The state journal., 1884-02-09
COMMON COUNCIL.
Adjourned Stated Meeting-Debate on Va
riOus Matters Before 1t.

twenty members were in attendance.
A communication was read from the
county commissioners, complaining O
the janitor employed by the Councils, re
minding them that this was the second
time they had had occasion to notify them
of the slovenly manner in which he did
his duty, keeping them constantly in feal
for the safety of the court house, and pro-
testing against boy being charged with
such responsibility. 1t was referred to
the Committee on City Property.
Mr.. Mather offered resolution that
the Highway Committee be instructed to
report by ordinance or otherwise plan
for the better security of life and property
at railroad crossings, &c. Referred to
Highway Committee.
Mr.. Swartz read in place an ordinance
appropriating $75, 600 of the proceeds of
sales of the old reservoir lots for the pur-
pose of building the proposed new market
! house. Referred to the Finance Com
mittee.
The following ordinances were then
considered on second reading:
An ordinance appropriating $40, 900 for
purchasing and laying water main on
Eleventh street from State street to the
southern city limits, the money 10 be
taken from the proceeds of the sale of
! reservoir lots. On motion Of Mr.. Bay
| the provision that the money be taken
out of the proceeds Of the sales Of the oldl
reservoir lots was stricken out and the
| bill went over to be reprinted.
An ordinance regulating the occupation
of the highways of the city by street rail
ways was read. 1t provides that no street
railway company may occupy any street
without having first obtained consent of
| Councils, and that no T rail shall be
| used or other than street car rails of
| forms that will not impede the travel by
| carriages, &c, on the streets, and shall
not be laid so as to interfere with the
| grade Of the streets. Passed finally.
Ordinance Select Council file 107
being the bill regulating the collection of
vital statistics, the burial of corpses and
| their transportation was taken up for
consideration, and thereupon there sprang
up a very lively debate.
Mr. Mather moved to amend by strik-
| ing out the words cor parts Of bodies" in
section 4, line 1, because he thought they
would conflict with an act of the Legisla-
ture passed last winter. Mr.. Ryan moved
| the bill be indefinitely postponed. Mr. Ma
pone the bill indefinitely. explaining that
all the provisions of the bill, as to reports,
&c, are now carried out by the Sanitary
| Committee, but to do the work more eff
fectually should be embodied in an ordi-
nance.
Mr. Ettla explained that the provisions
of this bill are those provided by the act
of Assembly for the government of
! boards of health. We had a board of
health few years ago and as is usual
with them, it became unpopular and
Councils refusing to appropriate money
| for their use, it was abolished and the
| sanitary committee is now performing its
| duties.
Mr.. Ettla thought, however, that the
bill had better be carefully examined
''Here, for instance, is a specimen
would like to call the attention of the
| grammarians Of the Council to, " ana he
read section. II am not much of a
grammarian, but it seems tome the mean
ing of that is rather foggy." He was re
minded that the words he had quoted are
| copied from the act Of assembly.
Mr.. Ryan insisted upon his motion to
postpone indefinitely He, said the ordi-
| nance was conceived in folly and born
in difficulty and trouble He did not see
why we should create a great lot of ex-
pensiye machinery to run funerals with,
when that was left to the friends of
the dead, it had always been done.
Mr.. largest thought the ordinance
ought not to be Indefinitely postponed it's
purpose was all right, though he con-
| fessed he would like to have more time to
examine the details, and thought it should
be postponed for the present. Mr.. Mather
suggested that as heproposed two amend
ments if they were adopted it would ne
cessitatc the bill going over to be printed,
and be practical postponement
This was acceptable to the Council.
Mr.. Mather's amendment was adopted.
Then he proposed an amendment as sec
ton 6, providing that the bodies of per
sons dying of infectious diseases shall
not be exposed to public view but be
buried as quickly and privately as the
circumstances will admit This was
adopted, and the bill went over.
Ordinances 631, 632, 633, 634 and $50
were read the first time.
Ordinance 597 was received from Select
| Council with an amendment to strike out
Elizabeth and insert Wallace street. The
amendment was COncurred in, and the
ordinance passed finally.
The ordinance prohibiting the erection
of wooden buildings in the Fifth ward
was received from Select Council,
amended by striking out the word mot, "
which had been inserted by the printer,
who had changed it to read no building
should be erected in the Fifth ward the
| material of which was not wood,
Mr.. Ryan exhibited some anxiety lest
there might be something covered by this
amendment, but his nerves were soothed
and it was concurred in.
Resolution Of Select Council, authoriz-
| ing the Market Committee to make any
changes in the plans for the new market
house that in their judgment would be
| iudiciouS, was read and COncurred in.
Mr.. largest offered a resolution inquir
| ing by what authority the West Harris
burg market company ohstructs the cen
! ter of Broad street Passed.
Mr.. Mather offereda resolution instruct
ing the committee having the old reser.
voir grounds in charge to sell the lots at
once that are at or near grade.
Upon this Mr.. Ettla rose up and made
| a speech, the substance of which was that
gentlemen would do we'll to leave the
! committee to attend to their own bust
ness. 1t is ali nonsense to be hurrying
up sales this time of the year With
three feet of frost in the ground, there
was no wisdom in attempting either to
move the earth or the water pipes
under the lots. He noticed that there
was extreme haste to get hold of the
money, schemes for appropriating about
$40, 600 of it having already come before
| Councils. If the lots are to be pushed
to sale before they were ready, or there
was demand for them, they would not
produce that much money. The resolu.
ton went over.
Mr.. Gerret offered resolution in
structing the mayor to enforce the law
against persons selling arms and ammu-
milton 10 persons under II years