Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-03
SCHOOL REDUCTIONS. The Pruning Knife Applied by the
 City Council.
WANT SPECIAL SCHOOL TAX
And the Representatives Called Upon to Work for 1.-the
 Bicycle Tax Repealed.

A lengthy session of the board of mayor and aldermen was held last night, at which large amount of business was trans ,cted. The following members were present at roll call: Mayor VanHoose, Aldermen Ward, Harrin gton, Uilmau, Easlen, Jack son, West, Kettig, McCartin, Gillespie, Meade, Sims and Mcknight.
 The minutes of the two previous meet ings were read, and after corrections ap- proved.
 The mayor submitted communications and recommendations as follows:
 That the mayor be auth orized to purchase an iron safe for the warden's office, not to cost exceeding s30, and that certain changes be made in the kitchen at the city jail, not to cost exceeding sS5. He requested that the same be acted upon at once. ].
 MT. UDlnan said he had gone through the places mentioned with the mayor and approved the recommendations. He said he thought certain changes necessary to make the jlil secure.
 The mayor said the jail should be strengthened, and he thought it should be done immediately.
 On motion of MT. Kettig the board ap. proved the mayors recommendation.
 The mayor said the city was now paying s25 month for taking care of the patrol wagon and mules. He knew of three houses either of which could be secured for S15 month. He thought the city should have plsce-a kind of barracks-for the police to gather and to keep the patrol wagon. There should also be room in the building for shooting gallery, for pound in which to keep dogs, cattle aud hogs picked up on the streets. Upstairs the police could sleep. All this can be secured, he said, without the expenditure of single dollar.
 Inthat building should also be a room, he said, which could be used ss a hospital, where the health officer can attend patients. He recommended that the mayor be author ized to rent suitable house for the purposes above set out for two years at a price not to exceed $15 per mouth.
 The motlon was concurred in on motion of MT. Ullman.
 The mayor presented a communicat from Chairman Mudd of the police con- mission, stating that by the ordinance fixing the salaries of patrolmen, while ap- parently at s6o per month, was really only S52, each patrolman being required to lay off four days in each month.
 The mayor recommended that the con- munication be referred to the committee on police and sanitation, with instructions to investigate and report back.
 MT. McCartin said he voted intelligently on this question when the ordinance was adopted, and it was not his intention to These four men were allowed as super numeraries at the request of the police commission. He thought the matter might lie over until the expiration Of the terms of the present policemen, which will be the last day of February, aud if it works hardship on them then the differ ence can be m de up.
 MT. UIlman moved that the matter be re- ferred to the police and sanitation com mittee.
 MT. Meade and MT. McCartin thought it useless to so rtf-r 1t, as the ordinance can- not be changed until the expiration of the two months for which they were elected
 The motion to refer prevailed.
 The mayor stated tbat the Poor Mans Coal company, to which the contract for furnishing the city with coal was let, had laid down on its contract, and suggested that the city had better make other ar- engagements.
 MT. McCartin said MT. Mcknight had in the next lowest bid at the meeting when the contract was awarded, and moved that the mayor be authorized to accept MT. McKnigbl's bid.
 Mayor VanHoose said he had received other bids at the same price, one of them being from the Victor Coal company, who agreed to furnish lump coal at S1.S0 per ton.
 Mcknight, Middleton & Morson's bid was s1 75 per ton.
 Mir. Ullman said when the contract was let to the Poor Mans Coal company that ended all bids, and none were therefore before the board. He opposed the McCar- tin motion.
 MT. Enelen wanted all cont tracts let to the lowest bidder, and he thought other bids should be advertised for.
 Mir. Sims said he thought the bid of Me. Knight, Middleton & Morson was low enough, but at the came time he wanted the matter disposed of regularly, and would oppose the motion of Mir. McCartin.
 MT. Enslen moved an amend ment author izing the mayor to advertise for bids for two days, and the same be opened and re- tered to the finance committee with power 10 act. MT. McCartin declined to accept the amendment. MT. McCartin called for ruling on the amendment, claiming that it was not relevant. The chair ruled that it was an amendment, and the vote re- suited in d tie and the amendment was lost. The original motion was then put and carried, and the contract for supplying the city with coal for the remainder of the season was awarded 10 Nick night, Middle ton & Morsou. 5r
 MT. Keltig said he voted afirmativeIy on this motion for the reason that the com pany to which the contract had been let had failed to keep it, and as it was cus- :omary to let the contract to the next lowest bidder when the lowest does not comply with the contract.
 Mir. Enslen wanted to go on record as op- posing tine motion.
 The mayor read communication from colored man who wanted the job of sweep ing the Belgian block. The matter of s lreet swet ping, on motion of MT. Kettig was referred 10 tue street committee.
 The mayor recommended that the elec- tric lights be better distributed and that the company be required to swing them over the center of the streets, instead of on posts at the sidewalk. The recommends ton was referred to the gas committee.
 The chief of the fire department re- quested that heaters be put in the engine houses, so that steam could be kept in the fire engine, and that by so doing quicker work can be done at fires.
 Reports of the various city officers were referred, without reading, to the proper committees.
 Chairman Kettig of the finance com mittee reported favorably the pay roll and number of bills, which were ordered paid.
 Mir. Kettig said he had bill for $144, which the registrars claimed as due them for services. The city had already paid g per day, but they claimed s3. On motion of Mir. McCartin the matter was referred to