379 .Regular meeting of the City Council: Austin, Texas September 30, 1909. Hon A F Wooldridge,Mayor presiding: Roll called. Present Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart/ & Powell 5 Absent Councilman Gray 1 The Mayor announced the death of Mrs Fulmore,Wife of City Recorded Fulmore,and stating that the funeral would take place at 4,30 oclock P M this day,and moved that the Council stand adjourned until 10 Oclock A M tomorrow,which motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Gray ,Hart & Powell 5 Friday October 1st 1909. The Council was called to order by the Mayor: Roll called : Present Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew ,Hart & Powell 4 Absent Councilman Gray 1 The minutes of the last regular and recessed meetings were read and approved. The Mayor to whom was referred the matter of laying water pipes and streaching wires across the Colorado Bridge,made a verbal report stating that he had called upon the County Commissioners Court of Travis County in regard to the matter,and thought the matter could be satisfactorily arranged. Petilion re Mrs Sowden Pound fee. Petitions,Memorials,etc: By Councilman Hart petition of Mrs M Sowder asking to have certain pound fees refunded.Read and on motion the petition was granted btthe following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Leave absence Engineer On motion of Councilman Powell leave of absence for 5 days was granted to City Engineer Iredell. Jas Wimberly & Barge Damages. The Mayor laid before the Council clames for damages by Jas Wimberly and-Barge which were on motion referred to Councilman Powell and the City Attorney,for investigation and report. Repair Hose Reel Councilman Hart presented a communication from the Chief of the Fire Dept,recom-mending that a Hose Reel be repaired ,which was read and referred to Council- -man Hart for investigation and report. Reports of City Officers : Reports of City Officers : The Mayor laid before the Council the report of the Matron of the Hospital for the month of Sept 1909,which was read and ordered filed. Councilman Hart moved that the Dog Catcher be continued for another month,which motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge ,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Repair w a Fire Hall Unfinished business : The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $ 188.00 for the purpose of paying bill of Walter Tips for Transit.The ordinance was read the third time and passed by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge ,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $ 500.00 for the purpose of Repairing West Austin Fire Hall.The ordinance was read the third time and passed by the following vote : --- Page break --- 380 Recess. . Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $ 500.00 for the purpose of repairing the City Hospital.The ordi-nance was read the third time and passed bt the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Paving W 6th Street The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance appropriating the sum of $ 1,050.00 for the purpose of paving West 6th street.The ordinance was read the third time and passed by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. . New business : approp acts Parks By Councilman Bartholomew an ordinance appropriating the sum of $ 150.00 for the purpose of paying approved accounts Parks. The ordinance was read the first time and the rule suspended and the ordinance placed on its second reading by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. The ordinance was read the second time and laid over until the next meeting . Extra Engineering work By Councilman Powell an ordinance appropriating the sum of $100.00 for the purpose of paying paying for Engineering work.The ordinance was read the first time and the rule suspended and the ordinance placed on its second reading by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. The ordinance was read the second time annd laid over until the next meeting. Councilman Bartholomew made a verbal report in regard to work on the trenches that had caved in at the Pumping stationstating that same were being repaired. on motion Passed Councilman Powell offered the following resolution,viz: Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin:That the City Treasurer of the City of Austin beand he is hereby authorized and di-rected to transfer from the Park fund to the Street Improvement fund the sum of $ 94.55,this being the amount paid out of the Street Improve-ment fund for work do ne on Wooldridge Park,hauling dirt and grading in and around said Park. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Councilman Bartholomew presented thf following communication,viz : Austin Texas,Sept 25,1909. Mr E C Bartholomew,Supt Parks & Public Property,City. Dear Sir : Since the distruction of the Tips Foundry and Machine shops by fire on Sept 11th ,I have made a careful inspection of our plant to --- Page break --- 381 see what protection we have in case of fire. In the first place fires always break out when least expected and at a time when few men are on hand to battle with it. I find the most likely plan for a fire to start is under the engine room floor where the high voltage wires lead from the generators to the switch board. Should a short circuit occur on any of these wires from one cause or another it would be impossible to check the fire until all the generators could be shut down. This I fear would give a fire too great a start before sufficient water could be put on to check it. The burning of this floor would ruin all our engines, genera-tors, switchboards, in fact the City