do pass, all of which were adopted by the following vote. Yeas, Aldermen Boland, DeBress, Graham, Jones, Lawrence, Linn, Metz, Morris, Newton, Nitschke, North, Plew, Platt, Schneider, Townsend, Wilson, Wortham, Ziller - 18. Sabine St. Alderman Nitschke introduced a resolution providing for the grading of a portion of Sabine Street. It was read first time, and a motion to suspend the rules and place it on its second reading was made, but failed by the following vote: Yeas- Aldermen-Graham, Lawrence, Linn, Morris, Nitschke, North, Pillow, Schneider, Townsend, Wortham, Ziller - 11. Nays. Aldermen - Boland, DeBress, Jones, Metz, --- Page break --- Newton, Platt, Wilson - 7. On Motion, the Council then adjourned. Milton Morris, City Clerk.