SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, January 23, 1920. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; absent, none. The protest and appeal of E. M. Scarbrough and others from the raise in values of the properties in their names was read. W. D. Hart, Attorney, and others addressed the Council. The motion of Councilman Haynes, seconded by Councilman Graham, that the petition be taken under advisement, carried by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; nays, none. The Council then recessed. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, January 24, 1920. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; absent, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, on November 28, 1919, E. M. Scarbrough, Alfred Smith, Ernest Nalle, Ewell Nalle, Mrs. Sallie Nalle, Edgar Nalle, Walter Bremond, R. C. Bartholomew for Mrs. Clara Davis, American National Bank, E. P. Wilmot, Austin National Bank, State National Bank, J. Silverstein, R. C. Roberdeau, J. H. Robinson, Jr., Pierre Bremond, Mrs. Augusta Bremond, R. W. Shipp, May Robinson, Lewis Hancock, Thad A. Thomson, T. W. Gregory, Mrs. J. W. Cooke, Mr. Henry Lee Borden, Mrs. H. C. Nall, The Stelfox Company, L. J. Schneider, E. B. Robinson and Mrs. R. M. Swearingen filed with the City Council the following instrument of writing, to-wit: "We respectfully protest and appeal from the raise in values on the property in our names; the values of which said property have been raised by the Board of Equalization, and against which action we then and there protested. We consider the raise an arbitrary raise, without just cause. We do not believe that there is any change in value which would warrant a raise. Coming in at this time, an additional tax burden, which we do not believe is just, equitable or coming at a time when additional tax burden, should be added to our already heavy burdens. We make this protest for ourselves and our property and for those we represent"; and WHEREAS, said written appeal of said parties was presented and argued to the City Council by said parties, in person and through their attorney, W. D. Hart, on January 22, 1920, in the course of which presentment and argument it was charged by said parties that the Board of Equalization had made an arbitrary raise of ten percent on the values of all properties situated in the business district of the City of Austin, without reference to the true values of said properties and not for the purpose of accomplishing an equalization of values of said property with all other property situated within the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, the members of the Board of Equalization have informed the City Council, that wherever the values of property had been raised by them during their sessions that same was done for the purpose of