416 Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the City Council. Austin Texas, July 06, 1896. Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor presiding. Roll called. Present Aldermen Glass, Gorth, Haymes, Limm, Nitschke, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, and Shelley 11. Absent Aldermen Beaty, Fischer, Glasscock, Horton, Lawless, Schneider, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend and Zilker 11. Recess of 10 minutes Alderman Limm moved that the Council have a recess of ten minutes and that the City Marshal be instructed to bring in absentees. Adopted. After recess the Council was called to order. Roll call. Roll called. Present Aldermen Glass, Gorth, Haymes, Limm, Nitschke, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, and Townsend. 15. Absent Aldermen Beaty, Fischer, Glasscock, Horton, Lawless, Tobin and Zilker 7. Alderman Roberdeau moved that the Council do now adjourn until 8:30 oclock P.M. Friday July 10th 1896. Lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Haymes, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider and Stumpf. 7. Nays Aldermen Glass, Gorth, Limm, Nitschke, Platt, Shelley, Taylor and Townsend. 8. Approval of minutes as printed Alderman Limm moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes and that they be approved as printed, which motion prevailed. Petitions Pet. of J. H. Vann for permission to to put in a small Engine By Alderman Limm, Petition of J. H. Vann for permission to put in a small engine at his wood yard on Block, No. — Alderman Horton, Beaty and Zilker entered the Council Chamber and answered to their names. Alderman Powell moved that the petition of J. H. Vann be referred to the Street Committee, which motion was lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Gorth, Powell, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley and Taylor 7. Nays Aldermen Glass, Haymes, Horton, Limm, Nitschke, Platt, Redd, Rosengren, Stumpf, Townsend, and Zilker 11. Pet. of J. H. Vann granted Alderman Limm moved that the petition be granted, which motion prevailed. Mrs Ritter Matron at City Hospital granted leave of absence to July 20th Alderman Sayers moved that leave of absence be granted Mrs. Ritter, Matron at the City Hospital, until July 20th. which motion prevailed. Petition paving Alley between Congress Ave & Colorado St. from 6th to 7th St. Petition for paving of Alley, between Congress Ave. & Colorado St. from 6th to 7th St. signed by Mrs. Gilliland, Daniel [illegible] Smith, Mrs. Tobin, and Jno. Hancock. --- Page break --- 417 Invitation of the Firemen to to the Committee on Claims and Accounts. join in the parade accepted Alderman Powell moved that the Council accept the invitation of the Firemen to join in the parade to take place tomorrow, and that the Council attend in a body, which motion prevailed. Alderman Lawless entered the Chamber and answered to his name. Alderman Powell moved that the Council do now adjourn until 8:30 o'clock p.m. Friday, July 10th 1896, which motion was lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Haynes, Horton, Powell, Robidreau, Rosengran, Schneider and Stumpf. 7 Nays - Aldermen Beaty, Glass, Gorth, Lawless, Sinn, Kirschner, Blatt, Redd, Shelley, Saylor, Townsend and Tobin. 12. Pet. of Citizens of 1st Ward By Alderman Schneider, Petition of Citizens asking abatement of asking for abatement of nuisance nuisance, read and on motion referred to the Police Committee. Pet. of Mrs S.M. Harlan for By Alderman Stumpf, Petition of Mrs S. M. Harlan, asking the the refunding of certain taxes Council to refund certain taxes. Read and on motion referred to the Committee on Claims and Accounts. Alderman Saylor moved to suspend the regular order of business and allow the Special Committee on Water and Light ordinance to make their report. Lost. Alderman Tobin entered the Council Chamber and answered to his name. Pet. of J.H. Phillipson & Co in By Alderman Blatt, Petition of the J. H. Phillipson & Co in regard regard to taxes to taxes. Read and on motion referred to the ordinance Committee with instructions to report at this next regular meeting of the Council. City Officers reports The reports of the City Officers for the month of June, was then laid before the Council and on motion of Alderman Linn were referred to their appropriate Committees without reading. Assessor & Collector The following is a synopsis of the reports: By the City Assessor and Collector. Total Collections as follows: General Revenue Tax $ 3735.19 Interest and Sinking Fund Water Works Bonds 6769.23 Interest on old Bonds 585.40 School Tax. 2310.00 Total $ 13,399.82 Referred to the Finance Committee. City Clerk By the City Clerk. Total Amount of Warrants issued against the General Fund for June $5897.06 " Earnings " " 762.15 " Water & Light " " 4585.46 Referred to the Finance Committee. [illegible] By the City Treasurer. Division on hand General Fund $ 750.80 " " Interest on Bonds issued to works 1890. 