844 Regular Meeting of the City Council Austin Texas July 16, 1900 Hon. J.M. H. Wallell Mayor presiding Roll Called! Present Aldermen Hunthard Rischen Glass Mortimer Nolen and Strunff. 6 Absent Alderman Morris. 1 minutes On Motion the Minutes were approved as approved recorded by the Clerk without reading. Petitions Memorials etc Pet Citizens By Alderman Whiteman Petition of Citizens asking that south bridge from the bridge to be removed from 8th Street be slated 8th St across on Waller Creek at 10th Street Read and referred to Waller Creek the Street Committee with instructions to report at the next 10th St. regular meeting of the Council Pet Austin Sewerage The Mayor laid before the Council a petition from the Austin Co reduction Sewerage Co. asking a reduction of assessment for taxes 1898 for 1898, as fixed by the Board of Equalization – Read and referred to the Committee on Claims & accounts. Mrs A.B. Harrell The Mayor laid before the Council a petition from Mrs A.B. Pound fees Harrell asking that certain pound fees paid by her be refunded – Read & referred to the Committee on Claims & accounts. J.P. Rod for permission By Alderman Glass. Petition of J.P. Rod &c for permission to repair fire building within five hunds On Motion the petition was granted the work to be done under the supervision of the City Engineer. Colorado Hose The Mayor laid before the Council a petition from Colorado Co to remove Hose Co. No. 1 asking permission to remove their chemical wagon. placed upon the wagon by the Chief of the Fire Dept. E. Bernhard On Motion by Alderman Nolen – Petition from E. Bernhard asking that To remit taxes his taxes for 1899 be remitted, Read & referred to the Claims 1899 & accounts Committee. Geo. P. Garrison By Alderman Strunff – Petition of Geo. P. Garrison asking a to reduce tax reduction of assessment for taxes for 1899, as fixed by the 1899 Board of Equalization. Read & referred to the Committee on claims & accounts. Protest The Mayor laid before the Council a protest from J.M. Mansfield against opening of against the opening of the Alley in Block No. 37 – Read and alley in Blk. 37 referred to the street Committee. C.C. Campbell By Alderman Strunff. Petition from C.C. Campbell asking pound fees that certain pound fees be remitted. On Motion the petition was granted for the amount of $18. and that amount ordered to be refunded. Reports of Standing Committees Asst Com Alderman Rischen for the Street Committee, who were advertising for instructed to advertise for bids to build a bridge across 12th St across shoal shoal on West 12th Street, presented a report. --- Page break --- Stating that they had Complied with their instruction and and had received four bids for same, and had accepted O. R. Horton the bid of Wm. O. Horton for the sum of $2460.- and recommended Contract for 12th that the Mayor be authorized to enter into Contract with St. bridge Wm. Horton in accordance with his bid, provided he furnish a reasonable bond for the faithful Compliance with his Contract. The report of the Committee was adoptedNew Business Wm. Archer authorized Alderman Dunham Moved that the Marshal be authorized to to put in Book have a book case made for his office at a Cost not to exceed twenty Case five dollars which Motion prevailed $2000. for St.work By Alderman Stumff an ordinance appropriating the sum of 4th Ward $2000. for street work in the old fourth Ward. The ordinance was read the first time and on Motion was referred to the Street Committee. $1000. extra st By Alderman Fischer An ordinance appropriating the sum of Work $1000. for extra street work. The ordinance was read the firsttime and a Motion made to suspend the rule and place the ordinance on its second reading which was lost by the following Vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Nolen & Stumff 4 Nays Aldermen Glass & Morton 2 $2700. for St.Roller By Alderman Fischer An ordinance appropriating the sum of $2700.- to purchase a Steam Road Roller. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote Yeas Aldermen Dunham Fischer Glass Morton & Nolen 5 Nays Alderman Stumff 1 Alderman Glass offered the following resolution which was read and adopted Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin City Atty to That the City Attorney is hereby ordered to bring such legal institute legal proceedings as he may deem necessary, and at as early a proceedings date as possible to reinvest the City in possession of a Certain for Marketing half block of ground known as the Market Square being the half block of ground immediately across the street North of the Cotton Alliance Yard, and now Claimed by parties under a lease on permit from the state. Said half block of ground having originally been donated by the State of Texas to the City of Austin for Market purposes. Alderman Glass moved that the Council now proceed to the Wheatley & election of two Auditors as provided for by resolution of the Council Hurley elected passed some time since which Motion prevailed Auditors The Mayor appointed Aldermen Nolen & Fischer, as tellersAlderman Dunham nominated Wm. A. Wheatley. Alderman Mortimer nominated Wm. Hurley. Alderman Fischer nominated Wm. J. Byrnes. The tellers announced the following, as the result of the ballot. Wm Wheatley, received 4 Votes, Wm Hurley 6 Votes, Wm Byrne 0 Votes. --- Page break --- 346 The Mayor declared Mess Wrcattey & Mess Shirley duly elected. Alderman Discher offered the following resolution which was read & adopted. Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin! That the Mayor be and Mayon to make Culvert Be it for Steam Roller. He is hereby authorized empowered to purchase a Steam Road Roller from the O.S. Kelley Manufacturing Co. Alderman Mortimew moved to take from the table the Pet Colorado petition of Colorado Hose Co No 2, which motion prevailed Hose Co. On Motion the Committee representing the Co was allowed to withdraw withdrawn the petition. The following Communication from the Chief of the Fire Dept was received, read and ordered filed. Austin Texas July 16th 1904 To the Honorable, The Mayor and City Council of the City of Austin Gentlemen! Chief Fire Dept I beg leave to report that I suspended Colorado on Colorado Fire Co No 2 from service on the 12th inst Fire Co no 2 The causes leading up to this action on my part may be briefly stated as follows, Viz Just prior to the last election of officers for the fire department, the Council appropriated money to purchase two chemical tanks for the use of the fire departments, and the fire Commissioners decided to place these two tanks on the wagon of the Colorado and Washington Companies, respectively. This decision met with the unanimous approval of the Commission including the approval of the foreman of the Colorado Company. When the tanks arrived, the foreman of the Colorado Company was by me requested to take the wagon of the Colorado Company to the shops for the purpose of having installed thereon one of the tanks. He at first refused to obey this direction, for the stated reason that in his opinion the wagon was not sufficiently strong to bear the extra weight of the tanks; and only sent the wagon to the shop after I had informed him that unless this was done the Company would be suspended. I had similar trouble with the foreman of the Company before he could be induced to return the wagon to the Company quarters after the tanks were installed. When the wagon had been returned, the foreman informed me that his Company would refuse to do duty with the wagon while the tanks remained in place. On the 10th inst an alarm of fire was turned in for the first ward and the Colorado Company failed to attend. As soon the previous threat of its foreman was the explicit of duty the Company was suspended. Since its suspension the Company has by resolution expressed a qualified willingness to return to duty and to accept the wagon and tanks on sixty days trial. but on the terms of the former resolution expressed the intention of bringing the whole matter of the suspension --- Page break --- 3:17 of the Company, before the Council for settlement, at Executive Meeting The decision of the fire Commission to place one of the trucks on the Colorado wagon was reached after due deliberation and I cannot concede to that Company the right to arbitrarily nullify that action, especially in View of the facts that competent experts have pronounced the wagon to be perfectly safe for use in its present condition. To do so would be to put an end to discipline in the department and place the fireman of the different Companies above the Fire Commission and the Chief of the department, in authority. I therefore recommend that the Colorado Company be reinstated upon expressing an unqualified intention and willingness to perform its duty in the future with such apparatus as the fire Commission may provide for its use Respectfully, Joe Uhlcken Chief Engineer fire department Alderman Fischer offered the following resolution Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, that Colorado fire No 2 be and the same is hereby reinstated and ready for duty and that at the end of sixty days the Chemical tanks be not removed Colorado satisfactory, that the Chief and Commissioners of the fire reinstated department report to the City Council at the expiration of that time After discussion by the Council, the Chief of the fire department and the Committee representing Colorado Hose Co. Aldermann Mortimer moved to lay the resolution on the table which motion was lost by the following Vote Yeas Alderman Glass Mortimer & Stumpf 3 Nays Alderman Dunham Fischer Nolan & the Mayor 4 Alderman Dunham offered the following as a substitute for the resolution of Alderman Fischer Resolved that Colorado Company be re-instated Alderman Fischer accepted the substitute and it was adopted by the following Vote Yeas Alderman Dunham Fischer Glass Mortimer Nolan 6 Nays None On Motion the Council adjourned Jno. G. Johnson City Clerk