246 Minutes of a regular meeting of the City Council Austin Texas Feby 5th 1900 Hon. Jas. P. Welles mayor presiding. Roll Called Present Aldermen Dunham, Fischer, Glass, Mortimer, and Stumff 5 Absent Aldermen Morris & Nolen. 2 On motion the minutes were approved as recorded by the clerk without reading. Petitions memorials etc. Pet Ewert for Mrs Wood The mayor laid before the Council a petition from Ewert Rea as agents for Mrs Wood asking a rebate in Taxes - The petition was on motion referred to the Committee on Claims and accounts P.L. Mayer & P.P. The mayor then laid before the Council the applications of Proline for building P.L. Mayer and P.P. Proline for permission to erect Iron Clad permits five limits Sheds within the five limits; which were on motion referred to the Five Commissioners. Resolution Alderman Stumff offered the following resolution, which Mrs Hagel Claim to was read and on motion referred to the Fire Committee and ground East City Engineer: Be it resolved by the City Council of the City Austin Fire Hall of Austin: That whereas Mrs Hagel has made demand upon the Chief of the Fire Dept to remove the stairway to the building of the East Austin Fire Company, under the claim that said Stairway is situated on her property, the Fire Committee and the City Attorney are hereby instructed to investigate said claim and report back to this body. Anderson & Caldwell By Alderman Mortimer - Application of Anderson & Caldwell building permit for permission to erect an iron roof shed within the five limits five limits. On motion the application was referred to the Fire Commissioners. Pet Citizen. work By Alderman Mortimer - Petition of citizens asking that certain on Rainey street street work be done on Rainey Street. The petition was read and on motion was referred to the street Committee. Pet Shelby & Norman By Alderman Mortimer - Petition of Walt. Shelby & G.W. Norman to cut down alley asking permission to cut down Alley in back of Lots 3, 4 & 5 in outlot in Division "D". On motion the petition was referred to the street Committee. Pet Citizens to remove By Alderman Glass. Petition of citizens asking the removal of Slaughter Pens. slaughter pens near their homes. Read and on motion referred to the Sanitary Committee. Prop. J.H. Robertson By Alderman Fischer - Proposition of James H Robertson to to compromise tax compromise back taxes. Read and referred to the Claims and accounts Committee Reports of City officers Reports By The Mayor laid before the Council the reports of City officers for the Mayor month of Jany 1900 - The reports of the Treasurer was read 1900 and the others reserved to their appropriate Committees without reading - The following is a synopsis of the Report of the Treasurer & Collector. --- Page break --- 247 To Collections as follows From General Revenue for Co. " " License" " " Travis County a/c City Health Dept. " " Fines in Mayors Court " " Pound fees & Sales " " Penalties, Interest & Costs (Cap. Taxes) Total for General Fund Interest Sinking fund Water & Light bonds. " " " old School Taxes Total Collections Referred to the Finance Committee By the City Clerk Total amount of warrants issued during the month against the General Fund Referred to the Finance Committee By the City Treasurer General fund. Balance Jany 1st 1900. Received during the month from Collector & Treasurer Disbursements: Paid warrants during the month $ 4336.73 3739.64 Balance Earnings fund. Balance Jany 1st 1900. Rec'd during the month from Supt Patterson Disbursements Paid warrants during the month $ 6221.54 2711.75 Balance Interest on Water and Light-bonds Balance Jany 1st 1900 Rec'd during the month from Collector & Treasurer Balance Sinking fund Water and Light-bonds Balance Jany 1st 1900 Cash High School bonds Rec'd during the month from Collector & Treasurer (Interest on High School bonds) Disbursement. Paid for S. W & L bonds Interest Balance [illegible] $ 1.712.87- 599.55 500.00 146.00 33.00 276.13 $ 3.267.50 1420.85 138.50 715.29 $ 5,542.14 $ 4.738.43 $ 39.935.37 1.796.00 $ 41.731.37 $ 2617.32 6315.97 $ 8.933.29 $ 2750.30 642.86 $ 3393.16 $ 3432.74 10.000.00 21.00 208.40 $ 6300.91 107.07 $ 14.400.78 --- Page break --- 248 Interest and sinking fund old bonds Balance Jan 1st 1900 Cash 6 5% W-Light- bonds Recd. during the month from Collection & Sinking (Fund) 3 - 5% water Light-bonds Disbursements Paid for 3-5% water Light-bonds $ 5029.11 Balance Cash 608.37 9-5% water bonds 7000.00 $ 12637.48 $ 3,567.48 6000.00 90.00 3000.00 $ 12,657.48 Referred to Finance Committee By the City Marshall Total amount of fines assessed in Mayor’s Court Paid in Cash Worked out Carried forward $ 962.00 207.00 56.00 $ 705.00 $ 705.00 Pound Fees Collected Referred to Police Committee $ 705.00 28.50 By the City Physician Number of Patients in Hospital Jan 1st 1900 " " " admitted in " " " " dismissed " " " deaths " " " Patients remaining " 31st " " Visits to paupers " " " Prescriptions paupers " " " Cases Small Pox " " " " Scarlet Fever " Referred to Hospital Committee 32 9 5 3 33 120- 306 7 6. By the City Sexton Total number of deaths White Mexican Colored Male Female Referred to Cemetery Committee 17 