953.24 " " Earnings Fund, 160.66 " " Water and Light Fund. 3977.67 --- Page break --- 418 Balance on hand Interest on Sinking Fund Water and Light Bonds $4099.81 Referred to Finance Committee. By the City Marshal. City Marshal. Total Fines Assessed in Recorder's Court $415.00 Collected in Cash $187.85 Worked out 139.15 Escaped 17.00 Carried forward 81.00 415.00 Collected on back fines 15.00 Found Ice Collected 39.00 Total number of Arrests for the month 78 Referred to the Police Committee City Physician By the City Physician. Number of Patients in Hospital June 1st 14 " " admitted during " 14 " " discharged " " 7 " " Deaths " " 1 " " Patients remaining July 1st 20 " " Visits to Paupers during June 73 " " Prescriptions written for Paupers during June. 124 " " Cases of Diptheria during June 2 No other Contagious diseases reported Referred to the Hospital Committee. City Sexton By the City Sexton. Total number of deaths during June 17 White 12 Colored 5 Male 9 Female 8 Referred to the Cemetery Committee. Report of Supt of W & L The Mayor laid before the Council the report of the Superintendent of the Water & Light Plant for the month of June. Was read and ordered filed. W&L Supt report regard A communication from the Superintendent in regard to connecting to connecting large pumps the large pumps with the spring was read, and on motion, ordered filed. W&L Supt. report on The Superintendent reported that he had received applications applications for Water & from Mrs C.M. Dean and others of Parsons, Kansas, for from 50 to Electric Power 100 Electric horse power. For an Ice and Cold Storage Plant, and from Mr S.C. Johnson of Dallas and others for Water for 300 horses, power for a Carbide of Calcium Plant. On motion the matter was referred to the Water & Light Committee when they are appointed. W.L. Supt. directed to Alderman Daylor moved, that the Superintendent of Water and place Electric fans in Electric fans be directed to place two ordinary Electric fans in the Council Chamber Council Chamber, which motion was seconded by Mr Alderman Jones. Yeas: Aldermen Smith, Badson, Snowden, [illegible], Simon, Blackburn, Jones. --- Page break --- 419 Bowell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin and Ziker W Nays Aldermen Beaty, Glass, Haynes, Schneider, Shelly & Townsend 6 Adjourned to 8:30 P.M. July 10 1896 Alderman Stumpf moved that the Council stand adjourned until 8:30 oclock P.M., Friday July 10th 1896, which motion prevailed. Jno. C. Johnson City Clerk. --- Page break --- 420 Minutes of an adjourned Regular meeting of the City Council Austin Texas July 10th 1896. Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor, presiding. Roll called. Call of Council Present, Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Linn, Platt, Powell, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Tobin and Townsend 10 Absent, Aldermen Beaty, Fischer, Glascock, Groth, Horton, Lawless, Nitsche, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Taylor and Zilker 11. Alderman Schneider moved a call of the Council which was ordered. Alderman Powell moved that the Council take a recess of ten minutes. Carried. At the expiration of the recess the Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll called. Present Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Platt, Powell, Redd, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend, & Zilker 15 Absent Aldermen Beaty, Fischer, Glascock, Groth, Nitsche, Roberdeau and Rosengren 7. Call suspended W.S. Swift's report on Gould Pumps Alderman Tobin moved to suspend the call which motion prevailed. The Mayor laid before the Council and had read a communication from the Superintendent of the Water & Light system in regard to the Gould pumps, which was on motion received and ordered filed. Alderman Roberdeau entered the Council Chamber and answered to his name. Report of Mr. F. S. Hunting Chief Engineer Ft. Wayne Elect. Corp. The Mayor laid before the Council the following communication from Mr. F. S. Hunting, Chief Engineer of the Ft. Wayne Electric Corporation in regard to the workings of the Electric Light plant, which was read. Austin, Texas. July 7th 1896. To the Honorable Mayor and Common Council, Austin, Texas. Gentlemen: I have recently examined your Electric Light plant, and beg to report the following: Your Superintendent has seen fit to very severly criticise the apparatus furnished by us, and to broadly assert that we do not have the reputation of making the best electrical apparatus. This statement is made in the face of the fact that he acknowledges himself not to be an expert. Criticisms not made by experts are seldom worthy of comment, but for your own information I shall consider briefly the report submitted by you by your Superintendent. Your Superintendent states in the beginning, in reviewing the condition of the plant, that he will show you "solely", because of the faulty construction, it is not possible to give good service, as otherwise could have been given from the information I obtained and from what I have seen, I am satisfied that much of the trouble with your Citizens experienced with the service has been due, not to defective electrical machinery, but to lack of competent men to manage its operation. --- Page break --- 421 Hunting's Report of the plant, lack of proper organisation, and lack of harmony and unity of purpose among the men in charge of the various branches of work. That there are other defects I do not deny, but such defects are mainly due to the unusual conditions under which your plant has to operate, and to defects for which your designing engineers are responsible. It is natural that you should lay the blame for outages of the lamps to the machines that operate them, but you must bear in mind that there may be trouble with the wheels of belts, or circuits which may interrupt your service, and the machines are in no way responsible for such troubles. - I am satisfied that your lights have been out from no good cause whatever: lack of harmony between the men in the station, the electrical engineer, and the men operating the circuits outside, being the sole cause for such outages. I