The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-05
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.
A New Set Of Rules Adopted for That
B0dy's Future Government.
A New Sewer Proposed to Drain the West
Side-The City Officers Salaries Al
lowed to Stand

| The proceedings of the City Council at the
regular meeting last night We're, with the e2cep-
ton Of few unpleasant remarks during the
| discussion of the new rules, wholly devoted to
| business, and great deal was disposed of.
| The city civil engineer was authorized to So
licit contract proposals for the construction of
| brick sewer Of four and one-half feet internal
diameter, from White river along Washington to
| Geis7ndort street, thence north to New
York street and thence east to Bright
street The city engineer gave it as his opinion
/ that the proposed sewer will give perfect drain
age to the territory in the vicinity of Bright
street
|. The city treasurer reported balances to the
credit of the different funds: General fund,
I $47 III. Sc; Tomlinson estate, 500. 83S 46; addi
ton city hail fund, So, 1865. SO and sinking fund,
! $l5, 22S.52, The city clerk reported eXpondi-
lures during January to the amount of $685.,
529.4 -.
! A proposition was received from the Central
Union Telephone Company, offering to furnish
the city police telephone system. similar to the
one in use in Chicago. at rental of $50 year
for each station, all the apparatus required for
the service to be furnished by the telephone
company, but the operators to be employed by
the city. In urging the proposition the com
mUnication states that IF this system is estab-
ished the city will have the benefit of
independent communication between its
station houses and the central police office; be-
tween the patrolmen on each beat and the cen
tral station, and WILL by requiring the patrol
men to report at the telephone stations at stated
| ;,to n
any system of sergeants.' The matter was re
ferred to the Judiciary committee, fire board and
| the city attorney.
The committee on finance, to whom was re-
| ferred the estimate Of expenditures of the fire
department, reported that they believed that the
estimates are as low as it would be prudent to
| put them.
The railroad committee reported that they
of the opinion that the grade of East street.
at the crossing near Pogues run, could be re-
duced from twelve to eighteen inches without
! damage TO the property owners, and that
the railroad companies crossing the
run at that point should be
required to build bridge without placing abut
ments in the bed of the stream. The abutments
| now standing in the run are serious distractions
| to the flow of water, and the committee recon-
mended that the railway company. the c., H. 81
! l., should be required to remove them at once in
all of which the Council concurred.
| Fire Chief Webster requested the immediate
purchase of 5000 feet of new hose. The matter
was referred to the fire board
The city attorney requested the appointment
| of q Joint committee from the Council and Board
| of Aldermen to consider and adjust the differ
| ences between the property owners on Highland
street. arising from the question as to who should
| paw the $500 damages awarded Major Mitchell on
| account of the change of grade along his prop
| ertv. The judiciary committee was authorized
! to take whatever action in regard to the matter
! they may deem advisable.
! The judiciary committee, to whom was referred
the ordinance providing for the taxing Of street
| cars reported that they had made investigation
of tire matter and cannot find sufficient law or
authority for the cause, and would therefore re-
I port against it, = in which the Council concurred.
The Judiciary committee reported that the or
dinance providing for the payment of taxes in
| two installments was, in their opinion, not
| legal, land in far as the eitys interests are
| concerned, it ought not to be passed.
Majority and minority reports were presented
! by the committee on rules for the government of
! the Council during the next two years The ma
| jo1ity report was signed by Messrs. Spahr, Ben
! jamin, and bowling, Mr. Pearson pre-
| scented the minority report. The only
| importanG point Of difference between the
rules of the former Council and the report of
! the majority committee was in relation to the
power of appointing the standing committees.
! Under the rules submitted by the majority of
/ the committee, this power was taken from the
! mayor AND given to the Council.
The proposed change was commented upon
with some asperity by Messrs. Thalman and
/ Pearson and heated discussion was provoked.
| Dir. Spain, in speaking upon the question, said
| that he had been concerned in the movement by
| which the appointment Of the standing commit
| tees had peen taken from the mayor and
! he did not regret his action in the matter.
| Il never knew men to be so ignorant of
| parliamentary laws as some of them were when
| | came into this Council he said, and further
| remarked with some vehemenee that he would
! not submit to the Council being managed by "a
set of men who had been continually involving
! the city in litigation" Mr. Pearson said that,
| While the Council unquestionably had the right
! to take the appointment of committees from the
| mayor, he did mot think it gentlemanly to do
| So"
| Mr. Spahr--I say that's because you don't know
| what gentemanly is
| In continuing his remarks Mr. Spahr said: IT
| am not for ignoring your honor, but / am in IA
vOr of conducting the legislation that at the
| end of two years it will be credit to the men
| who took part in it. If you men referring to
! Messrs. Pearson and Thalmanl want to paint the
( sky red, go on. Ihave got war paint enough ON
! TO last me TO the end"
| Mr. Thalman--What meat does this our Caesar
I ear. that he becomes so great!
Mr.. SpahP-Well, I don't feed at your table
This man who found so much ignorance
| when he came to things continued Mr.
| Thalman, is making an unnecessary display of
/ his greatness. OF course he knows all about
| parliamentary law. and we all know what a
/ great man he is. He tells us that these things
| viii have to be DONE and, as he says so, | sup-
! pose it will be. We have among US some wise
men who think they know it all"
| Mr. Wharton suggested that the thing to do in
| the future is never to have any more private
! eaucuses."
| Mr. Rees arose to remark that whenever ne
| failed to do justice to his duties on the COM
mittees of which he was member he would
| withdraw
A motion to adopt the minority report on
rules was laid on the table by vote of 10 to o,
| the ballot standing
| Yeas--Councilmen Benjamin, Coy, Bowling
| Downey Doyle, Edenharter Haugh, Mack,
/ Moran, Rees, Reinecke, Reynolds Spahr, Whar-
| ton. and Wolfe-l5.
| Nays-Counciln1en Cowe, Curry, Gallahue,
| McClelland, Newcomb, Pearson, Smither, Thai
man. and Truser-9.
| The majority report was afterward adopted
| entire, and the ordinance prescribing the rules