The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-10-18
Report Of the
Council Meeting

was In the chair and councilmen Berg |
man, Webber, McGregor Welch, Lang
worthy, O'Hara, Thomson, and Lewis,
we're in attendance
The minutes Of the last regular meet
Ing were read and adopted.
There were no petitions or memoir
ials
A communication was received from
u. G. Foster chief engineer A. f. d.,
advocating the appointment of the fol-
lowing fire police; No. ii. K Writ,
Jas. G. Gardner, Jno. Grant, and Will
liam Book; No g. f. L. Parker, r. A.
Cearns, r. s. Loughery r. ]. Carney.
No. &c. Gramms, T. S. Cornelius, N.
p. Johansen, and N. P. Wright, Hook
and Ladder GOWN. Ryan, Pichard
Stuart A. r .Kragcr, and Samuel Free
man The matter was referred to the
committee on fire and water.
The following important communi-
cation was received from the commit
tee and water:
Regarding the report of the retiring
chief engineer of the fire department
we find II on the whole, satisfactory.
There have been 81 fire alarms, and an
estimated loss of $2S,140, which we
think too high. or this loss $4,000 oc-
Cured only two days before the report
was written, and the time Of the chief
expired. So without the last, we have
20 alarms and only $40 damage or loss.
The insurance companies carrying
risks In this city have again had a
nPnifa,Ia a the total nmnInt 0f
Losses paid will not exceed $4,000, while
the amount of premiums paid is over
100000. leaving very nice profit for
the insurance companies. We would
suggest that the Board Of Trade and
the Chamber of Commerce of this city |
that the excessive rates demanded and |
paid for insurance and getting the same |
reduced, is good subject for them to |
work on.
The recommendations for strikers |
for the fire bells are excellent, and |
ought to be done, but we cannot ad- |
wise that any more money be expended |
at this time. The chief engineers sal |
airy Is a nominal one, and ridiculously |
small, but we cannot recommend that |
1t be raised at this time. He must do |
as other members of the city govern |
ment, consider 1t as a duty imposed |
on him by his fellow citizens
The cost of maintaining the fire de-
0artment seems high-$11,5 ,564 for the
past year. But how soon would that
amount of money invested in buildings
or other destructable property be des-
tioyed by q fire without well-equipp-
Cd and efficient fire apparatus?
In conclusion we would recommend
that the department be kept up to Its
present efficiency. but at the same time
that all economy be used, and that we
ask the commercial bodies of the city,
insurance agents and others, to use
their best efforts to get the premiums
reduced, as our history vii show tn1'
with our well-equipped department and
excellent fire fighters, the risks are
very much over estimated, and the
rates asked altogether too high, In |
rorre localities almost prohibitory.
The chief engineers salary Is too
small for the amount of labor he has
TO perform. During this financial de-
preston there is a heavy strain on
the taxpayers purse; we therefore |
recommend that after April 1st, 1894,
the salary of chief engineer of the
fire department of the city of Astoria
be raised to fifty dollars per month, as
during the summer his time will be
occupied looking over the buildings and
seeing that they are put In proper shape.
we uuNloG that ilG Nlly tluullOl OC lG-
quested to draw up the necessary or
dinance to that effect.
The water commission submitted
balance sheet Of their account for the
past quarter showing the following le-
celpts: July-$1745,30; August $l7l56O;
September, 1854, making the entire re-
ceipts $5,1O4S0 Disbursements totall-
ing $l7222S, showing, with the amount
in the treasury, C$2O,916,7N total cred
II of S2i,29S.22, Report submitted to
the committee on ways and means for
report
The report of the city treasurer for
the quarter just ended showed receipts
amounting to $l6,75429. and disburse-
ments amounting to $l1,O59.21, leaving
n balance on hand OF $4,795,OS
The report Of the auditor and police
judge for the quarter showed receipts
N5,4l6.7a; expenditures, $l0,62l7l, leav-
The debit was made up as follows:
Warrants cancellei-$9, 1896; interest,
$243.74, and amount due from chief of
police, $GG250.
A recommendation of Street Super,
intendent Chadwick regarding flume
running through lots and /, block IA,
Adair's Astoria, was adopted,
An ordinance was introduced by
Councilman Lewis for the improve
ment of Young's Bay county road by
corduroylng It for distance of not
more than 1876 rods, An amendment
was made to this. making the total ex-
rendlture ON the work sum not ex-
cecllng $500. The ordinance passed its
second reading, and was put ON It's
third reading and final passage,
An ordinance was introduced by
Councilman Welch ordalnlng that the
committees on health and police and
fire and water should inspect China
town and order all Cinnamon, whose
buildings We're In an unsafe or unsan-
itary condition to vacate them and put
them In good order; and furthermore,
that after the first OF January. 1894,
no Chinese stores, wash houses. or
other businesses should be allowed In
the city limits of Astoria, and that
Gny found carrying on business after
that date should be deemed guilty of
misdemeanor
Councilman Thomson moved, and
Councilman Lewis seconded. that the
matter be referred to the city attor-
ney.
Councilman Bergman moved as an
amendment and Councilman McGregor
secondaA that tha ,,oa4t., ~ -,