would be plunged in darkness and without power just as it was when the dam was destroyed, except that the water supply would not be affected. Fire Protection for L & S Plant Now since the destruction of the Tips machine shops, I have been investigating the merits of fire extinguishers. On Sept 21st, I invited the Agent of the Seagraves Fire Extinguisher Co., of Columbus, Ohio, to bring one three (3) gallon extinguis-her to the plant. I built a large fire out in the open and had the Agent show me what his apparatus could do. The fire disappeared so quickly that I believe the City should loose no time in placing an order for ten (10) three (3) gallon extinguishers, to be placed as follows: Two (2) in the Boiler room. Four (4) in the Engine room. Two (2) in the cellar at the foot of each flight of steps. All the engine oil is kept in the cellar and water would only make the fire spread over the whole cellar, whereas the fire extinguisher would put it out. One (1) extinguisher in each work shop as our coal oil and gasoline tanks are kept there. Water would be of little value on this building. Therefore, I recommend the purchase of ten (10) of the three (3) gallon "Seagraves Model Quick Acying Fire Extinguishers", price ten dollars ($10.00) each. Respectfully Walter Johnson, Chief Engineer. On motion Councilman Bartholomew was authorized to purchase ten or more Seagraves Fire Extinguishers for the Water & Light Plant, by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Bartholomew, Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. W. A. Scott Damages The Mayor laid before the Council a claim of W A Scott for damages, caused by horse falling through a bridge, which was read and on motion referred to Council-man Bartholomew And the City Attorney for investigation and report. The Mayor laid before the Council for approval the bond of Ben F Wright as Cash-ier of the Water & Light Dept. On motion the Bond was approved and ordered recorded in the minutes, by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Bartholomew, Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Paving w 6th St Contract On motion Councilman Powell was authorized to contract with Heffron & Fallagant for certain work or. paving on West 6th street, by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Bartholomew, Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. Councilman Bartholomew offered the following resolution: Resolved that the City Attorney of the City of Austins be requested to take such --- Page break --- 382 In any to Fire action matter of shortage with Dept .action as may be necessary to protect the City in the case of shortage in the Water & Light Dept.in the year 1908. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew,Hart & Powell 4 Nays none. On motion the Council recessed subject to call of the Mayor. Bond of Ben F Wright. State of Texas County of Travis Know all men by these presents,that we,Benjamin F Bond of B.F. Wright @cashier W&L Dept Wright,of Austin,Texas,as principal,and the Fidelity and Deposite Company of Maryland,a Corporation,Baltimore,Maryland,as Surety,are held and firmly bound unto A P Wooldridge,Mayor of the City of Austin,Texas,and his successors in office,in the sum of ten thousand dollars$ (10,000.00), good and lawful money of the United States of America,for the payment of which,well and truly to be made,we bind ourselves,our heirs,executors, administrators,successors and assigns,jointly and severally,firmly by these presents; This the first day of September ,A D nineteen hundred and nine; The condition of the above obligation is such,that whereas,the above bounded Benjamin F Wright,was,on the 16th day of August,A D 1909, duly elected Cashier of the Water and Light Department of the City of Austin,Texas,the election as shown in minute Book 4,page 355of the proceedings of the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas; Now,if the said Benjamin F Wright,as such Cashier of the Water and Light Department of the City of Austin,Te xas,shall securely keep,strictly account for,and pay over in accordance with law all monies that may come into his hands,as such Cashier,either directly or indirectly,and shall otherwise faithfully perform and discharge all of the duties that are nowor may hereafter be imposed upon him,by or under the Charter or ordinances of the City of Austin,Texas,or the order of the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas,or by any other lawfully constituted autho-ity,then this obligation shall be null and void;otherwise,to remain in full force and effect. Witnesses, Benjamin F Wright F S Praefflin Principal W R Wyse Fidelity and Deposit Co of M D Attest, By John H Wigh,Vice President Edgar S Dobson ,Asst Secretary. --- Page break --- 383 Monday October 4th 1909. The Council was called to order by the Mayor ,with all members present. The Mayor announced that under the State law it was necessary for the Council to elect a City Health Officer. Councilman Hart offered the following ; By virtue of the authority vested in me by law,I,do hereby appoint Dr W J Matthews as City Health Officer for City of Austin,County of Travis. Jas P Hart Supt Police & Public Safety. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote ; Yeas Mayor Wooldridge,Councilmen Bartholomew Gracy & Powell 4 Nays none. Councilman Powell notified the Council that he had suspended Street Boss G D Peyton,for reasons deemed by him sufficient.,stating that he would name his successor as soon as he could find a suitable man for the place. One motion the Council adjourned. G. C. Johnston City Clerk For W.J. Matthews Confirmed City Health Officer G.D. Peyton St. Boss Suspended