The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-04
. SLIM COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor Sullivan Sends in One of His
Characteristic Communications.
The Two Debt-IncurriDg Ordinances Signed
by Him-Taffy for the Retiring City At
torney-A Committee Appointed.

There were just enough members present
at the called meeting Of the Council. last
night. to make o quorum. and President
Murphy called them to order sharply on
the hour, and hurried through the small
grIst of business In a summary fashion.
He was interrupted in the call of the order
of business when he reached Communities
tlons from the Mayor" The Councils
crier, w. F. A. Bernhamer. ripped open
q buiging envelope and spread before him
q number of closely typewriter pages,
commencing in his sonorous tones: have
hesitated In signing Ordinances As and 81
for the reasons that" and the Mayor
went on to tell them. The ordinances re-
ferred to are the ones increasing the sal
airy of the superintendent of the City Hos
pItal from 81, 900 10 $1,000, and that OF fire.
mel In tho city department from 81 to
S225 per day. In carefully wordeo phrases
he told how be desired to manage the city's
affairs without the increase of debt,
the borrowing of money. or so that
the expenditures would exceed the rev.
enues. Very delicately ne intimated to
the Council that 1t had passed q couple of
ordinances which increased the expendi-
lures but did not enhance the revenues of
the city, yet said that he hal decided TO
sign them, nevertheless A recital of the
abandonment of self and the merging of 1t
into the common veal of the public neces-
sary 10 become a City Hospital superin-
tendent followed, and with it the declara-
ton that the salary of that position should
forthwith be g.. 000.
OF the firemen. he spoke as TO their long
hours of duty. their sublime heroism in the
tace of danger. the cost of keeping their
uniforms natty and their buttons brightly
polished, and of the need Of employing
only skilled and experienced men,. The
Mayor said that. as far as he was able to
learn. tho men of the force in this city re-
ceived smaller pay than any other city of
its size in the country. and thought 1t but
just to raise the salaries as had been pro-
vided for.
When Mr.. Bernhamer had concluded the
agile Mr.. Ryan was on his feet and moved
that the communication be accepted and
spread upon the records of the Council. 1t
was carried.
A few moments later the same Mr.. Ryan
introduced an ordinance, which has the
distinction of being the first introduced in
1898, and which provided that the l., ID. 81
s. railway be compelled to station q flag
man at the kentucky-avenue crossing. 1t
was referred to the railroad committee.
The next thing Mr.. Ryan did was to of
fer o resolution of regret at the retirement
of Dir. Leon o. Bailey as city attorney. 1t
expressed the high esteem in which the
attorney had always been held. compli-
mented him on the ability with which he
had guided the city through the legal
labyrinths 1t had been compelled to travel.
and stated that. while many of his pre-
decessors had retired with c%reditable
records, there had been none equal to his.
Mr.. Ryan also moved that the resolution
be spread upon the Council records, and it
was carried.
At this juncture President Murphy con-
cluded TO take a hand In the running of the
institution, and appointed the legislative
committee. which will, as he remarked, at
tend the cOmIng session at Its own expense.
1t was composed as follows: Councilman
White. Froschauer, Golfer, Lynn and
Young.
A movement to adjourn sprang up out of
the general inertia. but was cut down in
Its youth by q call for Ordinance Al.
1t is the one providing that the Health
Board shall have the power to enter houses.
condemn water. cess pools or vaults, and
providing a fine of 500. upon conviction,
to be imposed upon any person or corpora
ton which shall refuse to obey the boards
orders. The ordinance was passed with
out discussion.
A motion to adjourn was responded to
with alacrity. and the chamber was de-
serted within O few minutes.