518 . Regular meeting of the City Council: Austin, Texas, May 25, 1916: 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 adopted: The Mayor laid before the Council the report of the City Sexton for the month of April 1916, which was read and ordered filed: Petition from Fred Sawyer for license as driver of service car was present -ed, read and on motion taken under advisement: Budget-Fire Dept Amended The Mayor laid before the Council an amendment to the 1916,budget for the Fire Department , which was read and laid over for one week: Councilman Powell offered the following resolution: Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the sum of $ 5,000.00, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the Permanent Street Improvement fund of the City of Austin, Texas, for the year 1916, for the purpose of improving conditions ,in the way of permanently enlarging the channel on Shoal creek, between 4th & 12th streets in this City, at such places and in such form and manner as may in the future be approved by this Council ,upon the recommendation of the Supt of Streets and Public Enlarging Channel Shoal Creek Improvements and his Engineer. This appropriation is to include a contribution to the enlargement of the bridge at 4th street and West Avenue in this City ,provided a substantial contribution to the purpose of enlarging said bridge shall be made out of the the funds of the Water, Light and Power department of this City. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew & Powell 4 Nay Councilman Haynes 1. I vote NO for the reason that I think it is a misapplication of funds, Haynes. Councilman Powell offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the sum of $ 802.99, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the Permanent Street Improvement fund Paving 9th Str Lavaca to pave with Bitulithic Pavement West 9th street from the West property line of Lavaca street to the East curb line of Guadalupe street in this City. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell Nays none. Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. --- Page break --- Bridge at Shoal Creek & West Ave. Paving West 9th Mrs Co. Brush Lots & Upkeep Sewer Holly Street --- Page break --- .and to connect said storm sewer to a 2 4 inch pipe now in place along the West side of Waller street above Holly street ,which pipe now ends just below Taylo street . The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bart-olorew, Hyanes & Powell Nays none: Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Councilman Powell offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the sum of $ 1,800.00, out of the appropriation of $ 5,000.00,for completing the Dam Boulevard in the general budget of this City for the year 1916,be and the same is hereby transferred from said appropriation and set apart to the purpose of building a storm sewer or open ditch along Holly stret eastwardly fron Chicon street for two blocks to Anthony street,thence north -wardly one-half block to the alley between Holly and Garden streets,thence eastwardly through this alley two blocks to Mildred street ,thence northwardly on Mildred street one-half block to Garden street, thence eastwardky one block to the Robinson tract now owned by the City of Austin. Transfor funds 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 offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the sum of $ 25.00, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the W B Hart Jitney license refunded General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to W B Hart, Jitney Driver,on account of overpayment of license fee paid by him into the Assessor & Collector of this City ,as per agreement made with him and other Jitney drivers to refound one-half of the $ 50.00,license fee paid by said Jitney drivers when a recent amendment to the jitney law ,prescribing a license fee of $ 25.00, for each jitney driver ,was adopted. The resolution was adopted by the following vote : Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Poell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Mayor Wooldridge offerde the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: W B Calloway Jitney license refunded That the sum of $ 75.00,be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to W DB CalloWay, Jitney Driver, on account of overpayment of license fee paid by him into the Assessor & Collector of this City for three Jitney Cars as per agee-ment made with him and other jitney drivers to refound one-half of the $ 50.00 license fee paid by said jitney drivers when a recent amendment to the jitney law ,prescribing a license fee of $ 25.00, for each jitney driver,was adopted --- Page break --- The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the sum of $ 25.00, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to John Wallace ,jitney For Wallace jitney license refunded driver, on account of overpayment of license fee paid by him into the Assessor & Collector of this City ,as per agreement made with him and other jitney drivers to refund one-half of the $ 50.00, license fee paid by said jitney drivers when a recent amendment to the jitney law ,prescribing a license fee of $ 25.00, for each jitney driver, was adopted. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor : Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: That the sum of $ 25.00,be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to Roy Hough, jitney driver, Roy Hough jitney license refunded on account of overpayment of license fee paid by him into the Assessor & Collector of this City ,as per agreement made with him and other jitney drivers,to refund one-half of the $ 50.00,license fee paid by said jitney drivers,when a recent amendment to thejitney law ,prescribing a license fee of $ 25.00, for each jitney driver, was adopted. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: That the sum of $ 25.00, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to G M Wagoner, jitney driver, GM Wagoner jitney license refunded on account of overpayment of license fee paid by him into the Assessor & Collector of this City ,as per agreement with him and other jitney drivers to refund one-half of the $50.00, license fee paid by said jitney drivers when a recent amendment to the jitney law prescribing a license fee of $ 25.00, for each jitney driver, was adopted. