536 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the City Council. Austin, Texas, Jan. 11. 1897. Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor, presiding. Roll Called. Present Aldermen, Becker, Castro, Elvin, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Lumm, Maddox, Miller, Nitschke, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor and Zilker 20. Absent Aldermen Lawless and Townsend. Alderman Redd moved to dispense with reading the minutes, and that they be approved as printed, which motion prevailed. On motion, City Attorney Pendexter and Marshal Lucy were excused from further attendance at this session of the Council. Petitions. Pet. of Wm Heye for remittance of penalty charged against him by A. & C. for 1895 Taxes. By Alderman Taylor, Petition of Wm Heye, asking the Council to remit the penalty charged him by the Assessor and Collector of taxes for 1895. Read and on motion referred to the Committee on Claims and Accounts. Pet. of A. J. Hill for remittance of penalties & costs &c. By the Mayor was then laid before the Council the petition of A. J. Hill, Treasurer to have certain penalties and costs remitted! Read and on motion was referred to the Committee on Claims and Accounts. Alderman Townsend entered the Council Chamber. City Officers The reports of the City Officers for the month of December 1896, were then laid before the Council and on motion were referred to their appropriate Committees without reading, except the report of the City Treasurer, which was read and referred to the Finance Committee. The following is a synopsis of the reports: -By the Assessor and Collector. Assessor & Collector To Collections as follows: From General Revenue $ 2640.69 “ Interest and Sinking Fund Water and Light Bonds 3404.71 “ Interest on Old Bonds 759.44 “ School Tax. 1200.86 Total Collections $ 7505.70 Referred to Finance Committee. City Clerk By the City Clerk. Total amount of Warrants drawn against General Fund $ 5197.49 “ “ “ “ “ Earnings “ 4337.75 Referred to the Finance Committee. City Treasurer By the City Treasurer. Balances on hand, General Fund $ 1718.96 “ “ “ Interest on Old Bonds 1261.79 “ “ “ Earnings Fund 4484.18 “ “ “ Interest and Sinking Fund W & L Bonds 19,331.27 “ “ “ Water & Light Fund 28,431.60 Referred to Finance Committee. City Warden. By, The City, Warden. For Amount of Fines assessed in Recorder's Ct., $ 340.20 Pd. to City Secty. [illegible] --- Page break --- 537 Worked out $118.00 Escalated 19.00 Carried forward 29.50 $340.00 Collected on back fines 5.00 Total number of Arrests, 63. Pound fees Collected. $45.50 Referred to Police Committee. City Physician By the City Physician " Number of Patients in Hospital December 1. 16 " " Admitted during " 21 " " Dismissed " " 10 " " Deaths 3 " " Patients remaining January 1, 1897 24 " Visits to Paupers during December 1896 88 " Prescriptions written for Paupers during December 1896. 133. Referred to Hospital Committee City Sexton By the City Sexton. Total number of Deaths 16 White 10 Colored 6 Male 11 Female 9 Still Born 2 Premature Referred to Cemetary Committee Supt. of W & L Plant. The report of the Superintendent of the Water and Light Plant shows: Total number of Water takers November 30. 2117 " " Added during December 33 " " Cut off " " 9 Net gain during the month. 24 Total number of Light takers November 30. 907 " " Added during December 20 Making total at close of the month 927 The collections for December were as follows: For Water $2029.13 " Light 2123.86 " Electric Power 275.16 Total $4428.15 Referred to the Water and Light Committee. Alderman Lawless entered the Council Chamber Report of W & L Committee Alderman Fischer, for the Water and Light Committee, presented the in regard to furnishing clean following, which was read and adopted. Water. Austin, Tex., January 4, 1897. Hon. W. M. Walton, Mayor and City Council. Gentlemen: We, the Water and Light Committee, after consideration of a petition for getting clean water to the City, as also the matter of a Bond issue to this end, respectfully recommend that the The said City Council be authorized to proceed with the work --- Page break --- 538 and specifications as recommended by the Mayor and Superintendent and that the Superintendent be instructed to receive bids for such machines as he may consider necessary. Respectfully submitted, Francis Fischer, J.M. Maddox P.C. Lawless. Water and Light Committee. Report of Com. on Printing in regard to Newspaper Printing. Alderman Haynes, for the Printing Committee, presented the following report, which was read and adopted: Austin, Tex., January 4, 1897. To Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor, and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin. Gentlemen, Your Committee on Printing, having advertised for bids for publishing the proceedings of the City Council and such other matters as may be ordered by the Council for the ensuing year ending November 30, 1897, beg leave to report two bids received; one from the Statesman Publishing Company, and one from the Austin Evening News; each of said bids being one-half of a cent per word for the first insertion, and one-eighth of a cent per word for each subsequent insertion, and are herewith submitted. These bids being very little less than last year, your Committee, in view of the financial condition of the City, can not recommend the acceptance of either bid, but would suggest that your Committee be authorized to ascertain and report to the Council at its next meeting the probable cost of printing the Council proceedings for the ensuing year in pamphlet form, or ask for other bids. H.S. Haynes, S.E. Rosengren, A.M. Belvin, Committee. Report of Printing Com. on award of Contract for Job Printing. Austin, Tex., January 4, 1897. To the Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor, and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin: Gentlemen, Your Committee on Printing having advertised for bids for all Job Printing for the City for the year ending November 30, 1897, beg leave to report one bid received from Mr. Eugene Von Boeckmann which is herewith submitted. This bid being, on the whole, somewhat lower than his bid for last year, which expired November 30, 1896, your Committee would recommend the acceptance of Mr. Von Boeckmann's bid for the Job Printing of the City for the year ending November 30, 1897. H.S. Haynes, S.E. Rosengren, A.W. Belvin, Committee. Report of Com. on Purchase