am advised that the circuits have been shut off at different times because the Station man claimed there were grounds on them, and that he has refused to start them until the outside man cleared the circuits. - Such work as this ought not to be permitted for one minute. If you had a man in charge of the plant who fully understood the details of every department, such work as this could not go on, but the Superintendent, who does not possess detailed knowledge of every department, is of necessity at the mercy of subordinates, who do more or less understand the duties of their department. It is not customary in operating electric light plants to shut them down the minute there is a ground on the circuit, unless there are so many grounds that the lines are short-circuited. If yours was a commercial or private plant, and in competition with another commercial plant, properly operated, you would not be able to do business but a very short time with such inexperienced, inconsistent and disorganised management. You have invested, as I understand something like $1,600,000.00 in your Waterworks and Electric light plants and must in addition to paying operating expenses, pay the interest on this bonded indebtedness, and establish a sinking fund for taking up the bonds. This is by no means a simple or easy undertaking. There is not a business man in your city that would invest 1/10 or 1/100 of this amount of money in a business in which he himself was not thoroughly familiar, without being sure that he had in charge of that business a man of experience and competent to handle the business. It seems to me that good business judgment would say to any man that the best man available was none too good to manage and operate so large an undertaking as you have on hand. The Salary which you have been paying will never enable you to secure the man you should have. It is absolutely necessary, that you pay enough to get one man who is fully competent to manage and direct his hands. If you will stop this waste of money and consider your business with him in a business way. --- Page break --- 122 Huntington's Report ordinary lines of business to managers of enterprises as large as this, you will see that the foregoing statement is true. You required an electrical engineer, who should have full and absolute charge of the entire plant. Such a man would not allow for a moment any inharmony between the men as above stated. That you have not had more trouble operating the plant as you have with such incompetent help is due to good luck more than to good judgement. The course which you have thus far adopted in the management of this plant is bound to lead you in time to a great deal of trouble. I could point out to you a great many dangers already which your incompetent help is bound to run your plant against, but the space of this report will hardly admit of it here. When I first visited your plant I did not find the machines running in the best possible manner. I find on your incandescent machines that the brushes were not being set properly, which was causing a great deal of un-necessary sparking, which was destructive to both commutator and brushes. This has largely been corrected now, but it can still be improved by getting the commutators in better condition. I find that the regulators of the arc machines were not in as good condition as they should have been, as they had been allowed to wear out of shape, and to get out of adjustment. These machines can and should be kept in better condition than they are. I will briefly review some features of your Superintendent's report, although it is hardly necessary, coming as it does from one who acknowledges himself in the beginning to be no expert, and who has obtained his information for this report second hand from incompetent and prejudiced subordinates. That the operating force is efficient, I must deny, as it would be absolutely impossible for any force, no matter how competent to be efficient, when managed by one who knows and acknowledges he knows less about the business than they do. Any operating force to be efficient must be responsible to one head, who understands all branches of the business, and who is competent to instruct them fully in every detail of their work. It is impossible to accomplish good results with the present lack of organization. The various criticisms of your experts who designed the plant and the power apparatus, such as water wheels, and line shafts, I will pass over, same not being a part of the work installed by this Company. I will take up first the criticism on the insulation of dynamos, which the report states, "was of improper material and consequently many short circuits occurred in the armatures and field coils which disabled the service and necessitated many and vexed repairs by the operating force." Your Superintendent forgets, or does not know, that practically the whole of these troubles were under the first superintendent's management, you did not see fit to remove until nearly every machine was got into trouble by his ignorance and his successors, with his incompetent foremen and assistants. your inspectors, your linemen and drivers, etc, etc, etc now that a superintendent, with his incompetent foremen and incompetent assistants. --- Page break --- 423 Hunting's Report due to the fact that they are defective, but to the fact that they are not so well adapted for conditions under which your apparatus is operated. It is possible that the rubber insulation which report states was used to insulate the intersecting contacts of