Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the City Council Austin, Texas, January 17, 1898 Hon. John C. McCall, Mayor, presiding. Roll Called. Aldermen Albin, Beton, Brooner, Fischer, Haynes, [illegible] Maddox, McLemore, [illegible] Morris, Draschke, Platt, Powell, Redd, Robertson, Blumpf, Saylor and Townsend [illegible] Absent Aldermen [illegible] Horton, Rosengren, Shelley and [illegible] Minutes approved as printed. On motion the minutes were approved as printed without reading. Petitions &c. Pet. of C. Cursor By Alderman Morris Petition of C. Cursor. Read and referred to the Street Comm[ittee] of East Austin Hose Co. to have By Alderman Hayes: Petition of East Aust. Hose Co. &c. asking the Council Hall re-floored. to re-floor their hall. Read and referred to the Fire Committee. Alderman Horton and Shelley entered the Council Chamber. Application of Jno. A. Webb & the The Mayor laid before the Council, application of Jno. A. Webb & Co., for perto erect a Shed on Lot 5, Block 18. mission to erect a shed on Lot 5, Block 18 within the fire limits. Read and referred to the Fire Commissioners. Reports of City Officers City Engineer's report on cost of By the City Engineer. Report of cost of bridge across Brewing Branch in Bridge Brewing Branch. South Austin. Read and ordered filed. Alderman Rosengren entered the Council Chamber. Police Committee's report on City Marshal's Alderman Powell, for the Police Committee, to whom was referred the reports reports for Dec. 1897. of the City Marshal for the month of December, 1897, presented a report stating that the reports had been examined and found correct. The report was ordered filed. Printing Committee's report on bids for Alderman McLemore, for the Printing Committee presented a report City Printing for year taking December stating that they had advertised for, and received bids for Newspaper and Job Printing, for the present fiscal year, and presented said bids for the consideration of the Council. Alderman Saylor moved that action on the bids be deferred until the report of the Budget Committee had been received, which motion prevailed. Unfinished Business. Ord. appropriating $80.00 to pay The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the 2 Extra Drivers Street Teams. sum of $80. to pay Salaries of two extra drivers for Street Teams for the Read 2nd Time. month of January 1898. The ordinance was read second time, and on motion further consideration was postponed until after the budget was adopted. Ord. appropriating $0. to pay S.J. Munn The Mayor then laid before the Council, an ordinance appropriating the sum & R.L. Pollard. Read 2nd time & laid of $50. to pay S.J. Munn and R.L. Pollard. on table. The ordinance was read second time, and on motion was laid on the table. New Business. Resol. directing City Engineer Alderman Albin offered a resolution directing the City Engineer to numto number Streets in North Austin. ber the streets north of Twenty-sixth Street, and to procure necessary signs for the same. On motion the resolution was postponed until the adoption of the budget. Resol. Naming Aud. City Assessor Alderman Morris offered the following resolution: Whereas the records in the City Assessor and Collector's office show that There is at the present [illegible] City taxes [illegible] and [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] amounting to $[illegible], to $58.66. [illegible] resolved, that the City [illegible] be [illegible] to pay, previous and [illegible] --- Page break --- 750 obligations, and to more needed repairs upon the streets, and Whereas, justice and equity demand that the burden of taxation should rest upon all the tax payers of the City alike; Therefore, be it Resolved: By the City Council of the City of Austin. First. That the City Attorney be and he is hereby directed to use every legal remedy necessary to enforce the payment of City taxes for the year 1896, and all prior years. Second. That if the present ordinances of the City are not sufficient to enable him to do so, and other legal remedies can be brought to bear upon delinquent tax payers by the passage by the City Council, of an additional ordinance, or ordinances, containing such further remedies, then and in that event that the City Attorney be, and he is hereby directed, to prepare for submission to the Council, as soon as practicable, such ordinances as he may deem necessary, to enable him to comply with with subdivision 1 hereof. Third. That this resolution have effect and be in force from and after its passage. Alderman Platt moved to refer the resolution to a special committee of 5, which motion was lost by the following vote: Yeas: Aldermen Crooner, Maddox McLemore, Platt, Rudd and Townsend 6. Nays Aldermen Delvin, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Hulm, Miller, Morris, Titlchue, Powell, Robertson, Rosengru, Shelley, Stump and Saylor 14. The resolution was then adopted by the following vote: Yeas: Aldermen