on award of Contract to furnish Feed. Alderman Linn, for the Purchasing Committee, presented a report stating that they had awarded the contract for furnishing Feed for City teams and cow, at City Hospital, for the quarter ending March 31, 1897, to Messrs Robinson Bros., and E.J. Martin. (The report was adopted). [illegible] [illegible] Alderman Linn, for the Purchasing Committee, presented a report, stating, that on Dec. 29, 1896, he visited the City scales of Richard Gilgan, and ordered his scales adjusted. --- Page break --- 539 Culvert Pipe Report of Finance Com. on Mayor's Message in regard to Mayor's Salary & regular meetings of City Council. Fire Commissioners report on Reso. to change Fire Hydrant in E. Austin. Ord. appropriating $50. to purchase Loeb Respirator for Fire Dep't. Ord. providing for sale of Wagons & Mules. the City for the year ending November 30, 1897, to the Austin White Lime Co. The report of the Committee was adopted, and the Mayor authorized to enter into contract in accordance with the award. Alderman Shelley, for the Finance Committee, presented the following report: To Hon. Lewis Hancock, Mayor, and City Council of the City of Austin: Gentlemen, Your Finance Committee, to whom was referred, that portion of the Mayor's Message, relating to the salary of the Mayor, and regular meetings of the City Council, beg leave to report that, in our opinion, the City Council has no authority to change the salary of the Mayor, as it is fixed by the Charter, and recommend that hereafter there be but one regular meeting of the City Council in each month. Respectfully submitted, Thos. F. Taylor W. D. Shelley Alderman Linn moved that the report of the Committee be received and filed. Alderman Taylor moved that the report of the Committee be adopted. Alderman Roberdeau moved as a substitute that the report be referred to the Special Committee on Charter Amendments, which motion prevailed. The Mayor laid before the Council a report from the Fire Commissioners to whom was referred a resolution offered by Alderman Nitschke, instructing the Water and Light Committee to have fire hydrant moved from East Twelfth and Alamo Streets to East Sixteenth and Poquito streets recommending that the change be made. The report was adopted and the Water and Light Superintendent directed to have the hydrant changed as asked for. Unfinished Business The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $50. to purchase one Loeb Respirator for the Fire Department with a favorable report of the Fire Committee. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Fisher, Haykes, Horton, Kuhn, Lawless, Linn, Maddox, Miller, Nitschke, Platt, Powell, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider, Stumpf, Townsend and Zilker. 19. Nays Aldermen Redd, Shelley and Taylor 3. The Mayor then laid before the Council an ordinance providing for the sale of six street wagons and eleven mules now owned by the City. The ordinance was read a second time. Alderman Taylor offered the following amendment: Strike out Section 1 and insert the following: Section 1. That the Street Committee be, and it is hereby, authorized and instructed to ask for and receive bids either private or public for the purchase of five street wagons and nine mules now owned by the City of Austin, and report such bids back to the City Council at its next regular meeting. Alderman Beaty moved as a substitute that the ordinance be recommitted to a Special Committee of 3, to report at the next meeting which motion prevailed, and the Mayor appointed as said Committee, Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, and Lawless. --- Page break --- 540 New Business Ord. fixing Bond of City Treasurer. at $30.000 & asking for new bond On leave being had, By Alderman Shelley, An ordinance fixing the bond of the City Treasurer, as Custodian of the Water and Light Fund, at $30,000, and requiring the Treasurer to give a new bond. On motion the rules were suspended, and the ordinance placed on its second reading by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Lawless, Linn, Maddox, Miller, Nitsche, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Townsend and Zilker. 22. Nays. None. The ordinance was then read the second time. Ord. amended by inserting $50,000 instead of $30,000. Alderman Maddox moved to amend the ordinance by striking out thirty, and inserting fifty, making the bond for fifty thousand dollars, which motion prevailed. A motion was then made to suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on its third reading, which motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Lawless, Linn, Maddox, Miller, Nitsche, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Townsend and Zilker. 22. Nays. None. The ordinance was then passed. Ord. appropriating $100 for Contingent Expenses of W. & L. Plant. By Alderman Fischer, An ordinance appropriating the sum of $100 to pay contingent expenses of the Water and Light Plant. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Lawless, Linn, Maddox, Miller, Nitsche, Platt, Powell, Redd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Schneider, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor, Townsend and Zilker. 22. Nays. None. Resolution instructing Supt. of Streets to put Culvert opposite Teek's Store S. Austin in passable Condition. Alderman Redd offered the following resolution which was read and referred to the Street Committee. Resolved, That whereas, the Culvert opposite Teek's store leading into Fairview Park is in a dangerous condition and unsafe for safe travel and whereas, in its present condition the City is liable to a damage suit at any time in case of accident. Be it resolved, That the Street Commissioner be instructed to examine the same and put it in passable condition as soon as possible. John Cook. How to be subrogated on pay roll Alderman Zilker called attention to the fact that John Cook had been carried upon the pay roll as a ploughman when he had been serving as foreman of one of the street gangs, and suggesting that the Committee be instructed as to how his name should be placed upon said roll so as to draw his pay. Alderman Schneider moved that he be placed upon the roll as ploughman. Alderman Shelley moved, That the Street Commissioner be authorized to place his name on the pay roll in whatever capacity he may see fit, which motion prevailed. On motion the Council Adjourned. Jno. O. Johnson Jno C. Gibson Secty.