Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin Tex Austin Texas October 02, 1899 Hon Jno. A. McCall Mayor Presiding, Roll Called Present Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Morris Martimen Nolen and Strumpf 7 Absent None. On motion the minutes were approved as recorded without reading R.J. B. [illegible] leave On Motion of Alderman Glass Sanitary Inspector Bell was 15 days. granted a leave of absence for 15 days to date from the 7th Inst. Petitions Memorials etc Pet J.N. Danion The Mayor laid before the Council a petition from J.N. Danion to have assmt asking a correction in assessment for taxes for the Year 1898 Corrected On Motion the petition was referred to the Finance Committee The Mayor then laid before the Council the following Communication which was read and on Motion referred to the Water and Light Committee Austin Texas September 20th 1899. To the Honorable City Council City of Austin Texas W.L. Comm. Gentlemen: At a meeting of the Water, Light and Power Commission held September 19th 1899, the following resolution was passed Res franchise "Resolved that the attention of the City Council be Called res. water Co. to the fact that the franchise of the Austin Water, Light and Power Company to erect poles and wires in the streets and alleys of the City expired on the 6th day of October 1897, with the request that such steps, as may be necessary, be taken, to remove said poles and wires from the streets and alleys" Respectfully A.N. Leidmaker Dr. Doom Geo Siegel H.B. Wortham Jno. A. McCall Ex Water and Light Commissioners Alderman Strumpff offered the following resolution which was Ars to have fire adopted. "Resolved, By the City Council of the City of Austin [illegible] refd That the Water Light and Power Commission be and they are hereby requested to have the fire plugs of the City properly repaired where needed and said Commission have the cut offs removed from all fire plugs of the City of Austin in order that accidents at fires from that source may be avoided That the City Clerk be and he is hereby instructed to deliver a Certified Copy of the resolution to the said Commission Alderman Strumpff offered the following resolution which was read and on Motion referred to the Ordinance Committee and the City Attorney Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin: --- Page break --- 210 Res. prohibiding That if any fire Company of that City shall hereafter fix any fire hose to [illegible] fire hose of the City to any fire plug of the Austin Water Light and [illegible] & [illegible] Power Co, or use or attempt to use the water of said Company in any manner at any fire occurring in said City, in violation of the order of the Chief of the fire Department such Company shall be suspended for the period of thirty days without pay; and that if any individual member of said fire department shall so offend he shall be expelled from his Company and forfeit his membership in said department Reports of City Officers - Reports by The Mayor laid before the Council the monthly reports of all the Officers Sept 99 City Officers except the Marshals for the month of Sept 1899 On Motion the reports were referred to their appropriate Committees without reading - The following is a synopsis of the reports. By the Assessor & Collector To Collections as follows From Genl Revenue $ 1063.60 " License fee 1878.25 " Fines in Mayors Court 238.10 " Pound fees and Sales 24.00 " Penalties interest and Costs (attorneys) 154.98 " Registration fee of dogs 84.00 Total for the general fund $ 2916.88 " Interest and Sinking fund Water & Light bonds 1054.27 " " " " " ced bonds 89.40 " School Taxes 491.01 Total Collections $ 4551.56 Referred to Finance Committee By the City Clerk Total amount of warrants drawn against the General fund during the Month $1038697 Referred to Finance Committee By the City Treasurer To Balance Aug 31st 99 a/c General fund 47488.08 Recd during the month of Sept 3081.02 By Warrants paid during the Month $1067741 Balance 39836.69 $ 5051410 / 5051410 Balance Interest a/c Water Light bonds Aug 31. 8828.84 Recd from [illegible] a/c during the month 1820.22 " " Depth Patterson " " 6008.44 Paid Warrants during the month $16 18750 $ 16,187.50 Bal Aug 31 Sinking fund W&L bonds $ 12406.52 Rec'd from [illegible] a/c during the ms 52909 Bal Sept 30, 99 $ 12934. [illegible] / 129046 1 Referred to Finance Committee --- Page break --- 211 By the City Physician Number of patients in hospital Sept 1st 99 27 " " " admitted in " 18 " " " dismissed " " 20 " " " remaining " 30. 25 " " Visits to paupers " 85 " " Prescriptions to paupers " 200 " " Cases of scarlet fever reported 1 No other contagious diseases reported Referred to Hospital Committee By the City Doctor No of deaths during the month 10 White 8 Mexican 1 Cod 1 Male 5 Female 5 Referred to Cemetery Committee Rept Police Alderman Stumff for the Police Committee to whom was Committee referred the charges preferred by Marshall Thorp against Pound against Pound Warden Powell presented the following report which was read Warden Powell and adopted. Austin Tex Oct 2 1899 To the Jno. De Ur Hall and Board of Aldermen of the City of Austin Gentlemen Your Committee on Police to whom was referred the charges made by Mr. A.J. Thorp City Marshall, against Mr. D.H. Powell Pound Warden, would respectfully state that after carefully considering the testimony presented it is thought proper to recommend that the charges