15 / / 11 6. Report from City The Mayor laid before the Council the report of the City and the [illegible] Attorney and Assessor and Collector, giving a list of property duly under judgment of the Dist. Court for taxes due and the right of redemption forfeited The report was on motion referred to the Finance Committee (Reports of Standing Committees) Alderman Fischer for the Street Committee reported on was --- Page break --- Report of Com referred the petition of H. McSilvary asking permission Pet. McSilvary to to lay a pipe from the Artesian well to the Driskill Hotel; lay pipe presented a report recommending that the petition be granted. The report of the Committee was adopted. Report St Com Alderman Fischer for the Street Committee, to whom was Pet Citizens to referred the petition of citizens asking authority to widen the widen side walk side-walk between Guadelupe Street and West Avenue to a Guadalupe St. width of sixteen feet; presented a report recommending that the petition be granted. The report of the Committee was adopted. Finance Com Alderman Stumpf for the Finance Committee to whom was Pet Rosa Delano. referred the petition of Rosa Delano, asking rebate in taxes, presented taxes a report recommending that the petition be not allowed. The report was adopted. Finance Com Alderman Stumpf for the Finance Committee to whom was Pet Mrs Trimble referred the petition of Mrs E. A. Trimble, regarding back taxes, taxes presented a report recommending that the petition be not allowed. On motion the petition and the report was re-referred to the Finance Committee to be considered in connection with the report of the City Attorney and the Assessor and Collector which was received at this meeting and referred to that Committee. Finance Com Alderman Stumpf for the Finance Committee presented a purchase of bonds report stating that the Committee had in compliance with Sinking fund a resolution of the Council purchased for the Sinking fund of the W & L bonds. Water and Light bonds. 3. 5% Water and Light-bonds Nos 89, 899 & 900. The report was adopted. Printing Com Alderman Glass for the printing Committee, presented a for printing report stating that the Committee had advertised for bids contracts 1900 for job printing for the year ending Dec 31st 1900, and had received two bids – One from Von Boeckman Schutze & Co and one from Ben C. Jones & Co. They recommended that the bid of Von Boeckman Schutze & Co be accepted, and that the contract be awarded them in accordance with their bid. Alderman Fischer moved to amend the report, by making the time of the contract three months instead of To Dec 31st 1900 The amendment was lost by the following vote: Yeas Alderman Fischer & Stumpf 2 Nays Alderman Dunham, Glass and Mortiman 3 The report of the Committee was then adopted by the following Vote: Yeas Alderman Dunham, Glass and Mortman 3 Nays Alderman Fischer and Stumpf 2 Unfinished business The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance establishing a Corporation Court On motion of Alderman Dunham. The ordinance was laid over until the next regular meeting. The Mayor then laid before the Council the following veto message Mayor's Office, Austin Texas --- Page break --- 250 Mayers Message Vetoing award of Contract for newspaper printing To the Honorable City Council: January 22nd, 1900. Gentlemen: I herewith return, without my Approval the report of the Printing Committee, as adopted at the Meeting of the City Council held January 15th, 1900, authorizing the Mayor to enter into Contract with the Tribune Publishing Company. The following are my reasons for not approving this report: 1st The rates for printing proposed in this report are sixteen times as high as rates now paid under the old Contract. In other words where under our Contract with the Evening News we now pay $100. we would under this proposed Contract with the Tribune pay $1600. This seems to me to be an erroneous increase in the rates and I think we should not rush into such a Contract. 2nd It seems to me that the calls for bids was not published in the proper doing the City printing, and I think it is safe to believe that interested parties would naturally expect to find a Call of this Kind in that paper. 3rd It appears that only one bid was received. It is fair to suppose that the Tribune is not the only paper that would be willing to do the City printing. It seems clear, therefore, that it was not generally Known that bids had been Called for. 4th I am Certain that if bids are advertised for there will be competition and the City will be able to make better terms than are offered in the single bid made. At any rate there can be nothing lost to the City by calling for bids again, and there is good reason to believe that a lower bid will be received. Respectfully, Jno. D. McCall Mayor Alderman Nolen entered the Council Chamber Alderman Glass moved to reconsider the Vote, by which the report of the Committee on Printing was adopted which motion prevailed. bun report adopted over the Mayors Veto Alderman Glass then moved that the report of the Committee on Printing be adopted. Notwithstanding the objections of the Mayor, which