The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-22
Proceedings of the City Council.

we dlu not reach the city nall IN time 10
hear the opening exercises. Before we entered
the council room the council had granted, by
unanimous vote, the petition Of the Deurler
heirs to allow them to transfer their lease to
Mr.. Kerble. We take it for granted that this
was one of those cut and dried performances
which ''his honor" knows how to get up in
the most complete way; no discussion, no ex-
PLANTATION, in fact no real understanding of
what they were about. We shall take occa-
sion to comment on this hereafter.
Petitions were read from citizens protesting
against the closing Of branch ditch in the
third ward, and the council took back track
and reconsidered its action. G. P. Devine
protested against Mitchell & Carly digging a
ditch through his property.
The butchers in Alamo market asked per-
mission to open stalls on or near Alamo plaza.
This matter was discussed for quite time and
finally granted, although it did not seem that
the aldermen knew what they were about.
The gas company want to lay pipes along
on avenue D, provided the city erect gas
lamps.
A petition to have south Flores street
widened from the plaza to Nueva street, was
referred to committee. This is piece of
unfinished business the city should carry out
without any further delay.
THE CITY ENGINEERS REPORT.
When chs honor" announced that he had
report from the city engineer, we might have
expected had it been in any other civilized
city, that it had some reference to engineering
matters, condition of streets, methods of i'm
provement, drainage, &C., but in this case it
was simply a long and minute report about a
survey of the lines of Grayson street fronting
the government depot.
Reports from other officers, which we are
not able at present to comment on, but which
we will try to review during the week.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The finance committee lat whose head is
that distinguished 6nancier, Alderman Berg)
reported the stale compromise with the Mexi.
can bond swindlers. No questions asked, no
discussion-a blank look upon the intelligent
countenances Of the city law makers; vote
unanimous. The single "no" did not even
assert itself. This is another of those cut and
dried affairs of which CHS honor" is peculiar
GENEROUS ALDERMEN.
Our aldermen have soft hearts, especially
when the appeal for charity can be assuaged
from the pockets of the people. Following
the vote of $4,000 for the Mexican bond
swindle, the generous finance committee rec
ommend that monthly stipend of S. be paid
t" some children, orphans. Now this was very
kind, and proposition no big, generous al
derman could vote against, but which every
alderman should vote against if he has any re-
gard for his oath of Office and his duty to the
public. There is no provision to turn the city
into an an orphan asylum or charity hos
pital. These poor children may need the sti-
pend, so do others equally worthy, and if the
city is going to undertake to care for the Or
orphans from the public treasury let all the
orphans have a chance. What the aldermen
ought to have done, if they wanted to act lib
berally, was to put their hands into their own
pockets instead Of the city's pocket, and paid
this SIS a month.
| TELEPHONES.
The public improvement committee should
be called the ''job" committee, because it only
gets the little jobs to attend to. The PROPOSE
ton of Mr.. Dunbar to furnish the city six tele-
phones was reported favorably on by the pub
lie improvement committee. Alderman De-
gener asked to be excused from voting, be-
cause he was a recipient Of one of the tele-
phones, and so did Alderman Schreiner. II
this interest was of private nature, such as to
preclude their voting for the proposition, then
it was very improper to spend the money OF
the city for these telephones. This is new
leak, yet the mo" was not heard upon this
question.
STREET AND BRIDGE COMMITTEE.
The street and bridge committee reported
on the sidewalk resolution of Alderman Schrei-
ner favorably. This work belongs to the pub
lie Improvement committee, but his honor is
so Indifferent about the public Improvement
committee, that he only gives it disputed street
lines and controversies of vexing nature, like
Olive street, that might properly be referred to
| the street and bridge committee.