Gelvin, Fischler, Haynes, Horton, Hulm, Maddox, Miller, Morris, Titlechke, Powell, Robertson, Rosengru, Shelley, Stump and Saylor 15. Nays: Aldermen Crooner, McLemore, Platt, Rudd and Townsend 5. Alderman Powell moved that the resolution be printed in full in the proceedings, which motion prevailed. Alderman Morris presented a resolution in regard to the probable receipts and expenditures of the City during the fiscal year, and requesting an opinion from the City Attorney as to the legal authority of the Council to levy a special tax for 1897, to pay a portion of the judgment of the Austin Water Light and Power Company, against the City to become due during the present fiscal year. Alderman Cleary entered the Council Chamber. The resolution of Alderman Morris was adopted. By Alderman Shelley. An ordinance granting to the Postal Telegraph Cable Company of Texas, the right to construct, operate and maintain its lines of poles and wires over the Streets and Alleys of the City of Austin. The ordinance was read first time. Alderman Shelley moved to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on its second reading. Alderman Saylor moved as a substitute that the ordinance be referred to a special committee of three, which motion was lost. The motion to suspend the rules were adopted by the following vote: Yeas: Aldermen Gelvin, [illegible] [illegible] Haynes, Horton, Hulm, Maddox, [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] Platt [illegible] Stump, Shelley, [illegible] and Townsend [illegible] --- Page break --- 751 Nays. Aldermen Horton, Powell, Robertdeau and Taylor 4. The ordinance was then read second time. The representation of the Company was invited to address the Council and explain the object of the Company. Alderman Horton offered the following amendment: Amend section 1 as follows: After the word "Austin" insert the following "Except Congress Avenue, unless placed underground." The amendment was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Crooper, Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, MaddoMr. Lemon, Miller, Morris, Titschke, Platt, Powell, Rudd, Robertdeau, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor and Townsend 21 Nays None. Alderman Maddox moved to amend Section 7. by adding after the word "hereof" the words "which acceptance shall be made in writing within ten days after this ordinance shall have been approved." That amendment was adopted. Aldermen Maddo- moved to amend Section 2 by striking out the word "reasonably" which motion was lost. The rule was further suspended and the ordinance was placed upon its third reading and final passage by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Crooner Fischer, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Maddox Mr. Lemore, Miller, Morris, Titschke, Platt, Rudd, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf, and Townsend 18. Nays Aldermen Powell, Robertdeau and Taylor 3. The ordinance was then read third time and passed by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Beaty, Belvin, Crooner Fischer, Haynes, Kuhn, Maddox, Mr. Lemore, Miller, Morris, Titschke, Platt, Rudd, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf and Townsend 17. Nays Aldermen Horton, Powell, Robertdeau and Taylor 4. On motion, Alderman Fischer was excused from further attendance at this session of the Council. Police Committee report on Ord- Alderman Powell, for the Police Committee, to whom was referred an defining duties of Bridge Keeper ordinance defining the duties of Bridge Keeper, presented their report together with a substitute for said ordinance. On motion, the report of the Committee was adopted. The substitute ordinance proposed by the Committee was then read, and on motion the rule was suspended, and the ordinance read second time, by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Belvin, Crooner, Haynes, Horton, Kuhn, Maddox, Mr. Lemore Miller, Morris, Titschne, Platt, Powell, Rudd, Robertdeau, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf and Townsend 18. Nays. Aldermen Beaty, and Taylor 2. The ordinance was read second time. Alderman Horton offered a substitute for the ordinance. Alderman Crooner moved to refer to the Committee. Lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Crooner, Morris and Platt Nays Aldermen Beaty, [illegible], Haynes, Horton, Maddox, [illegible] S[illegible] --- Page break --- 752 Miller, Titchner, Powell, Predd, Roberdeau, Rosengren, Shelley, Stumpf, Taylor and Townsend 17. The vote was then taken on the substitute offered by Alderman Horton, and lost by the following vote: Yeas Aldermen Realy, Delvin, Horton, Maddox, Titchner, Rosengren, Stumpf and Taylor 8. Nays Aldermen Crooken, Haynes, Hulin, McTomor, Miller, Morris, Plott, Powell, Predd, Roberdeau, Shelley and Townsend 12. Alderman Taylor moved to amend by inserting that the Bridge Keeper is required to be on duty both day and night, which motion was lost. On motion the Council adjourned. Jno. a. Johnson City Clerk.