wires carrying 7000 volts could have caused any burn outs in the armatures; in fact, burn-outs in the armatures would not occur, if these joints, which the report calls "intersecting contacts", were not insulated at all. They were entirely protected by the other insulations of the armature, and trouble from them could not occur except the armatures were allowed to become dirty. Many of the troubles which your force has experienced with these armatures has probably been due to the fact that the machines have been overheated, which combined with the continual jar of the machine, due to the vibrations of the floor, has loosened the connections in the armatures, and burn-outs from the arc formed have resulted. You are probably not aware that your incandescent machines have been run at 70% over their rated voltage, and that they have gotten a great deal hotter on this account. Your Superintendent neglects to advise you of this fact, namely, that the machine built for 7000 are being run at from 7350 to 7700 volts, whereas another Company's machine designed from 1700 to 1800 has only been running 1800 to 1900. It is hardly necessary for me to call your attention to the fact that a competent man would hardly wait to have the same trouble happen more than twice before he would immediately take steps to remedy the difficulties that he discovered in all of the machines, instead of waiting until each one gives out, and then fix it. What your men should have done had they understood their business would have been to have fixed these connections that gave them trouble, instead of leaving them and only fixing them as they had to. Good common sense would dictate such a course. Quite a point is made of the fact that the exciters were received without switches. We have been putting machines of this class on the market for the last ten years and we have never placed a switch on an exciter, and we have never seen any other Company place a switch on an exciter, as your men may have seen. Such a switch if used at all by any Company is placed on the switchboard, and we have never found it necessary or desirable, in fact consider it much better to kill the machines when necessity requires by throwing in all the resistance in the rheostat, and then opening the circuit with the rheostat itself. This is very much easier on both the exciter and the alternator, as it does not bring one tenth the strain on the insulation. The exciters are also reported defective. As a matter of fact we were prepared to furnish --- Page break --- 124 Hunting's Report with these exciters when they were sent here, either carbon or copper brushes, but when not otherwise ordered, we send copper brushes. There is certainly no reason why they should not work in Austin as well as anywhere, if the men know how to handle them. Carbon brushes on these machines are all right, but what we claim is that the copper brushes are also, when properly operated. As an evidence of the fact that your Superintendent has obtained his information from his subordinates instead of obtaining it first handed, I would call your attention to the following on his criticism of the incandescent switch-board. "But the power house operating force have discovered that it is better adapted to a 1000 than a 2000 volt current." How does the operating force know this? They certainly have had no opportunity to experiment with it, using a 1000 volt current, and it is ridiculous to think of dynamo tenders making such expert criticisms. The whole report is ridiculous when you stop to think a moment that the expert criticisms are indulged in by one who in the very beginning of his criticism acknowledges that he is not an expert. That the lightning arresters do not afford sufficient protection I must acknowledge, but this is due to the fact that altogether too much is required of them. You have very long circuits extending over a great area, and they of necessity during a lightning storm receive a great many lightning discharges, and as there is practically no other way for the lightning to get to ground, which it must do, but to go through the lightning arrestors at the station, the lightning arresters are taxed beyond their ability to take care of the discharges. Lightning storms in this part of the country are very much more severe than in most other parts, which adds greatly to the duties and requirements of the arresters. Your lines should be thoroughly protected with pole-line lightning arresters, which would keep the greater part of the lightning from going to the plant at all. That the lightning arresters furnished are not inherently defective is evidenced by the fact that there are thousands and thousands of these lightning arresters operating successfully all over this country and one type of arrester has been used for years by ourselves and one of the largest companies in this country. I am inclined to doubt if any kind of lightning arrester would prove satisfactory under existing conditions. The circuits must be protected outside and at various points so as to lessen the duties required of the station arresters. The switches are reported as being too light to carry atmospheric currents, which is a ridiculous criticism, and shows a decided lack of knowledge in the writer of the report on this subject. Our electricians, engineers know that atmospheric currents are always of enormous quantity, but small in potential, and that --- Page break --- 425 Hunting's Report. The lightning discharge was never known to have current capacity sufficient to melt copper bars as large as