The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-07


The city fathers held their regular
monthly meeting last night and con.
tinued in session until IL O'clock. Presi.
dent Buckner called the moe ing TO Or
der with II members present The
following communication was read from
Mayor Trout:
MAYORS OyBIcE,
CITY OF ROANOKE,
"RoANolE, VA, Dec. 5, 1892.
ITO tho Honorable President and Coun.
Gil of the City OF Roanoke.
"GENTLEMEN: beg to recon mend to
your honorable body to reconsider the
resolution passed November %, award
ing the contract for the lighting Of the
city by electricity to w. Fl. Mackay Il
Co.. for the following reasons:
Tho TT solution as PASSED, should it
become a law, is a virtual acceptance of
the bid OF w. II. MacKay & Co., as ton
dered. This bid, while it is the lowest
offered, regard as quite defective in
regard to details, specifications, etc. 1t
has been said that these matters of de-
tail could be covered by contract. Ii the
resolution, as stated above, should be
approved, then no new matter could be
introduced except by the sanction and
approval Of the said w. II. MaoKay n
Co. There are several importan points
in the bid of MacKay IL Co. which, if
accepted, would not, l believe, inure to
the benefit of the city.
Il do not deem it neces ;arv to discuss
these at this limo. l would sugrest
that II this resolution be RECONSTRUCTED
that the comm ittee on lights, or suoh u
committee as you may think proper
take up the question at once and oonfer
with MackaY Il Co. and sec if Suoh an
agreement can be arrived at that will be
satisfac tory to all parties in interest.
am informed by MacKay Il Co., that they
will meet tho city on any fair and
equitable ground. l desire to SEQ the
city lighted by electricity at tho earliest
moment possible, but the interests of
the city should be fully protected at the
same time. Respectfully submitted,
al. s. TROUT, Mayor"
Mr.. Pattie moved that the communi-
caUion be referred to tho committee on
lights. Mr.. Dupuy offered as an amend
ment that the mayor be requested to re-
turn the resolutions with or without his
approval. The substitute vas lost by
vote of nine to eight. The original
question then came up and the commun.
ication was referred to the committee
on lights. A second communica ton
was read from the mayor. asking that
no moro contracts be awarded or money
expended until the city work now being
executed was completed.
communication was read from the
board of public works, stating that no
ordinance had been provided for the
burial of paupers who died outside of
the alm shouse. Neither WAS there an
ordinance providing for burial expenses
of paupers. The matter WAS referred
to the ordinance committee. The board
of public works stated that no building
permits had been issued for the month
OF November.
The report OF the fire board was read
asking that Council confirm the cleo
tic n OF the officers for tho ensuing year.
The report was received and tho officers
confirmed. A communication was re-
ceived from the Junior Hose Company
asking the city to Greet q now building
for them as their present quarters wore
too small The communication was re-.
ferred to the public property committee.
A motion prevailed that an ordinance
he drafted to establish grades on all
streets that had beon graded and ma
cadamized. The finance committee,
after making thorough investigation
of the city finances, su omitted n lengthy
report of the money paid out and urged
that tho board of public works use the
StrlctcSt economy in the expenditure of
money for street work.
Tho street committee, in Wow Of tho
finances Of the city bcing n little shoot,
presented a report that all street work
and sidewalks, whore tho abutting prop
erty owners have the entire cost to pay
and where the owncrs had not had q
hearing up TO December 6, the work
snonld be stepped MIR Crabill offered
a Substitute that as tho money would
be paid by the abutting property owncrs
within ninety days the work OF laying
the bccrd sidewalks should be allowed
to go on. The subst! tute was carried
communication was received from
the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company
asking that Council give them an option
for fifteen days on city bonds amounting
TO Si5, 600 at l0lh. On motion of Mr..
McCielland the offer was rejected.
The street committee offered recon-
mendation that whenever permission
was granted to erect telephone or tele-
graph poles it shall DO the duty Of the
company which erects them TO specify
to the street committee tho number and
sizes of poles to be erected, and that a
license for the same shall be issued by
the board of pubic works and license
foe OF 81 be charged for each pole erected.
The recommendation was referred to the
ordinance committee
The board OF public works WAS in
structed to have an excavation made in
the cellar OF the Third ward school and
a heater put in. The question OF pur-
chasing a new fire engine for the
Friendship Fire Company, which had
been referred to the public property
comm ittee. was laid over for an indeh.
mite period on account of finances.
The board OF public works was in.