motion prevailed by the following Vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham, Rochen, Glass Mortimer and Nolen Nays Alderman Stumph The Mayor then Laid before the Council the following Veto Message which was read Mayors Office Austin, Texas January 22nd 1900. --- Page break --- 251 In the Honorable City Council; Gentlemen: I herewith return without my approval the following resolution; “Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin Mayor’s Veto that the Mayor is hereby directed to make publication a resolution to approve from through the daily papers of the City for ten consecutive days B. S. Equalization And give Notice that all persons whose assessment have been charged by the Board of Equalization have the right under Certain provisions of the City Charter to appeal to the City Council for a revision of the decision of said Board of Equalization after first appearing before said Board of Equalization and protesting against such change.” Passed by the City Council January 5th/900 I decline to approve this resolution for the following reasons: 1st The publication called for in the resolution would in my opinion involve a useless expenditure of public funds. There is no need or demand for such publication. The City Charter and ordinances provide that all who are dissatisfied with the action of the Board of Equalization have the right of appeal to the City Council. These facts I think are already well known to all whose interests are involved. Hence the publication Contemplated in the resolution would be entirely useless, and without good purpose. 2nd A useless expenditure of public funds is a waste of public funds. As the publication provided for in the resolution would not give interested parties any information that they do not now possess, the cost of the publication would, in my opinion, be nothing more nor less than a waste of public money. Hence I cannot approve it — Respectfully Jno. P. [illegible]., Mayor Alderman Glass moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was passed, which motion prevailed. Alderman Glass then moved that the resolution be adopted notwithstanding the Mayors objections, which motion was lost Veto sustained by the following vote Yeas Alderman Glass. Nays Alderman Dunham, Fischer, Mortimer Strumph 4 New business Bill w. & l. The Mayor laid before the Council the bill of the Water Com. for w. & l. Light-Commission for water & light-furnished the City to furnished Janry 31st 1900 which was on motion referred to the Water & Light Committee Ald. S. Strumph. An ordinance appropriating the sum of 6-& 8.00 salaries of special Policemen for the month of Janry 1900 The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote Yeas Alderman Dunham, Fischer, Glass Mortimer, Nolem Strumph 6 --- Page break --- Nays. None. app to pay Sal By Alderman Stumph An ordinance appropriating the sum Feby 1900 of $2-586. 01 to pay the Salaries of Officers and employees of the City for the month of Feby 1900- The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan & Stumph 6. Nays None. app approved acts By Alderman Stumph An ordinance appropriating the sum of $1258. 71 to pay approved accounts- The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan & Stumph 6. Nays None. app orient & By Alderman Fischer An ordinance appropriating the Sanitary &c sum of $130.00 to pay the Salaries of Sanitary teams for the month of Feby 1900- The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham, Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan & Stumph 6. Nays None. Resolution Alderman Dunham offered the following resolution which was read and adopted. Authorizing the Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, that are to employ Whereas the Board of Equalization are now completing their 3 add clerks labors and as the City is now in arrears in Collecting the taxes of 1899 for three months, the City Assessor & Collector is hereby Authorized to employ three Clerks to assist him in working up the tax rolls with all necessary tax receipts & that they be allowed the sum of $3.00 per day for each day that they are engaged in that work, and the Assessor & Collector shall approve the accounts for payment by the City. app repair By Alderman Dunham An ordinance appropriating the sum Fire Hall of $140.00 to repair the Fire Hall on West 8th Street. W 8th St The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan Paul Stumph 6. Nays None. app Sanity By Alderman Glass. An ordinance appropriating the sum employees of $320.00 to pay Salaries of Sanitary employees for the month Feby 1900 of Feby 1900- The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan Paul Stumph 6. Nays: None. app $10.000 By Alderman Nolan An ordinance appropriating the sum Mical of $10.000. for the purpose of Street & Bridge improvements. --- Page break --- The ordinance was read the first time and a motion made to suspend the rule and place it on its second reading which motion was lost by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Brunkham Glass Mortimer + Riche 4 Nays Aldermen Roeber & Stunkel 2 On motion the Council adjourned Jas. G. Johnson City - Clerk