there are on the switches referred to. The trouble experienced with the switches has been due to the fact that the operators have tried to do what no competent engineer would allow them to try to do. Any competent engineer knows that he can not not open safely a long circuit carrying over 5 or 10 amperes at 2000 volts; The discharge from such circuits is terrific and the strain on the machines due to its own discharge is objectionable. Men of experience never attempt to open high potential circuits when they are carrying much of any current, if the switches in such circuits have to be thrown, it is always customary to lower the voltage of the circuit quickly by means of the dynamo rheostat, an operation which is attended with no danger, and which takes but a few seconds to accomplish. If your operators had not thrown these switches under load, a large part of the arcing on the switchboard would have been avoided. The excessive currents referred to in the report as arcing from one instrument to another, come from discharge of the circuit when the attendent attempted to open it. The discharge from your circuits is exceedingly heavy. If your Superintendent had understood these matters he would have avoided whenever possible bringing about this discharge, and would have made use of every possible means to reduce it. Owing to the unusual and excessive discharge from your circuits which takes place when they are suddenly opened by the pulling of a switch or the blowing of a fuse, the locality and connection of all fuse-blocks and instruments should be changed. Your report states regarding the frame of the switchboard that "practical knowledge teaches them that the iron frame of the board should be replaced by one of hard wood". We do not know where the practical knowledge came from that taught your Superintendent's informant this, but he certainly did not learn right. That a hard wood frame is all right, and is approved by the Underwriters, if properly arranged, I do not deny, still the Underwriters prefer an iron frame board, and certainly the experience of the Underwriters, covering as it does the experience of the whole country, is worth considerably more than that of any one man. While the writer is not directly interested in this criticism of the "Tri-Phase" power machinery, still the criticism of it is extremely interesting, being as it is a woeful exhibition of the writer's ignorance of electricity and electrical engineering. The removal of the shunts from the bed-plate of the machines to a place on the walls where they are accessible is all right, as is also the plans where they are designed to go, if they are kept clean. In regard to the connecting of some of the limbs upside down we will say that this is a mistake that may and very frequently occurs, but is something that is not likely to do any harm, while it is not doing serious, it is readily discovered, and can be disconnected and turned around, so that all bad results are remedied, as it is hardly suggestive of any [illegible] --- Page break --- 126 Hunting's Report man in charge of the erecting of a plant, that he shall personally see that every lamp is connected in properly, as the trimmers are expected to correct errors as soon as they go around and trim the lamps the first time. If lamps were left ten days connected wrong, it was the fault of the trimmers. To summarize briefly, I will say that in my judgment your Superintendent in his report has endeavored to defend himself behind alleged defects in the apparatus. As a matter of fact, if your designing engineer had ordered your lines properly protected with lightning arresters, and your plant had been in the hands of a competent man, you should never have been out of light, and the little defects which developed due to the peculiar conditions under which your plant is operated, would have been remedied without giving any trouble or interruption to the service. That your Superintendent did the best he knew how is quite probably true, but not understanding the electrical business and being unable to surround himself with competent and reliable advisers, he has very naturally made mistakes. We are ready and willing to repair any inherent defects in the apparatus we furnish for your plant, provided that you will co-operate with us and make such changes and repairs as are necessary on your part to insure a successful operation of the plant. There are quite a number of defects in the original design of the motive power and water-works part of your plant, which you will find it advisable to remedy. These defects can be remedied at small expense, compared with the cost and worth of the plant, so that I see no reason whatever for the feeling which I understand some of your citizens have that the plant is a failure. You have an excellent plant, and with some changes made in it I believe that you can give as good service as any plant in the Country. These matters, however, are outside of the scope of this report, but if my advice will be of any assistance to you later in remedying them, I shall be pleased to advise on any matters on which I am able. There are some matters that, whatever else you may do, should be attended to at once, and I would suggest that you authorize some one to co-operate with me in making the following changes and improvements. In the first place, the lines should be fully protected from lightning by suitable pole-line lightning arresters carefully grounded, which, with changes that I shall make with the switchboard lightning arresters, will I believe obviate any further