Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-08
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Electric Light Ordinance Passed-side-
walk Ordinance to be Enforced

Brown presiding and all the members pres
emit. The minutes of the preceding meeting
were read and approved.
Mark Foster, Chief Engineer of the Water
Works, reported that during the past week
TO- O4S, 800 gallons of water had been pumped.
Captain n. A. Kidder, Harbormaster, re-
ported for the month of December collections
as follows Steamers, 500; barges, S4O new
fish market, $40; total. s155.
George a. Putnam, City Collector, re-
ported for December: Licenses sold,
81, 9S4 80; fees collected on the same, Sl64;
dog licenses sold, S53; total, SIS, 2O1 90.
William Laufkotter, Superintendent of the
City Cemeteries. reported for the same period,
as follows Sale of lots, $50; collected for
permits. S97; vault dues, $40; from New
Helvetia Cemetery, $50. Total, 1927.
business of his office for December, as fol-
lows Dogs killed, SO; dogs redeemed, 10;
cattle redeemed 30. Amount OF cash col
lected, so.
Matt. Kscher, Chief of Police. reported for
December l76 arrests, 81 dodgers, u en- routes,
and l, 119 meals served st the City Prison.
Resolutions from parties in Philadelphia,
who wish to have Congress make new In
dian policy, was received and read. The
resolutions were accompanied by letter re-
questing that they be adopted by the Board
of Trustees and forwarded to Congress. The
same request has been seat to every important
city in the Union. They are intended to
secure to poor Lo protection of his lands, his
rights, and the education of his children.
The resolutions were laid over fer one week
under the rule.
The following resolution from the Board of
Health was read and placed on file
Resolved, That in the opinion of the Board of
Health and in view OF the amount and character of
the work required of the Health Officer, one hun
dred dollars is only fair and reasonable compensa
ton.
The proposed ordinance appointing an In
spector of Meats was spoken of by one of the
members but no one moved to take it from
the table.
Captain Woods, of the police force, was
present and stated that citizens were COM
planning of the large number of fruit stands
throughout the city that were constructed on
the outer edge of the sidewalk. They inter-
fered with pedestrians, especially 50 on dark
nights, and he thought they were in violation
of the ordinance relating to sidewalks. The
matter was referred to Street Commissioner
Nielsen, who instructed the Captain to have
them removed Immediately, and to see that
no one used more of the sidewalk than the
ordinance says they are entitled to, viz:
No person or business firm shsll use any portion
OF the sidewalk in any part OF the city, for any pur
pose whatever, excepting only for the display of
goods, wares and merchandise, ard for the purpose
OF displaying goods but four feet in width, com
mencing at the front line of the lot
The ordinance presented at the last meet
ing by w. r. Muir, and which was laid over
under the rule for one week, was taken up
and read. The ordinance asks that W. r.
Muir and his assigns be granted the priv.
l.. 90, Ia
limits, for the term of fifty years, poles and
wires for the purpose of Lighting the city with
electricity.
Trustee Nielsen said he would like to know
why they wished it to extend over period of
fifty years. lie could see no reason for spec-
flying any period Of time.
Mayor Brown said he thought that matter
cut no figure, as the Constitution gave Mr..
Muir or any one else unlimited time. He was
of the opinion that the city authorities could
grant him no rights that were not already
guaranteed by the Constitution. That TO-
strument certainly gave him all the rights
and privileges that were petitioned for in the
ordinance under consideration.
Edward Cadwalader said he was not di-
rectly interested in the electric light enter
prise, but had been asked by Mr.. Muir to be
present and speak for him in the matter.
The object in asking the passage of the pro-
posed ordinance, he presumed, was this
While ne may have all the rights requisite
under the laws of the State, he might be
stopped in his construction by the city
authorities, and hindered and retarded in his
work. AS to the fifty years, that was the
uaual time specified in a.. interpretations.
Without the passage of the ordinance pro-
posed, the company in digging holes for their
posts might be arrested for trespass. While,
of course, Mr.. Muir would not be permitted
to commit nuisance, he wished all the pro-
lection usually granted by city authorities
for enterprises of this or like character. They
simply wanted some guarantee that they
would not be hampered or harassed
Mayor Brown said the Board had no OBJ.
lection to the passage of the ordinance as it
was written, and he, as enc of the members,
would certainly throw no obstacle in the petit
toners way to prevent him from going ahead
with the enterprise. He thought, however,
that instead of being compelled to expend
within six months 900 as a guarantee of
good faith, the amount should at least be
$50, 900 or 800 900. The guarantee Gum of
50, coo, when the magnitude of the undertake
ing was taken into consideration, looked small
indeed, and would lead the public to believe
that they were not acting in good faith, but
that it was simply scheme to compel those
now lighting the city to buy them off.
Mr. Csdwalader replied that much more
than s., coo was already invested.
r. A. Fisk, Superintendent of the Fire
Alarm Telegraph system, said that if the
Board saw fit to pass the ordinance, he wished
to say few words in regard to the electric
light system. If their wires, he said, by
accident or otherwise, ever come in contact
with the wires of the fire alarm system, it
would burn up all magnets of the system,
and the city would be Immediately deprived
Of It's entire FIRE alarm.
Mayor Brown said he presumed it was
owing to that fact that in Eastern cities,
where they had been experimenting with the
electric light, the authorities had compelled
the companies to bury their wires. He said
it was also reported that the electric cur.
rent was so strong that it killed anything that
touched it.
Mr.. Flax thought that $4,000 guarantee
would he small enough. In damp, foQgy
weather, when the atmosphere was heavily
charged with moisture, it would, in his opin.
ion, be exceedingly dangerous to have the
electric wires closer to those of the fire alarm
than ten or twelve feet. In fact, be thought
they should not be constructed on the same
side Of the street. He thought, also, il
would be imprudent for them to be permitted
TO conduct them on either J or K streets
where children would be able to touch the
wires from housetops upper balconies, as
in either case such an act on their part would
most likely result in their immediate death
Trustee Gutenberger thought if the wires
were rs dangerous as represented by Mr.. |
Fisk it would not be safe to have them 10 or
around the houses.
Mr.. Fisk-Oh, no ; properly insulated and
in o dry atmosphere there is no danger
The Mayor said he thought the whole mat,
ter humbug piece of business both as to
ligh. and reliability. In his opinion it was
simply scheme intended for the manipulA.
ton Of gas stock, but as far as he was con.
cerned, he was willing to have the ordinance
passed. He thought no damage could result
therefrom, as the construction and maiute-
nance would at all times be looked after by
the Street Commissioner.
Trustee Nielsen moved the passage of the
ordinance without amendments, seconded by
Trustee Gutenberger, and passed by their
votes, with the understanding that Mr..
Muir was to pay for advertising the same.
After passing upon lar e mum Der of bills
aud ordering them paid, the Board ad-
journed.
FEARFUL FALL Yesterday morning about
4 o'clock r. J. Dawson, proprietor of the
fremont House, on street, between Front
and Second, was awakened by the sound of
some large body fslling on the ground in the
hack ward Soon he heard low means. and