San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-25
CITY SOLONS.
STEADY-GoING BUSINESS SESSION
OF THE COUNCIL YES
TERDAY.
The City Engineer and His Little Re-
ports-Projected Fire Alarm Sys-
tem-People's Gas Company
Again Sat Down Upon.

The city dads in the forum of the
city assembled yesterday afternoon and
listened first TO the sOnorous reading Of
the minutes of the last edition of the re-
suits of the arbitrary rulings OF the
mayor. All the aldermen. except Bel
KNAPP were present, and the business be-
gan with the reading of the petitions
and memorials that presented them
selves to the mayor:
L. y. c. Ord post, Grand Army Re-
public first called for a platoon of
mounted police to attend their parade
OH Decoration day, and clear the plazas
and streets of fOOtmen and vehicles.
They invited the municipal fathers to
attend also, and the petition and invita-
tions were granted and accepted.
Other business as follows came up:
From Louis Heisler, TO open u refrig-
orator meat market, corner Houston and
Bowie streets. Referred to market com
mittee.
Citizens, asking that South Centre
street be drained. Street committee and
engineer.
From Mrs. e. Boyle, asking that her
pound fees be RENTED, as she was
poor widow. Gallagher promptly put
the motion before the house; carried
unanimously.
E.A. Giraud offered to sell property
to open Augusta street from SOled2d
street near the convent to Acequia street
for $1,000. The chairman of the commit
tee to whom the matter had been re-
terred, stated mat several months ago
they had reported favOrably on this mat
Ter on u basis of $1,000. The bargain
will be closed, however, at the latest
quotation.
Mr.. Buchanan offered TO sell property
to widen Sycamore street. Property of
Stoves and GriesenbeCk will also be con-
demned, and the mayor was authorized
to arrange with the parties at the lowest
figures, about $500.
Report of the city engineer on the
BinZ-Engelman road was adopted. In
his report the city engineer stated that
he had found the fence offered by Mr..
Breckenridge already put up. 1t was a
more expensive fence than the city and
county had Calculated upon, but Mr..
breckenridge would not, said Mayor
Callaghan, permit the right-Of-way I'M
The estimated cost was S6lS for county
and city.
Report of city engineer, of estimates
for proposed street improvements, not
including the plaZas, during the present
fiscal year, showing SllO,S25 needed for
the work. About $4,000 more would
fix up the plaZaS. COnnOr, of Beanville,
said he did not want money thrown
away in fixing up back streets. He
wanted South Laredo street included in
the estimate. Report was received and
filed.
Report of city engineer on resolution
Of MacSey, regarding the lots at the
head of the river, bearing upon the
question of the riparian rights Of the
city. He stated that official data was
very meagre, and he had found no
authentic record of reserve being
made. He thought, however, that the
wording Of the deed should be observed,
and that the lots extended to the waters
edge and followed the meandering Of
the river. Mackey wanted to know pos
ltively IL the wording was correct, and
stated there was great difference be-
tween following the meanders of the
river" and following with the mean
ders," etc. He said the stakes were five
yards from the bank of the river, and
wanted the council to examine the ground
themselves, or have the city engineer
| survey it. "You can't sit down in your
Office and find those stakes or make a
survey from map" very tersely said
Mackey.
French moved to refer it to the city
attorney for his legal opinion, and this
motion prevailed.
Mackey had another resolution ready
hpf thu m O rnlaH IL mi of Ardar
Report of city engineer of cost of
draining Bonham, Blum, Crockett and
Nacogdoches streets, running a sewer
across Alamo plaza and into the sewer
on Bonham street, as 1885. Received
and filed. Reported also on encroach-
ments on San Fernando street. En-
croachments were ordered to be re-
moved Immediately.
The Peoples Gas company submitted
petition for an amended ordinance, as
follows:
To the Honorable Mayor and Board OF Alder
men of the City of san Antonio:
DEAR SIRs-Your petitioners, the Peoples
Gas company, through their attorney, Oscar
BergstrOm, respectfully ask reconsideration
of the ordinance passed, granting the right-of-
way to said company, in order that the same
may be amended in a few particulars, which
appear unnecessarily onerous and diScrim-
mating against this company, to-wit:
Section provides that this company shall
pay five hundred dollars $500 in cash into the
city treasury, TO be expended by the mayor
whenever. in the opinion of the mayor" any
street is out of repair. This leaves it in the
power of the mayor, If he should be hostile to
the company, or If the officers of this company
had failed to give him the proper support in
his election or canvass for the Office, TO expend
daily 500 of this companys money. The COM
right TO question the expenditure, as il is left
entirely TO the opinion OF the mayor.
Again, it discriminates against this company
in this, that no such deposit has ever been re-
quired of any corporation or individuals using
the streets for like purposes. Rights-of-way
have been granted and are now exercised by
the San Antonio Gas company, the San Anto-
MO Waterworks company, the San Antonio
Street Railway company, and Others, yet none
of them have made such deposit, nor has IL
ever been required of them. Those companies
as well as the present company, exercise their
rights under a general ordinance, subject 10 u
penalty of not exceeding 500 per day for fail
ure to keep streets in repair or provide proper
signals during such work upon the streets
This company is subjected to the double pen
atty Of punishment under the ord nance the
same as other companies, and the appropria-
ton of the $500 deposit.
Therefore we say that in all Justice il ought
to be stricken out, or general ordinance
passed instead of il requiring all corporations
or companies using the streets for like DUR
poses 10 make such deposit.
Further, we respectfully represent that sec
ton IL ought to be amended so as 10 strike
from the condition Of the bond the words after
the letters "lSS7 and, "wfll comply with ali
the conditions of this ordinance. and with all