trouble from lightning. The grounds on the barbed wire string on the main feeder bold lines should be carefully inspected and, if found defective, repaired at once, as such a line badly grounded, is a menace rather than a protection, to any circuit. It is impossible as your plant was designed to give good, even service with the incandescent lights. As it is now there are bound to be some circuits burning too high and others too low, and you cannot help yourself. Each circuit should be equipped with a Tregulator so that you can control the lights on that circuit, no matter upon which machine it is running, or how --- Page break --- 427 Hunting's Report many other circuits are on that same machine. Without such a regulator your service will always be uneven. There will always be an irregularity in the candle power of the lights operated from the machine driven from the same turbine with the Triphase Machine owing to the sudden changes in the load on the latter machine and to the slow regulation of the water wheel. This can only be remedied by not running the two machines from the same wheel and means rearranging or changing your motive-power apparatus. Outside of the lights which may be operated from the machine on the same wheel with the Triphase Machine, your service should be even after you have Feeder Regulators in place, provided the man at the station attends to his business. The above changes and additions, together with certain slight changes in the switch board and connections which I have made or will make, will greatly improve your service but will not entirely remove the difficulties in the way of perfect service, as there are defects in the original design of the motive-power part of the plant, and also in your system of management of the plant, which must also be remedied. I would request the privilege of naming a man to have direct charge of the dynamos and switch-board who is familiar with our apparatus as I believe you will find it to your advantage to have a man thoroughly familiar with the operation of our machinery. I wish in closing this report to express my sincere appreciation of the universally kind and courteous treatment which I have received at the hands of all the employes connected with your plant, and I shall always remember with pleasure my visit here. If there are criticisms in this report which reflect upon any one they are made entirely from a business and technical standpoint and without any personal feeling or prejudice in the matter whatever, as I entertain only the kindlest of feelings for all whom I have met here. Respectfully Submitted, F. S. Hunting, Chief Engineer Ft. Wayne Elec. Corp. Report referred to a Special Com. of 7 Alderman Shelley moved that communication be referred to a special committee consisting of Aldermen Tobin, Horton, Lawless, and Schneider and the Mayor. Alderman Glass moved to amend by inserting the name of Alderman Zilker and the Superintendent, which motion prevailed and the motion as amended was then adopted. Ord. Appropriating $575.00 to pay Prin. & Int. due on 1-10% Bond. Alderman Townsend for the Finance committee to whom was referred an ordinance appropriating $575.00 to pay the principal and interest due on the one remaining unpaid 10 per cent Bond presented their report, recommending the passage of the ordinance; the report was read and laid over to come up under the head of unfinished business. Report on Ord. giving minimum rates for water. Alderman Sinn for the ordinance committee, to whom was referred an ordinance fixing minimum rates for water and tap, or meters, --- Page break --- 128 Mr S. Meters Com. on Claims & Accts. on Pet. of M. Corbitt for damages to horse report presented their report recommending that the same do not pass, and that the same do lie upon the table, which motion prevailed. Alderman Platt for the Committee on Claims and Accounts, to whom was referred the petition of M. Corbitt for damages to horse caused by falling through bridge on East Twelfth street, presented their report recommending that the petitioner be paid the sum of $15.00 The report was read and laid over to come up with the ordinance on the subject. Com. on Pur. as report awarding Contract for Feed to Robinson Bros to Sept 30 96 for City Alderman Linn, for the Committee on Purchases, presented their report stating that they had awarded the contract for furnishing feed for City Teams and Stock at Hospital, for the quarter ending September 30th 1896, to Messrs. Robinson Brothers, the report of the Committee was adopted. Special Com's. report on Ord. amending certain Sections of the W. & L. Ordv. Alderman Taylor, for the special committee, to whom was referred an ordinance amending certain sections of the Water and Light ordinances, presented their report submitting a substitute, and recommending the passage of the substitute. On motion the report was laid over to come up with the ordinance. City Engineers report on opening Alley in Block No 15 The Mayor laid before the Council the report of the City Engineer in regard to the opening of Alley in Block No 15, stating that he had caused said Alley to be opened. The report was received, read and ordered filed. Unfinished Business Ord. appropriating $750. to purchase land to new reservoir The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $750. to purchase land for reservoir site, which was on motion laid over until the next regular meeting of the Council. Special Com. to suggest names for Bd of Equalization ask for further time The special committee appointed to suggest names for appointment as board of equalization, asked for further time, which was on motion granted. Ord. appropriating $575.00 to pay Principal & Int. due on 1 10 % Bond. Passed. The Mayor then laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $575.00 to pay principal and interest on 10 per Cent Bonds. