Called meeting of the City Council Austin Texas April 09, 1900 Hon Jno W. Weleace Mayor presiding Roll Called Present Aldermen Dunham Bichen Glass Morris Mortimer Nolen & Stumpf Absent None The following Call of the Council was read A Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin is hereby Called to Convene in the Council Chamber at the City Hall at 2 o'clock P.M. this 9th day of April 1900 for the purpose of Considering the emergency that Confronts the City by reason of the recent floods, in the Colorado River and else-where in the City, the washing away of the City dam and destruction of its Water, Light & Power Plant; and to take Such action in the premises as the Council may seem fit Jno W. Weleace W. A. Glass Mayor H.B.L. Dunham H.E. Nolen Milton Morris I hereby Certify that the following Aldermen have been notified to meet in Council Chamber at 2 P.M. April the 9th 1900. Dunham Mortimer Nolen Bichen Morris Stumpf Glass. Aug. Fred City-Marshall The following resolution passed by the Water, Light & Commission was read; and on motion of Alderman Bichen was accepted and ordered Spread upon the Minutes of the Council Resolved by the Water, Light and Power Commission of the City of Austin! 1. That we deeply regret the great disaster which has befallen our City by the break in the dam, which occurred at 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, the 7th day of April A.D. 1900, and especially the great loss of life Attending it. 2. That we sympathize with and hereby tender our sympathy and Condolence to the families and relatives of those whose lives were lost in the disaster. 3. That in our opinion a steam engine and boilers should at once be secured and Connected with the pumps in the pumping Station, and the pumping of Water to the City and its Citizens resumed at the earliest moment practicable. 4. That Steps should immediately be taken to rebuild the dam and Power House upon better and secure plans, and to strengthen the head gate Caissons to secure it, and to Calked against leaks and have the openings, and or Lowering Tides to provide against a scarcity of water in time of drought. --- Page break --- 292 5 That to accomplish these purposes we invite the Co-operation of the City Council and the Citizens of Austin, and also of the holders of the bonds issued for the construction of the plant. 6. To Carry out these purposes we are of the opinion that the City and Citizens should be Content to let the bonded indebtedness of the City for the Construction of the plant remain as itnow is and pay the interest on it regularly as it falls due, as soon as satisfactory, understanding can be had with bond holders, and that the holders of the bonds should be willing to furnish the amount of Money necessary to repair the damage done to the plant and to place it in good Condition. 7. That to secure the expression of our Citizens on this subjectwe hereby request the following gentlemen to act as a Committee of Citizens for that purpose A. P. Wooldridge, John Bremond, Ira H Evans, Walter Tips E. M. Scarborough, John Orr, A. W. Teagarden, O. H. Gerhard and Lewis Hancock, A. J. Eilers, Jas. R. Johnson, Geo. W. Littlefield, S. B. Cochram, A. D. Hoopen, R. S. Robertson and W. T. Waller. Harry Landa from Mr. Harry Landa of New Braunfels a telephone message. message expressing sympathy with the City in her present troubles and offering any assistance he could render. On Motion the thanks of the Council were tendered Mr. Landa and the Clerk directed to notify him of this action. Alderman Fischer stated that he was present in the Council Chamber a majority of the members of the Water Over affrn. Light Commission and moved that they be invited to address $36,662.25 to the Council if they so desired, which motion prevailed. Pay for water By Alderman Morris An Ordinance appropriating Light permission the sum of $36.662.25 to pay the account of the Water etc. and Light Commission for water Light-furnished the City for public purposes to March 31th, 1905. The ordinance was read the first time. Alderman Dunham stated that he would be glad to hear from the Water Light Commission as to what they proposed to do in regard to furnishing the City with water etc. Judge Boon one of the Commission then addressed the Council. After which the ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote Yeas Alderman Dunham Fischer Morris Wulschner Nolan G. Stumpff 6 Nays Alderman Glass. 1 Alderman Dunham offered the following resolution which was read and adopted: "Resolved that the City Council endorse sections 1. 2. 3. of the resolutions of the Water Light-Power Commission this day adopted and join in the request that the Citizens named in section 7 of said resolutions take steps to secure --- Page break --- 293 Convened action by our Citizens, the Commission and the Council to provide for a new plants, and a re-adjustment of the waterLight-bonded debt." By Alderman Slaus. An ordinance appropriating the sum of $100.00 for the purpose of paying extra Sanitary expenses rendered necessary by the recent floods. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Slaus Morris Mortimer Nolan and Thumph Nays None. Alderman Nolan moved that the Street Committee be appointed as a Committee, with power to act, to confer with the Commissioners Court of Travis Co. looking to repairing the approaches to the Colorado River Bridge, and Congress Avenue South of said bridge. On motion the motion of Alderman Nolan was amended so as to require the Committee to report the result of the conference to the Council at a Called meeting to be held at 6 o'clock P.M. April 18th 1900. and the motion as Amended was then adopted. Alderman Fischer offered the following resolution which was read and unanimously adopted by a rising Vote. "Be it resolved that the City Council of the City of Austin hereby extends its heartfelt sympathies to the parties who lost any member of their family in the late catastrophe at the Dam and took a copy of this resolution be mailed, by the Clerk of the Council, to each family visited by this affliction." Alderman Morris offered the following resolution which was adopted. "Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, that the Chief of the Fire Department of said City be and is hereby instructed to investigate the cost and advisability of repairing the Steam Fire Engine now owned by the City and Stored at the City Hall! and to have said Engine repaired at once if in his judgement such a course be deemed advisable." By Alderman Morris An ordinance appropriating the sum of $1390.00 for the purpose of purchasing certain apparatus for the use of the Fire Dept of the City of Austin, and for paying the cost of repairs of Colorado River Wagon. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote. Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Slaus Morris Mortimer Nolan Thumph Nays None. By Alderman Morris An ordinance appropriating the sum of $1000.00 for the purpose of purchasing two Chemical Tanks for the use of the Austin Fire Dept. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Slaus Morris Mortimer Nolan Thumph Nays None. --- Page break --- 294 Alderman Standly moved that the City clerk be directed to correspond with the different factories and find out the prices of tanks and that the Chief of the Fire Dept be authorized and directed to purchase the extinguishus at once, which motion prevailed. Alderman Standly moved that the City clerk be directed to advertise for bids for Fire Hose, and that the Fire Commissioners be authorized to contract for same, which motion prevailed. Alderman Glass offered the following resolution which was adopted "Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin that a Special Committee of three members of this Council be appointed to investigate the advisability of placing Stand Pipes along the banks of Colorado River and the cost of operating same" On motion the Council adjourned Geo. A. Johnson City Clerk J. L. [illegible] [illegible] Chief on Stand Pipe the