Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-04-02
APRIL FOOLED THE MAYOR
AND HE COULDN'T COUNT A
QUORUM.

But the Joint Board Meets and
Transacts Business-The City
Attorneys OpinlOn did Not Go
Far when a Vote Came.
When Mayor Blanton,s gavel struck
at $50 yesterday afternoon there were
present at the meeting Of the Joint board
Advisors Scott, Cummings, Bearden and
Conant, and Aldermen Starnes, Wad-
dell, Mcdowell and Leonard. Alderman
Gudger came in few minutes after bus
iness had begun.
Mr.. Starnes again Brought up the
question of paying damagesEfor widen
ing street to be paved out of the i'm
provement fund. The matter has been
discussed for several meetings past, and
last week the opinion of City Attorney
Cobb was submitted, advising that the
damages should be paid out Of the i'm
proyement fund. There was a very long
discussion on the matter, indulged in by
nearly every member of the joint board.
Messrs. Cummings and Gudger, the
lawyers of the board, took opposite
arguing that the money to be paid to
property owners where damages are
incurred should be taken from the gen.
eral fund.
Mr.. Starnea explained that just now
the city has no general fund and if the
Joint board finally decided as Mr.. Cum
mings argued. the work on Depot street
would come to standstill. The old
Patton avenue hotel is to be partly torn
away, and before this can be done the
money for damages must be rendered to
the property owners. AS General
Fund" is non est just at this writing, the
money cannot be rendered, and the prop
erty owners will not allow the work to
progress much further.
When the lawyer-legislators became
convinced that they were entirely unable
to get together on the question, Mr..
Starnes moved that hereafter money
paid out for damages in the widening of
streets to be paved shall come out of the
Improvement fund. This was seconed by
Mr.. Conant.
Mr.. Scott called for division on the
question. The vote stood: Aye-Starnes,
Mcdowell, Gudger, Conant; No-Scott,
Waddell, Bearden, Leonard and Cum.
mings.
Mr.. Blanten said the vote showed a
disregard for the opinion of the city's
attorney. and if his opinion was not to
be taken, whose was? Mr.. Scott said
even the best of attorneys made mis-
takes sometimes.
Mr.. Cummings then wanted 10 lend
the general fund money, but the proposal
was not accepted.
other Business.
Mr.. Scott, for the sewer and water
; committee, recommended that sewer and
. water mains be extended on Chestnut
Pine, College and Haywood streets, anG
: Merrimen avenue. City Engineer Let
was instructed to make a survey OF the
streets mentioned.
The matter of damages to the spring
of James w. Patton, by reason of the
widening OF South Main street, came up
and the board agreed to furnish Mr.
Patton the city water free for three
Iyears.
Mr. Starnes reported that the commit.
tee appointed at the last meeting had de-
cided to make the culvert at the Glen
Rock hotel sixteen feet wide.
Mr. Scott, for the sewer and water
committee, stated that the committee
had about decided to recommend the
putting in of parallel line and dupli-
cate pump between the present water
works dam and the city, for the purpose
of increasing Asheville's water supply
provided that the damages by reason O
the raising of the dam were not toe
great.
The city engineer was instructed tc
order iron girders for the culvert on De
pot street. near the Glen Rock hotel.
On motion of Mr.. Starnes Contrac
tors COrpening and Britt were notified tc
double their present force at work on the
streets after Monday next.
A. M. Smith, the granite contractor
was notified that he could probably be
gin work by the 18th of April
There was discussion with regard t.
the 5 per cent. off agreed by the contract
ors, and Messrs. Gudger and Conan
and City Engineer, Lee were appointed
a committee to find out just how th
contracts read.
The following bills were ordered paid
Kelly & Strachan, sewer work, $1O6.74
w. G. Corpening, grading, $720; J. D
Henders on, street work, $11.50; E. II
Britt, work on culverts, $1,0S316.
The board then adjourned to Monda.
afternoon at O'Clock.
April Fooled the Mayor.
When Mayor Blanton called the boar
of aldermen to order all the members
= except Mr.. Breyard, were present. A
soon as the minutes were read, however
. Messrs. Waddell and Gudger left tn
council room, presumably having othe
engagements. The remaining member
of the board did not appear to like thi
sudden leave-taking, but as they had n
way OF helping themselves there wa
nothing to do but adjourn until Monda
ot afternoon, when all unfinished bushes
l.. IL