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Platt, Powell, Read, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Saylor, Tobin, Downsend and Zilker. 16. Nays. None. Ord. approving $15.00 to Mr. Corbitt claim for damages Passed. Alderman Platt, an ordinance appropriating the sum of $15.00 to pay claim of M. Corbitt for damages to horse, The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Powell, Read, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Saylor, Tobin, Townsend and Zilker 15. Nays Alderman Linn. 1 Substitute ord. offered by Special Com. on W&L ord to certain sections of the W. & L. ord. The Mayor laid before the Council, the substitute ordinance offered and submitted by the Special Com. on W & L. to amend certain sections of the W. & L. ordinances. The ordinance was read first time. --- Page break --- 429 Ord. ordered published in Aldermann Lawless moved that the ordinance be published in full in the full in minutes minutes and that it lie over until the next regular meeting of the Council which motion prevailed. The following is the ordinance in full: An ordinance amending sections 1, 2, 4, 9, 11, 15, 26, 27, and 28 of an ordinance entitled an ordinance providing for the management and operation of the Water works, Electric Light and Power plants of the City of Austin and establishing rules and regulations for the government thereof, and fixing rates for services. Sec. 1 Section 1, Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Austin: That the general supervision of the Water works, Electric Light and Power plants of the City of Austin shall be vested in a Superintendent subject to the control of the Mayor and City Council. Sec. 2 Section 2, The Mayor shall appoint a standing committee composed of three members of the City Council, to be known as the "Committee on Water and Light," to whom shall be referred all bills and accounts for approval and for the investigation of such other matters as may be referred to them. Sec. 4 Section 4, There shall be employed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the City Council, a Superintendent, who shall hold his office until his successor may be appointed. He shall have charge of and be responsible for the Water works and Electric Light and Power plants, machinery and grounds; he shall consider all matters relating to supplying the City of Austin with a sufficient quantity of Water, Light and Power for all convenient purposes and make reports and recommendations thereon to the City Council. He shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the Mayor and City Council. He shall give a bond, payable to the City of Austin, with good security, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties, in accordance with the Charter and Ordinances of the City, in the sum of $5,000. to be approved by the City Council. He may employ such hands, machinists and assistants as he may need from time to time, under direction of the Mayor and City Council. He shall devote his whole time to the City and shall thoroughly and frequently inspect the plant and maintain it in efficient condition. No purchases shall be made nor obligations incurred except upon his requisition, approved by the Mayor and a majority of the Water & Light Committee and the Finance Committee. Sec. 9 Section 9, He shall cause to be kept a record of the Water & Electricity consumed daily by the City, and such other matters as may be proper and as may be required by the Mayor and City Council. Sec. 11 Section 11, All applications for the use of Water and Electricity shall be made on blanks for that purpose to the Superintendent and shall state fully and truly, the purpose for which it is required. In case of misrepresentation on the part of any applicant or any waste or diversion to other use, the service will be stopped, unless the consumer pays the additional rate and a penalty of one dollar. The subscriber shall provide all needed service pipes, stop cocks, and fire plugs. Ord. Book D, Page 444, See Ordinance record, p. 199. --- Page break --- 430 transactions by a system of blanks, books, stubs etc., Upon the filing and entering of such application, a certificate to that effect shall be issued to the applicant and be filed with the collector, and the applicant shall pay him the proper rate. The collector shall thereupon issue to the consumer his receipt accordingly. The superintendent shall daily cause all collections to be paid to the City Treasurer to the credit of the water works fund. Sec. 15 Section 15. All tapping shall be done by the City. The Superintendent may advertise for bids for putting in service pipes and wires for consumers until the end of each fiscal year, and the City Council may award the same to the lowest and best bidders on their entering into a good bond, to be approved by the City Council, in the sum of $500, provided that consumers may have service pipes and wires run by private contract under supervision of the Superintendent. Sec. 16 Section 16. All persons or firms carrying on a plumbing business before they can do any work on any of the pipes or connections of the City's Water Works, must give bond in the sum of Five hundred dollars ($500,) with two good and sufficient sureties. Said bond must be approved by the City