The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-24
CITY COUNCILS.
Their Proceedings Yesterday.

Their Proceedings Yesterday,
Both branches of City Councils held meet
ing yesterday afternoon.
Select Brdnch.-W. S. Stokley, Esq, in the chair.
A communication received from the Mayor,
announcing that the title of League island had been
transterred to the United States government
ported as follows: Cash balance on hand November
l. 1865 $S3S,541 37 cash received during the month";
S3S4,324 49, Total, 81 222,S66 %. Payments during
the month, $3.50 800 46, leaving balance of SS72,
o65 So which was appropriated as follows; For in
terest on city loan SG100O0 for sinking fund secu
rites $llS 17S 90, and for warrants, sundry claims
missioner of Highways to employ men to clean the
dirt from the front of the sewer inets and charge
the same to the account of the contractorsfor street
cleaning.
A report from the Committee on Girard Estates
directing the City Solicitor to allow judgment to
be entered in favor of John Gilbert and others,
adopted.
Common Council bill appropriating S1492 for
militia enrolment was concurred in.
The county prison appropriation bill of S133,9Oi
for 1869 concurred in.
That to the department of Receiver of Taxes of
$36,600 was also passed.
Thanks were rendered to Jesse and Rebecca
George for the gift of certain lands in West Phia-
delpha to be attached to Fairmount Park.
The gas loan of 81 200, 600 called up and post
poned for the present The appropriation of SIT 100
to the City Treasurer for 1869 was increased $1,000
The Park loan of 81 100000 was adopted by vote
The loan of 81, ,64O, ,OOO for the extension of the
Water-works, the purchase of League island, and
the payment for the City Ice Boat, was passed by
vote of % yeas and 2nays.
The GaswOr loan of 81 200, 900 was also adopted
by vote of 26 yeas and nay.
Messrs, Smith, Shermer and Marcus consti-
tuted committee to report upon the necessity for
mOrgue.
for land purchases and land damages for the pur-
pose of the Park was indefinitely postponed.
The park commission were notified that Councils
were ready to appropriate the amounts necessary
for the purchase Of land for park purposes.
Adjourned
Common Branch.-President Joseph f. Marcer in
the chair.
The following communication was presented by
the President and read:
To the Select and Common Councils of the city of
Philadelphia: The Fairmount p ark Commissioners
respectfully represent that the commission have
obtained from Jesse George and his sister, Rebecca
George grant to the city of Philadelphia of that
elevated tract of land known GEORGES Hills" |
with house and barn, within the boundaries of the
Park containing about eighy-three acres of land,
reserving annual sums or rents together five thou
sand dollars payable halfyearly, and the first half
yearly payment to be made on the first day of July
next The annual sum is less than the interest of
the actual value of the land If we leave out of |
view the advantage the Park will be to the other |
lands of the grantors and on the decease of Jesse
George these annual payments by the city are to
cease.
The commission consider this dedication of
great value to the city, constituting as it will one
of the most beautiful features of the park, over
looking the city, the rivers and large extent of
our State and New Jersey. They also consider the
terms of the grant very liberal, charitable and
public spirited the part of Jesse George and his
sister, and believe that the City Councils and citi-
zens of Philadelphia will gratefully appreciate
their benefcence. The commission respectfully
pray that Councils will accept the grant and make
therefor due acknowledgment.
MORTON MCMIcHEAL, President.
In connection Herewith Mr.. Wagner offered an
ordinance providing for the acceptance OF the
grant on the terms offered Agreed 60.
Mr.. Wagner offered a resolution of thanks to
Jesse George and kebecca George for their libe; libei
above referred to. Agreed to.
A message was received from, his Honor the
Mayor reporting the formal transfer of the League
Island property to the United States.
Mr.. Bardsley offered an ordinance providing that
an ordinance recently passed Prohl9inng the g dig
shall not be understood to prohibit necessary re-
pairs to gas mains, water pipes &c: Passed
A resolution was offered authorizing the Chestnut
Street Skating Rink Association TO set back the
curbstone on Chestnut street, between Twenty
third and Twenty-first streets Referred to Com
The Chamber then resumed the consideration
of the bill offered by Mr.. Evans prohibiting the
sale of turpentine naphtha benzine or benzole be-
tween the hours of sunset and sunrise and also any
approach within twenty feet of such oils with arti
fetal lights between the same hours.
Mr.. Evans moved to amend so as to prohibit
merely any approach TO such oils with artificial
light for any purpose, between the hours of sunset
and sunrise. Referred back TO the Common Coun-
Gil tS G nays S6 H m o ord
nance concerning the site for new House of Cor
rection Several gentlemen opposed the bill on the
ground that the proposed site is situated without
the county of Philadelphia, and that a portion of
the tract was swampy. A motion to indefinitely
postpone produced long discussion when the mo-
ton was withdrawn, and an amendment was offered
embodyng a proyiso that the Legislature shall
any portion lying between the tract and said county
An amendment to the amendment was passed add
ing the words Before any contract shall be entered
into for the purchase of the land. The amendment
was then agreed TO. The ordinance amended
authorizes the City Solicitor to examine the title to
the four contiguous tracts ofland Long Hook and
Tincum Islands, in Delaware county, and if they |
be found satisfactory, to have the same conveyed
to the city of Philadelphia, the consideration there
for to be the of $500 upon the delivery of the
deed, and the annual ground rent of $4,000 to be |
charged thereon; with the pTovso that the Legisla-
ture Shall annex the tract and the land lying be-
tween il and the county of Philadelphia, to said
county, before any contract shall be entered into
for the purchase of the land.
The second section provides for carrying these |
provisions into effect The ordinance then finally |
passed-yeas "a, nays 49, A motion to reconsider |
was then laid upon the table.
The Common Council bill authorizing a loan for /
an extension of the Gas-wOrks, concurred in by |
Select Council with an amendment changing the |
disposition of sundry items, was postponed for the
present.
The Chamber then took up on second reading the |