263 . . Regular meeting of the City Council: Austin,Texas,May 06, 1915. The Council was called to order by the Mayor: Roll Called: Present, Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Absent none: The minutes of the last regular and subsequent recessed meetings were read and approved : Reports of City Officers: The Mayor laid before the Council the reports of the City Assessor & Collector, the City Health Officer, The City Health Inspector, Dr Peace, the Marshall, the Fire Marshal, which were read and ordered filed: Bonds [illegible] approved Councilman Haynes presented the bond of Fred Sterzing,as City,Assessor & Collector, for approval: The Bond was approved and ordered copied in the minutes of the Council,by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Interest overdrafts The Mayor laid before the Council a bill from the Citizens Bank & Trust Co ,for $8.18 for interest on overdrafts general fund for the moth of April 1915, which was allowed and ordered paid. Councilman Bartholomew offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : That the sum of four hundred and thirty nine(439.00) dollars,be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the Earnings fund of the Water & Light Dept,of the City of Austin Texas, for the year 1915, and made payable to Clarence Stelfox,for the value ofhay,hay press,plows, returning cattle ,loads of household goods and other damagesdone his property by reason of the lake formed by the dam building by the City of Austin across the Colorado river. Revenues L. C. Clemens The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas: That the sum of five hundred($500.00) dollars,of the special appropriation for Public Health to be disbursed by the Mayor of the City of Austin,Texas, for the year1915, be and the same is hereby transferred from said special appropriation for Public Health to be disbursed by the Mayor ,to the item of incidentals in the budget of the Mayor for the current year. --- Page break --- 264 Bid in City . The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Treasurer's Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Councilman Haynes presented the following bids for the Office of City Treasurer,vis : Citizens Bank & Trust Co ,bid $ 3.10 % Austin National Bank bid 2.70 % American National Bank bid 2.35 % awarded Citizens' Bk The bid of the Citizens Bank & Trust Co,being the lowest and best bid, Tr. Co. the contract was awarded to them by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : A B Palm That the appeal of A B Palmfrom the assessment of the Board of Equalization Assessment fixing the values upon Lots 2,3 & 4,Block 112 of this Citybe and the same is hereby disallowed. Resolved further: That the values fixed by the Board of Equalization for the year 1914 upon said property be and the same is hereby approved. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas: P J Lawless That the appeal of P J Lawlessfrom the action of the Board of Equalization Assessment in its assessment of the values of Out Lots 29,30,41 and 42,Division "D" of the City of Austin,Texas,be and the same is hereby disallowed. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. --- Page break --- 265 Approprie- Councillor Haynes nominated A Y MoWright to be Assistant Sanitary Inspector,which Nominated nomination was confirmed by the following vote : Assistant Yeas Mayor Wooldridgen Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew & Powell 4 Inspector Not voting Councilman Haynes 1 The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas : That the appeal of Leonard Eok from the values placed upon lots 1 to 16,in Book 8 Leonard Eck of the Swisher Addition,to the City of Austin,Texas,as fixed upon same by the Board of Assessment Equalizationbe and the same is hereby disallowed,and Resolved further: That the assesment p laced upon said lots by the Board of Equalization be and the same are hereby approved ,and Be it further resolved : That the appeal of the said Leonard Eokfrom the assessment of Lots 1 to 17,in Block 13 of the Swisher Addition to the City of Austin, Texas, be and the same is likewise disallowed ,and the values placed upon the same by the Board of Equalization for the 1914, be and the same are hereby approved . The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : Felix Cheriofor That the petition of Felix Cherioofor a revision of the tax assessment of Lot 12, Block 38, Assessment of this City ,be and the same is hereby declined. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : Mrs. IdaLueschow That the appeal of Mrs IdaLueschow from the assessment by the Board of Equalization of her Assessment property situated at 1905 Trinity street in this City ,be and the same is hereby.declined. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays hone, Approved A P Wooldridge Mayor --- Page break --- 266 . The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution: Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas : That the appeal of S J Von Koennerwitz from the assessment of a part of Outlot 7 Div "Z"of the City of Austin,Texas, be and the same is hereby disallowed. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge ,Mayor. D.J. Voul Kommowits Assessment The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : That the appeal of E H Perry from the assessment of the Board of Equali-zation placed upon the improvements on his property situated at the corner of 10th & Lavaca streets in this City ,and being the sout 68 & 2/3 X 115 feet of lots 4,5 & 6,block 126.is allowed,and Resolved further : That the City Council fixes an assessment of $ 12,000.00.in lieu of $ 15,000.00 upon the improvements said property as the fair value of the same. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powel Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. E. H. Perry Assessment The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas : That the appeal of R S Garrettfrom the action of the Board of Equalization in assessing Lots 1,2 ,3 & ° 4in Block 3 of the Whitten Addition to the City of Austin , Texas, be and the same is hereby allowed,and Be it further resolved : That an assessment of $ 500.00 in lieu of $ 850.00.as placed by the Board of Equalization upon said lots, be and the same is hereby adopted and approved. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. R S Garrett Assessment --- Page break --- 267 The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : That the appeal of F W Murray,owner, as to the value placed by the Board of Equalization for the year 1913 upon the improvements situated upon Lot 19 Block "E"Outlot 2 Div "N" of the City of Austin,Texas, be and the same is hereby allowed ,and the value of said improvements is hereby reduced from $ 700.00 to $ 600.00. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony,Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Whereas, it appears from the statement of W B Anthony,a member of this Council, who is conizant of the facts,that in the year 1913 there were no improvements situated upon Lot No 1 Block No 1, of the north one-half of Out Lot 44,Division "O" of this City, and Whereas, it further appears from the statement of W B Anthony that there were no improvements situated upon Lot No 1 ,Block No 1, of the North one-half of Outlot No 44,Div "O" in the year 1914,; and Whereas, $ 300.00 for improvements were assessed against said property for the year 19 13,and $ 800.00 for the year 1914, Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas,: That said,assessments of $300.00 and $ 800.00 respectively ,for improvements on said above described property for the years 1913 and 1914, be cancelled and annulled ,the same having been made against said property in error . The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Whereas,it appears from the attached affidavit of Mrs Bessie H Lylw, one of the owners of the property situated at 503 Patterson Avenue in this City, that the actual cost of the improvements situated upon said property were $ 1,734.00;and Whereas, said improvements were assessed by the Board of Equalization for the year 1914, at $ 1,500.00 , which is more than sixty per centum of the market cost or fair value of said improvements; and Whereas, $1,040.40 ,is sixty per centum of the sworn cost of said improvements. Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : --- Page break --- 268 That an assessment of $ 1,040.40,in place of $ 1,500.00 ,he and th ame is hereby ordered to be substituted fpr the assessment of $ 1,500.00, as against said improvements ,and said assessment of $ 1,500.00 ,on said improvements for the year 1914be and the same is hereby cancelled and annulled. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. The May or laid before the Council the following resolution : Whereas, it appears from the attached affidavit of E L Crooker,Husband and agent for Mrs Laura Taylor Crooker,the owner of Lot 65, Block 5, Outlot 73/74 Division " D " of Aldridge Place in the City of Austin,Texas, that the va value of the improvements upon said property as of the 1st of January ,1914, was $ 1,000.00,and not $ 2,500.00,the house, the chief improvement upon said prop-erty ,not having been finished until the month of April 1914;, and, Whereas,it further appears from the affidavit of said E L Crooker that the cash paid by the said Mrs Laura Taylor Crooker,for said Lot 65, Block 5, Outlot 73/74 Division " D " of Aldridge Place in the City of Austin,Texas, was $ 1,150.00,sixty per centum of which,that being the proportion of value at which assessments are leviedin this City,is $ 690.00; and Whereas,it appears to the City Council that said statements of E L Crooke -er are worthy of credence and are belived by this Council . Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas : That the assessment for improvements upon the hereinabove described property -ty as of the 1st day of January 1914, is fixed at the sum of $ 1,000.00; and Be it further resolved: That the assessed value of said lot hereinabove described is fixed at $690.00,;and Be it further resolved : That the previous assessment as made by the Board of Equalization ,of said improvements at $ 2,500.00 and the ground at $1,150.00,be and the same are hereby cancelled and annulled. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew,Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor --- Page break --- 209 ..Councilman Anthony offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : That in consideration of the youth ,poverty and first offense of Albert Romines,and the Fine Acct Romines dependance of a large family upon him for support,the costs and fine heretofore imposed upon him in cause No 9265,State of Texas vs Albert Romines in the Corporation Court of the City of Austin,Texas,be held in suspense ,pending the future good behavior of the said Albert Romines. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. Councliman,Anthapoeffiagedottheroilywfrgnoelsokutionxxxx Councilman Anthony offered the following resolution : Whereas, it appearing to the City Council that the cattle of W T Williamsin South W T Williamsin Pound fees remitted Austin escaped from confinement by reason of the recent flood prevalent in this Community and through no fault of his own. Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin : That the pound fees charged against the said W T Williamsfor several hrad of stock running at large, and amounting to $ 10.50,be and the same are hereby remitted. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldrige, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. Councilman Haynes offered the following resolution : Whereas, it appears from the attached affidavit of Mrs Nellie W Holdenthat her improveMrs Nellis W Holden Assessments reduced -ments situated upon Lot 50, Block 6, Outlot 73/74 Div "D" of Aldri dge Place in the City of Austin,Texas, are overassessed ,in that the rule of assessment for property in this City is sixty per centum of its market valueand she has placed upon said improvements , in ignorance of the law ,an assessment of about 23 1/3 % of the full cost and fair market value of said improvements in placing the value of said improvements at $ 5,000.00. Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas: That the assessment of improvements upon the hereinabove described property be and the same is hereby reduced from $5,000.00,which is 23 1/3 % of the cost and value of said improvements ,to $ 2,500.00, which is 50 % of the value thereof,and is the practice of assessments in this City for the fair value of said improvements ,and the previous of said improvements at $ 5,000.00,be and the same is hereby cancelled and annulled. --- Page break --- 270 .The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. Councilman Haynes offered the following resolution : Whereas, in consideration of the attached affidavit of Mrs A F Lamar,the owner of the improvements hereinafter described, to the effect that the improve-ment is upon lots 16 & 17 ,Block "A",Outlot 2, Div "Z",of this City,as assessed by the Board of Equalization of this City for the year 1914,at $ 1,500.00,and which said Board had agreed to restore to $ 1,000.00,on account of $ 1,500.00, being an excessive valuation ,but overlooked doing so prior to their adjournment; and Whereas, the City Council believes that upon a 60% valuation basis of assessment of improvements $ 1,000.00 ,is a full assessment of said improvements . Now, therefore, Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin,Texas : That the assessment of the Board of Equalization against the improvements aupon the property hereinabove describedfixing same at $ 1,500.00, be corrected and said amount of assessment be reduced to $1,000.00. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. Councilman Powell offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin: That the sum of seventy five($75.00) dollars be and the same is hereby appro-priated out of the General Street fund of the City of Austin and applied to the payment of a bill in favor of Tom Walling for underpinning his retaining wall along the west side of his property which is situated opposite the Genl Land Office in this City. For reasons for this appropriation see attached statement of Hon P W Powell ,Supt of Streets and Public Property. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. --- Page break --- ..The State of Texas County of Travis. Know all men by these presents : That we, Fred Sterzing as principal, and Herman Pressler, J P Schneider and H A Wroe, as Sureties, are held and firmly bound unto the Mayor of the City of Austin and his successors in office . in the sum of thirty eight thousand dollars($ 38.000.00), good and lawful money of the United States , for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we hereby bind ourselves, our heirs, Executors and Administrators, jointly, severally and firmly by these presents .The condition of this obligation is such that whereas the above bounden Fred Ster-zing, was on the 22nd day of April .A D 1915, duly appointed City Assessor and Collector by the City Council of the City of Austin and to serve until his successor is appointed and qualified, as is shown by the records of the City of Austin , now if the said Fred Sterzing shall strictly account for and pay over all monies to the City Treasurer that may come into his hands, and otherwise perform all of his duties that are or may hereafter be imposed upon him by or under the Charter or by order of the City Council or by the Supt of Receipts disbursements and Accounts , then this obligation shall be null and void , otherwise to remain in full force and effect. In testimony whereof we hereunto sign our names at Austin, Texas, on this the 28th day of April ,1915. Fred Sterzing Herman Pressler J P Schneider H A Wroe. Approved. A P Wooldridge, Mayor. .The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Whereas, it appears from the attached affidavit of Lee Gildart, that there were no improvements on Lot No 8, Block " J"Out Lot 60/61, Div "O" of Driving Park addition to the City of Austin, Texas, on the 1st day of January, 1914; and Whereas, an assessment was made by the Board of Equalization against said above described property for improvements alleged to be situated thereon; and Whereas, in point of fact no such improvements at that time did exist upon said hereinabove described property , Now, therefore, Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: That the assessment of four hundred ($400.00) dollars for improvements against the property of the said Lee Gildart situated at Lot 8, Block "J", Outlot 60/61, Div "O", Driving Park Addition to the City of Austin, Texas, be and the same is hereby cancelled and annulled. --- Page break --- 272 . The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor . Fire Limits The Mayor laid before the Council An ordinance amending an ordinanceentitled Ordinance an ordinance establishing the Fire Limits of the City of Austin and prohibiting the erection within said Fire limits of buildings of material other than as pro-vided in said ordinance ;prohibiting the removal and repairing of certain class of buildings and regulating the building of fences,the storing of combustible material within the Fire Limits; and providing a penalty for the violation thereof,dated January 30th 1913. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Fire Limits The Mayor laid before the Council " An ordinance amending an ordinance entitled Ordinance an ordinance establishing the Fire Limits of the City of Austin and prohibiting the erection within said Fire limits of buildings of material other than as provided in said ordinance;prohibiting the removal and repairing of certain class of buildings and regulating the building of fences,the storing of combustible material within the Fire Limits; and providing a penalty for the vi- -olation thereof,dated January 30th ,1913. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Vote; Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. Fire Limits The Mayor laid before the Council an ordinance amending an ordinance entitled Ordinance an ordinance establishing the Fire Limits of the City of Austin and prohibiting the erection within said Fire limits of buildings of material other than as provided in said ordinance;prohibiting the removal and repairing of certain class of buildings and regulating the building of fences,the storing of combustible material within the Fire Limits;and providing a penalty for the violation thereof,dated January 30th ,1913. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none. The Council then adjourned. J. W. Johnson City Clerk