Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-10
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
A Lengthy and Busy Session last
Thursday Night.


The regular session OF the City
Council, last Thursday night, was
called to order and presided over by
Mayor VIM. T. Henshaw. The min
utes of the previous meeting were
read and adopted, after which the
council proceeded to transact the
business on hand. The following re-
port of the Water Board was receive
ed and adopted: We have examin-
ed the wall, &C., of the contract Civ
en- to Martin and Dunn, and found
same all right and have taken the
contract off their hands. We have
decided to erect an 1s-inch wall, to
keep the surface water out, and have
asked for bids for same, the wall to
be put up under the direction of Mr..
Shaffer. We have had the Boiler
Inspector of the Hartford Boiler In.
surance Go. examine and inspect the
boilers at the Water Works, and in
his report to us we find that there
are some very necessary repairs
needed to be done to same, and we
would recommend that said repairs
as recommended by the inspector be
done. We would also recommend
that the water rate for the Canning
Factory be fixed at the rate of $4,000
per year, from Sept. lst, 1895, until
April 1st, 1897. The following re-
port of the Street Committee was re-
ceived and adopted: We your Street
Committee beg leave to report that
we met on Sept. 28tb, 1896. We
gave Mr.. Henry Sharff grade for bis
pavement on North Maple avenue,
also Mrs. Jones, on Winchester ave.
nue., and j. Nelson Wisner, on West
John street. We also instructed the
c. V. r. r. Co. to make proper pro-
visions to carry off the water at their
station on West King street. The
Real Estate Committee reported as
follows: We met on Sept. 28th,
1895. We would recommend to your
honorable body that the proposition
of VIM. T. Stewart, to exchange a
space of ground, fronting on Race
street, for the corner lot on North
Queen street, be accepted, and that
the Corporation Attorney be in
structed to draw up the necessary
papers for the exchange. There was
considerable discussion of this re-
port and it was finally laid over for
further consideration. Clerk LAM
bert reported that he had placed an
advertisement in the Engineering
Record, asking for bids on furnish
ing a new pump for the Water
Works. He reported further that he
had received a number of estimates,
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000, for
the pump needed by the corporation.
A letter was received from the Holly
Manufacturing Company, relative to
a new pump which they were hand
ling, and claiming it to be an adj
vantagc aye other pumps. The mat.
ter was placed in the hands Of the
Water Board. Mr.. D. M. Shaffer ap-
peared before the council and asked
for permission to lay stone pave
ment in front of the rear door of the
Continental hotel, claiming that the
heavy trunks broke and ruined all
brick pavements, and this he wished
to avoid. The request was granted.
Engineer Shaffer was recognized and
stated that he was very sorry to in
form the council that the boiler in
surance inspector had condemned
one of the boilers at the Water
Works, and would not insure it un-
til it bad been put in good condi-
ton. He said that there were eight
braces in one end of the boiler and
in the other only four. Ee consid-
cred the boiler very dangerous, and
recommended that it be repaired at
once. The matter was placed in the
hands Of the Water Board for i'm
mediate action. Councilman Gard
ner spoke of the bad condition of the
street in front Of Charles Lowry's
residence, on the Boom Land. He
said that gutter across the thor
oughfare ran water into Mr.. Low
RVS cellar, and that it should be
remedied. The matter was referred
to the Street Committee. Council
man John W. Martin, on behalf Of
Mr.. Joseph West, asked the council
TO make way for him to get to his
property with teams. 1t was ex-
planned that the street in front OF
Mr.. Vests home had been cut down
so much that his building was On q
high elevation. The value of it had
deprecated on this account, and Mr..
Martin thought that the corporation
should make an opening OF some
kind by which Mr.. West could get
to his premises. He said it would
cost less than forty dollars to do the
work. 1t was ordered that the cor
poration comply with Mr.. Vests re-
quest. A communication was receiv-
ed from Mr.. John T. Martin, Gen
eral Yard Master of the B. & 0. r.
r., stating that he had again taken
up the matter of water rent with the
officials at baltimore, but they de-
clined to accept same, as the rate
was almost double as that charged
in former years. The communica-
ton was referred to. the Water
Board for investigation with power
to act. Clerk Lambert read mum.
Der Of bills, which were ordered
paid.
Nor FIT FoR GovERNoR,-An in
cident of Mr.. Bryan's visit to West