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none, Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: That the sum of $ 10.80, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the General Contingent fund of the City of Austin, Texas, as a refund to Hays Venable in the case of Hays Venable fines remitted the State of Texas vs Hays Venable No 9986, in the Corporation Court of the City of Austin Texas, The City Council heretofore on December 30th ,1915,remitted the fine and costs in this cause,but failed to appropriate the money to cover said fine and costswhich in this --- Page break --- M. E. Deitzel Fine remitted South Austin Store co's property purchased Rescue Hose co's property purchased --- Page break --- 523 May 29th 1916: Councilman Bartholomew offered the following resolution: Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas: That Engineer Terrril Bartlett of San Antonio, Texas, be and he is hereby employed Terrill Bartlett employed sum by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas, to compare and calculate the cost and and comparative stability of the addition to the Austin Dam built by Wm D Johnson and his designs as changed by Engineers of the said Wm D Johnson with the stability and cost of the Dam as originally designed by said Engineers of Wm D Johnson, and Be it further resolved by the City of Austin: That two hundred ($200.00,) dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated out of the Earnings fund of the Water,Light and Power department of the City of Austin, Texas, to pay for the services of the said Terrell Bartlett in doing the work hereinabove provided for. The resolution was adopted by the followin 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: That the petition of Strid Bros to erect and maintain an electric Light sign in Strids May Electric Sign front of their shop at 219 West 6th street in this City, being approved by the Sign Inspector, W L Eyres, whose approval is attached hereto, be and the same is hereby allowed. Said sign is to be at least 9 feet above the sidewalk. There is a long boot sheet metal attached to this sign which is hereby ordered to be removed. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 5 Nays none: Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor: Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution: Minutes of a meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas, held this 29th day of May 1916. At this meeting of the City Council came on to be heard the bids at auction of the representatives of a number of bond buying houses for the purchase of $1,170.00 of Bond issue Refunding X Austin refunding bonds, dated July 1st, 1901, and due at thirty years, the rate of interest upon which ,however, goes from 4 to 5 % on the 1st day of July 1916. After several bids were submitted and considered, the bid of Bolgerand Willdman of Chicago, Illinois,being deemed the best bid,was accepted. This bid was for 4-3/4 per cent for interest upon the refunding bonds of the City of Austin, Texas, in the amount of $ 1,170,000.00, made payable in thirty installments of $ 39,000.00, each, a year apart, with a premium of Six Thousand dollars ($ 6,000.00). To this resolution Mayor Wooldridge, Councilman P W Powell and W B Anthony voted Yea. Councilmen E C Bartholomew and H L Haynes voted nay. Bartholomew re Vote Councilman Bartholomew gave as a reason that the gain of .3/4 % in the rate of inter-est was not much and that as the City has the option of calling the refunding bonds at any payment period, it might get a better rate of interest if the sale was deferred until January 1st next, or some other interest payment date. --- Page break --- 624 Haynes recus- ed for vote The resolution of Refunding bonds to be Approved by the City Council, That the Mayor, City Attorney, and City Clerk be appointed to draw by lot for redemption from the outstanding refunding bonds of $1,356,500.00 and refunding bonds in the amount of $1,170,000.00. Ordered and publish notice of same re the issues of June 1st and August 15th Yeas Mayor Wooldridge & Councilmen Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 4 Nays none, Approved A.P. Wooldridge, Mayor. May 30th 1916 Bond Sale Postponed by Mayor Wooldridge for 10 days pending the sale of refun- ding bonds in New York Don & Byrd & Hanes. for Councilmen Wooldridge Councilman Haynes also voted Nay, to this resolution for the same reason as given by Councilman Bartholomew, and assigned as an additional reason that the proposed bonds shift the burden of the Interest and Sinking fund from the water and light patrons to the tax payers. Councilman Bartholomew presented the following as his reasons for his vote: I favor the issuance of bonds, at a lower rate of interest, to take up the refunding bonds, which are redeemable on the 1st of July, or any six months after that date. As four per cent bonds are being sold in many Cities, I think four and three fourth per cent too high interest on $ 1,170,000.00, and believe by delaying the sale the City will save money; the City having the option of paying off the refunding bonds at any interest paying date. Hence I vote against the sale of 4 3/4 % bonds. E C Bartholomew. Mayor Wooldridge offered the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas : That the Mayor, City Attorney and City Clerk of the City of Austin, Texas, be and they are hereby appointed to draw by lot for redemption from the out-standing refunding bonds of the City of Austin, Texas, amounting to $ 1,356,500.00, refunding bonds in the amount of $ 1,170,000.00. The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Yeas Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Bartholomew, Haynes & Powell 4 Absent Councilman Anthony 1 Approved, A P Wooldridge, Mayor. May 30th 1916 The following Resolution was passed by the Council on May 30th 1916 Tel Merger X Favored by Council The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution : Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, Texas, as follows: First: That we favor submission to the qualified voters of Austin, Texas, pending proposition to merge the Independent Telephone Company doing business in this City, with the Southwestern Telephone Company, which proposes, if the voters of the City so approve, to absorb said Independent Telephone Company. Second : That we favor the submission of said proposition of merger, althou stipulates the rate for business Telephones shall be five dollars per month in lieu of the present rate or charge of the Southwestern Telephone Company of four dollars per month. Third: That we do not believe it judicious, or proper at this time and therefore the forum of the City Council to prescribe in said merger proposal to be submitted to the qualified voters of this City a minimum wage provision for the operatives of the absorbing Telephone Company. 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 Council then adjourned. Jno. J. Ohlman City Clerk