be dismissed Very Respectfully Joseph Stumff Mellon Morris H.C. Nolen Committee on Police Unfinished Business Code at Rice The Mayor laid before the Council the ordinance to put in postponed operation the Corporation Court Alderman Dunham moved to postpone further consideration of the ordinance until the next regular meeting of the Council which motion prevailed The Mayor laid before the Council the following Message Mayors office Austin Tex October 2nd 1899 To the Honorable City Council Members VS [illegible] I have the honor to present the [illegible] name of Mr. Jno.H Robinson Jr., to be a member of the Board of Equalization of the City of Austin --- Page break --- 212 There are other taxpayers who would doubtless make good members of the Board. The names of some of these were presented, but were not acceptable to the Council I have no desire except to work in harmony with the Council If by any chance the Board should not give satisfaction, then the responsibility would lie Jno H Robinson with the Mayor, and not the members of the Council Jr Nominated & Section 39, pages 13 and 14 of the City Charter, says that the rejected Board shall be appointed by the Mayor, and Confirmed by the City Council As it is my duty under the Charter to appoint the members of the Board, I have presented the name of Mr Robinson, who, in so far as I can learn, is acceptable to the people. Respectfully, Jno B McCall Mayor Alderman Glass moved that the Council Vote upon the matter of Confirmation by ballot which motion prevailed and the Mayor appointed Aldermen Fischer & Nolan as Tellers The tellers announced the following as the result of the ballot. For Confirmation 3 against Confirmation 3. Not Voting 1 The alderman not all voting a new ballot was ordered The tellers announced the following as the result of the second ballot For Confirmation 1. against Confirmation 6. The Mayor laid before the Council the bill of the Water Bill wk Cons Works, Electric Light and Power Plant of the City of Austin, for Water & Light from Water & Light furnished to Sept 30th 1899, which was furnished read and referred to the Water & Light Committee By Alderman Fischer An ordinance appropriating the appt to pay appts sum of $1490.90 to pay approved accounts also The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Morris Martiman Nolan and Strimph 7 Nays None Mayor authorized Alderman Glass moved that the Mayor be authorized to buy 1 car oil to purchase one car of oil for sprinkling streets, which motion for sprinkling streets prevailed - Alderman Morris excused from further attendance Alderman Martiman moved that a leave of absence for 15 days be granted to Marshall Sharp- which motion prevailed Alderman Glass offered the following resolution Res requesting which was read and adopted W& Com to Stop Whereas some of the citizens of Austin are still using their Pmy water for sprinkling her trees from City Water plant which we believe at this time of the year and on account of the scarcity of water can be discontinued without any serious inconvenience - --- Page break --- 213 Now Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin that the Water & light Commission be requested to compel the discontinuance of the use of water for sprinkling purposes until the supply of water be sufficient for the necessary supply of citizens of Austin and that the clerk be requested to notify the Water & Light Commission of the passage of this resolution Alderman Glass offered the following resolution "Whereas the City Council of the City of Austin has no Res to appoint com immediate control of the Water & Light Plant of the City of of 30 citizens to Austin and that the present water and light Commission has investigate W&L signally failed to perfect and improve the plant as originally Plant intended by the citizens of Austin And we believe it would be more satisfactory to the people of the City that they look into and examine the present unfortunate conditions themselves by a representative committee appointed from the best citizens of Austin. Now be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin- that the Mayor be and is hereby required to appoint a committee of thirty from the representative citizens of Austin to examine into the conditions of the Water and light plants of the City with full power to act in the examination of persons and papers accounts and such other matters as may be advisable - to administer Oaths - Compel attendance of witnesses and make a thorough examination of all matters connected with the water and light plant of the City - Also to make such recommendations as they may deem necessary to the further improvement of the plant and such other recommendations as they may see fit to make Alderman Glass moved the adoption of the resolution - which motion was lost By Alderman Mortimer An ordinance regulating the Dog Ordinance running at large of dogs and providing for the registration of same and fixing a penalty for the violation of the regulations hereby established - the ordinance was read the first time and a motion made to suspend the rule and place the ordinance on its second reading which was lost by the following vote Yeas Alderman Dunham Glass Mortimer & Stumpf 4 Nays " Fischer & Nolen 2 Council to meet Alderman Fischer moved that the Council meet at 8 o'clock hereafter at 8 o'clock P.M. instead of 8 oc which motion prevailed On motion the Council adjourned Jno. Johnson City Clerk