45 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL; Austin, Texas, August 22, 1918. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following present: Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony, Haynes, and Powell, 4; absent, Councilman Bartholomew, 1. The minutes of August 15 and subsequent meetings were read and approved by a vote of 4 yeas, no nays. Request for removal of Saloon signs A delegation of 24 women representing the W. C. T. U., Equal Suffrage Association, Humane Society, Speedway Central M. E. Church, Hyde Park Christian Church, First Presbyterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, First Southern Presbyterian, Highland Presbyterian, Hyde Park Presbyterian, East Avenue Baptist, and Ward Memorial M. E. Churches, requesting the Council to require the removal of saloon signs from premises in Austin which were formerly occupied by saloons. Mrs. M. B. Moreland and others addressed the Council on this subject. Re.o.nd.ing Removal of Saloon Signs The Mayor then laid before the Council the following resolution: Whereas, liquor saloons were duly and legally banished from the City of Austin, by vote of the people, on the 2nd day of March, 1918; Whereas, the conspicuous lettered and pictured signs which advertised the presence of these saloons in Austin, prior to March 2, 1918, have in many cases never been removed; and, Whereas, these signs are calculated to mislead persons unacquainted with the true state of affairs with respect to these saloons, and are calculated to give, and do give, a bad reputation to the City of Austin, par- ticularly with persons coming here from other points; therefore, RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the owners and occupants of all property bearing saloon and liquor signs, within the limits of the City of Austin, be and they are hereby required to at once take down, remove and erase all such signs; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the police of the City of Austin be and they are hereby instructed to enforce the carrying into effect of this order. The resolution was passed by vote of 4 yeas, no nays. fair municipal control of order APPROVED, August 22, 1918: A. P. Wooldridge, Mayor. Mrs. Forrest Farley of the same delegation presented the request that the Mayor proclaim a daily moment of prayer for victory in the war. Mrs. William E. Hawkins told of the want of suitable drinking water for picnic parties at Barton Springs, and offered the suggestion that trash be regularly removed from the cement-inclosed spring and that placards be posted in the vicinity warning the people not to throw melon rinds and other trash into it. The Mayor stated that he would follow out this suggestion. Capt. L. Theo Bellmont of the School of Military Aeronautics was before the Council and explained a plan being worked out by the three local military schools looking to the regular patrolling of the streets by military police, by way of assistance to the city police in controlling and safeguarding the interests of the men in uniform. The Mayor offered the following resolution: RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS: --- Page break --- 46 Authorizing contract with J. Ben Stoner for system of values hereby authorized to contract with J. Ben Stoner of San Antonio, Texas, for the installation in this city of the Unit System of assessment of real estate values. This work is to include all necessary and proper maps, calculations and data of figures necessary to the complete performance of this work under the most modern, scientific and approved system of unit assessment of real estate values, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the price to be paid for this service shall not exceed the sum of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000.00), and BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER: That the details of the work to be done under this resolution shall be fully set out in an ordinance of the City Council framing the contract hereby authorized to be entered into by the Mayor of the City of Austin with the said J. Ben Stoner. In this connection Councilman Haynes submitted the following communication: I have given this matter earnest consideration, and as I understand it, under this proposed system of equalization of valuations the same results are expected to obtain here as in other cities that have adopted the system, viz: the reduction of many valuations and large increases in others, but in the aggregate several million H. L. Haynes' Resolution appealed to the people dollars' increase over our present valuations, thus increasing the revenues of the city, which of course would be very desirable considering the financial condition of the city and the increasing demands made on the Council incident to the war. I feel that this is a matter affecting the interests of every tax payer, large and small, and therefore should be decided by them and not by any four or five men. Only a short while ago, this same question, under a proposition from Mr. Young, since deceased, was before this Council, and as an evidence of the desire of the people to decide it for themselves a large referendum petition, praying that it be submitted to a vote of the people, was filed with the Council. However, the proposition failing to receive the necessary four-fifths vote of the Council, the petition was ignored and the matter allowed to sleep. Considering these facts, I do not feel that I would be doing my duty towards the people to vote for this contract, unless the Council be authorized by the people to make the expenditure of the $7,500.00 (or more) contemplated and to change the established system of property valuations as provided for by the charter. Hence, as much as I respect the judgment of the Mayor and appreciate the anxiety of the majority of my colleagues and members of the School Board for increased revenues through the adjustment or equalization of property valuations by tax experts under the Unit System, I must vote against the resolution, and now move as a substitute that the matter be submitted to the people for their acceptance or rejection. (Signed) H. L. Haynes --- Page break --- 47 After some discussion of the point whether the matter could be referred to the people in the manner proposed, Mr. Haynes' motion was put and failed by the following vote: Yeas, Councilman Haynes, 1; nays, Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony and Powell, 3. The resolution offered by the Mayor was then passed by the following vote: Yeas, Mayor Wooldridge, Councilmen Anthony and Powell, 3; nays, Councilman Haynes, 1. APPROVED, August 22, 1918: A. P. Wooldridge, Mayor. Gas Rates. Advanced A communication from A. T. Knies, manager of the Austin Gas Light Company, was read announcing an increase of gas rates, effective September 1. Afternoon session: Councilman Bartholomew absent. The July reports of R. H. Cousins, labor agent, the secretary of the United Charities, and the police matron were read and ordered filed. Councilman Anthony offered the following resolution: RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: Wm. Cave: fine That one-half of the fine and costs, amounting to $19.80, assessed against W. M. Cave for the offense of speeding, in Cause No. 13012, Corporation Court of the City of Austin, be and the same is hereby remitted. This action is taken in consideration of the youth and inexperience of the said W. M. Cave and of the fact that he is in the service of the United States as a soldier. The resolution was adopted by vote of 4 yeas, no nays. APPROVED, August 22, 1918: A. P. Wooldridge, Mayor. Ord. author- izing G. I. N. to relocate tracks The Mayor laid before the Council "An ordinance to authorize the International and Great Northern Railway Company and the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company to extend, remove, relocate, construct and reconstruct their certain railroad track in and along Fourth street and in and across Sabine street, in the City of Austin, for the purpose of unification of their terminal service as desired by the United States Government, subject to the conditions and limitations expressed in this ordinance." The ordinance was read the first time and laid over. The Mayor laid before the Council "An ordinance to authorize the Ord. author- izing H. T. C. I. & G. N. tracks Houston & Texas Central Railroad Company and the International & Great Northern Railway Company to extend, remove, relocate, construct and reconstruct certain tracks on Third street and across Congress avenue in the City of Austin, for the purpose of unification of terminal service as desired by the United States Government, subject to the conditions and limitations expressed in this ordinance." This ordinance was read the first time and laid over. The Council then adjourned. V. E. Marrin City Clerk