Council and filed with the Superintendent. The bond shall be conditioned that all work shall be done in a good and workmanlike manner and without injury to any of the City pipes and in accordance with the rules and regulations, and that they will indemnify the City for all damages occasioned by their neglect or unskillful work done by their employees. Sec. 17 Section 17. Upon giving the bond provided for, a permit will be issued to such plumbers from the Superintendent, and such permit will be revoked by the Superintendent if the plumber fails to comply with all the rules and do his work in proper manner, subject to appeal to the City Council. Sec. 18 Section 18. If any plumber shall resist or attempt to prevent any inspection of his work, he shall forfeit his license and not be permitted to do any more work under that license, and shall not be issued a new one except by permission of the City Council and double bond. Bond of F. Stenging as Assessor and Collector of School Tax The Mayor laid before the Council the bond of Fred. Stenging, Assessor and Collector of School Tax, which was, on motion, referred to the Finance Committee. Bill from A.W.L.& P.Co. The Mayor laid before the Council a bill from the Austin, Water, Light and Power Company for rent of Fire hydrants for the six months ending Sept 30th 1896, which was on motion, referred to the City Attorney Ord. Appropr'g $300. to pay for Extra Street Labor Passed and Board of Public Works. By Aldermen Zilner, An ordinance appropriating the sum of $300. to pay extra street laborers. The ordinance was passed, under suspension of the rules, by the following vote: Yeas, Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Sinn, Flatt, Powell, Bordeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpp, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend and John Vo. Nays None. Ordin. authorizing City of Austin to enter into contract with Board of School Trustees, Mo. K. & T. Ry Co. etc etc By Aldermen Taylor. An ordinance authorizing and continuing The City of Austin and its Board of School Trustees; the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Ry. Co. of Texas, its receivers, [illegible], [illegible], [illegible] [illegible] County, Texas, [illegible], [illegible]. --- Page break --- 431 late Jno. T. Allan Passage interest owned by the late Jno. T. Allan. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules, by the following vote: Yeas, Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend & Zilker 16. Nays, None. Ord. Appropg. $187.00 to build a bridge across Harrington's branch. By Alderman Zilker, An ordinance appropriating the sum of $187.00 to build a bridge across Harrington's branch, South Austin. Read first time, and, on motion of Alderman Redd, the ordinance was referred to the Street Committee. Ord. Appropg. $76. to pay for Extra Sanitary Labor. By Alderman Glass, An ordinance appropriating $76. to pay extra Sanitary laborers for July, 1896. Read first time, and, on motion of Alderman Glass, the rules were suspended and the ordinance placed upon its second reading by the following vote: Yeas, Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Blatt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend and Zilker 15. Nays Alderman Linn. 1, The ordinance was then read a second time and a motion made to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on its third reading, which motion was lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend & Zilker 14 Nays Aldermen Linn and Platt 2. Ord. limiting time of moving slops, swills etc. By Alderman Glass, An ordinance limiting the time in which slops and swill can be moved by garbage carts and wagons in the City of Austin. Alderman Blatt moved the ordinance to pass. Alderman Taylor moved as a substitute that it be referred to the ordinance Committee, Lost. A motion to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on its second reading was lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Blatt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Tobin and Zilker 13. Nays Aldermen Linn, Taylor and Townsend 3. Referred to Com on Sanita- tion & Sewerage. On motion of Alderman Taylor the ordinance was referred to the Committee on Sanitation and Sewerage. Ord. Appropg. $1395.00 to pay Approved Accts By Alderman Townsend, An ordinance appropriating the sum of $1395.00 to pay approved accounts. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules, by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen, Glass, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Blatt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend and Zilker. 16. Nays None. Report of the Fire Suptd on Earth Tremblers reported &c. Disposed of. Communication of The Superintendent of Water and Light in regard to Fire Drills, reports and other matters in reference to Fire Matters was referred to the Special Committee. --- Page break --- 432 already appointed on the communication of the Chief Engineer of the Ft Wayne Electric Corporation. Ord. Appropg. $1575.00 to pay Int. on Bonds issued prior to May 1 90 By Alderman Townsend, An ordinance (appropriating the sum of $1575. out of the interest and sinking fund of Bonds issued prior to May 1st 1890, to pay interest due July 1st 1896, on said bonds. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beas, Haynes, Horton, Lawless, Linn, Blau, Powell, Budd, Brodeau, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Tobin, Townsend and Zilker. 16. Nays, None. On motion of Alderman Taylor the Council adjourned. Jno A Johnson City Clerk