San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-29
GRAND JURY's REPORT.
THEY GET OUTSIDE OF THE
OLD WORN OUT RUT
OF Pulling Outcasts and Gamblers,
and Call Attention TO City
and County Matters.

W d uuSe NOOndn bne lOllOWlng INTEREST
ing report:
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June q, 1891.
To the Hon. Geo. II. Noonan, Judge of
the Thirty seventh Judicial District:
Dear Sir: We have the pleasure to
submit to your Honor our report Of the
grandjury empanelled June 1st, 1891, to
discharge the duties that were imposed
upon them.
LIST. We have taken up and discharged
all Jail cases as the law directs. We have
carefully investigated in person all COM
plants that came before us by person or
written application.
We have examined 3l0 witnesses and
found eighty four true bills of Indictment,
passed eleven cases over TO the next Grand
Jury for further evidence, and dismissed
twenty-seven cases that came from JUS
tice' Courts.
We have also deemed IL our duty. owing
to direct and indirect complaints, to eX-
anime into various important matters
relating to our city municipal affairs,
and alse the San Antonio and lnterna-
tional Fair Association, and our inveSti-
cations have met with the following re-
suit:
CITY AFFAIRS.
We find that no official report of the
city finances has been published, as the
law requires, since November, 1890, and
from careful investigation Of the various
departments we believe the fault rests
with the Mayor and Council.
From the City TreaSurer's account we
learn that the city has drawn warrants
upon the said Treasurer and charged to
the City Hall fund S205,066,74 up to June
lSt, 1891.
That the Mayor has borrowed from the
San Antonio National Bank from month
TO month the sum of $4,000 on notes OF
the city drawing 6 per cent interest, to be
paiG from the tax monies que for 1890.
That there was S2OO.OS3.Sl in cash and
$50, 900 in bonds in favor of the city on
hand June /, 1891, and that he, the said
Treasurer. has rendered his report to the
city promptly every month.
During last year Mayor pro tenn d.vN
800 for two months salary, besides g.
| as Alderman, while our Mayor e',.. Ire"
his 5000 as salary for the zane ;WJ
months. We are satisfied the Jaw neVer
intended that two persons should draw
Mayors salary at the same time. We are
| powerleSS to do anything in the matter
except TO call the attention OF the public
to it.
The taxpayers voted Sl5O,OO0 some time
since for city hall TO cost Sl25, 600, 1000
| for two garbage furnaces and $4,000 fire
company'S supplies.
The Sl5,OOO fund has all been used and
overdraftS to the amount of S55,066 "a
have been drawn upon the city treasurer
| up to June /, 1891, and charged TO the city
| hail fund. What has become Of this money
| is moOted question, and should be more
thoroughly Investigated. We have no
garbage furnace, although badly needed,
| to destroy the accumulated garbage that
| is continually dumped in the suburbs OF
| the city to the detriment of the health
and comfort of our citizens. On the west
side of the city property was purchased
for the furnace TO be erected upon, but
! the land is still vacant.
We have also partially examined into
the public works, especially the mesquite
block pavement now being laid; the Speci-
tcatiOnS for this work are good and ample,
but they are not followed; the contractors
are permitted to doinferior work, especial
ly in the concrete which was TO serve as q
foundation for the block; large portions
of this work lately put down is very poor.
as shown to us by able experts, yet the
city authorities allow it TO pass. We view
it as a remarkable circumstance that the
city, as per contract, pays more for
the cheaper round blocks than for the
more expensive and superior heXagOnal
blocks.
We are fully satisfied that there are
quantities of meat sold in the city which
IL
spectOrS. Facet ore we recommend for
the best interests of our citizens one cen
tral slaughter house where the meat on
hOof as well as when dressed may be
carefully inspected by competent men.
The same condition of affairs exists in
our dairieS-impure milk Is daily cOnsum-
ed by our people and we recognize the
great difficulty in protecting the public
against impurities of this kind, mostly
all of which are trac able to the polluted
waters of the San Pedro creek and bitches
which pass through the city, receiving
the poisonous drainage from gas and
soap factories, hide yards, dye houses,
etc There is not city in the South
with such large supply OF good, pure
water as San Antonio. Nature has done
her part, and still we find people and
beasts suffering for this great necessity.
The stock limits have been without
foresight widely extended and nearly all
the water fenced off from the stock. We
would recommend that the city establish
numerous free hydrants and watering
troughS throughout the city for the con-
venience of the public, necessity long
apparent.e
COUNTY AFFAIRS.
We find upon investigation of the many
burglaries and petty thefts that much of
the crime is traced to the various pawn
and junk shops that afford ready barter
for the stolen goods, undoubtedly know
ing that they were stolen. This encOur-
agement of evil should be stamped out by
strict laws.
We find in regard to the convict labor
camp that if good and sufficient guards
are employed and the prisoners made TO
work the county would be greatly bene-
fitted thereby.
In regard to the poor house we deem it
not the proper place for the county prls-
Oners. They should not be sent there,
The last batch of prisoners sent out |
with guards enacted farce, as they sim
ply answered roll call and departed for
lie civ or their homes: the gnard could