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Railroad Fuel Oil Tank Approval Sought

Wednesday, February 5, 1902 special called

Railroad Infrastructure Project: The Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company requested permission to build and operate a steel fuel oil storage tank in Austin, complete with pumps, pipes, and a spur track to supply fuel to the railroad's roundhouse, machine shops, and locomotives.

Quick Committee Review: Rather than debating the proposal on the spot, council members voted to send the ordinance to the Street Committee for further consideration without even reading it aloud during the meeting.

Low Attendance: Only 7 of 12 aldermen were present at this special evening meeting, with several out of town and notified by having the agenda read to them in person or left at their homes and businesses.

Full Transcript

616 Called Meeting of the City Council Of Austin Texas, Feby 5th 1902 Hon R.E. White Mayor presiding Roll Called. Present Aldermen Crooker, Davis, Low, Ward, Mortimer, Shurmate and StumpfAbsent Aldermen. Hume, Nitschke, Fedd, Schneider Shelley and Ullit. The call of the Council was read Austin Texas Feby 4th 1902 Call of Council. A Special Meeting of the City Council is hereby called to meet in the Secretary Chamber at City Hall at 6:00 P.M. this day for the purpose of considering and HT & RR [illegible] passing an ordinance granting to the Houston and Texas Central RailRoad Company the right to construct, maintain and use a Steel fuel oil storage tank; and to construct, maintain and operate the necessary pumps, pipe connections, and other appliances for pumping oil from tank cars to said storage tank; and from said tank to its round house, machine shops and locomotives; to use said fuel oil at its round house and shops; And to construct and operate a spur track adjacent to said oil tank in the City of Austin Texas. R.E. White Mayor- J.M. Maddos Alderman 2nd Ward C.D. Mortimer " 6th " J.M. Shurmate " 6th " I hereby certify that the following named Aldermen have been served with a true copy of this call by having same read to them in person: J.M. Maddox, C.D. Mortimer, J.M. Shurmate, H.E. Red, Joseph Stumpf, W.D. Shelley, H.B. Davis, Thos. Low, R.M. Crooker, J.L. Hume, Wm. Ullit, and a true copy of same being left at J.B. Nitschke residence and J.P. Schneider Store they being out of the City. H. Montgomery City Marshal Alderman Shelley entered the Council Chamber. On motion Nesbott the Ry way agent of the Houston and Texas Central RailRoad Company was invited to address the Council. On motion the ordinance mentioned in the Call of the Council was referred to the Street Committee without reading. On motion the Council adjourned. Fred Johnson City Clerk