San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-07
COUNCIL MEETING.
SEWER CONTRACTORS MUST RESUME
OR FORFEIT CONTRACT.
MaCkey Again stirs up the Ant Nest
Appropriations Made, Ordinances
Adopted and the Flower
Battle Sanctioned.

count Of the preliminary caucus on the
sewer question.
After reading Of the minutes, the fol-
! lowing petitions were presented aud re-
ferred to the proper committees:
Citizens for re-establiShment of chile
stands on Alamo plaza.
Mrs. L. L. Cupples, complaining of
damage TO property by the unused dam
in the river north of Houston street,
and for its removal.
Scott Robinson, for remission Of pound
fees on his horse, 40 years of age.
| J. +. Beckam for refunding OF pound
fees.
| j. j. Myers, regarding taxes.
Citizens complaining that the market
| ordinances are not being complied with
on Paschal square.
o. C. Guessaz, preferring serious
| charges against Policeman Kieron.
| Albert Sidney Johnston Camp, Confed-
crate veterans, for cemetery ground.
N: Mackey, requesting that suits
against him by the city for the recovery
| him against the city are decided.
City Attorney Minor said that II the
city should make difference In this mat
| ter In favor Of city official 1t would be
| hard matter to collect any taxes.
Mr.. Devine asked il it would make a
difference in any case where the city owes
a judgment.
Devine'S motion to defer execution I'M
til after action of the Appeals court on
the judgment prevailed.
Citizens, to extend pound limits In Fifth
ward; also citizens, against extending the
limits.
Seven Stars Of Consolidation, for use of
San Pedro park, April "a; granted.
Consulting Engineer Gray'S short re-
port on the sewer work was read and
filed.
The contractors for the outfall sewer
asked an expression of the council as to
whether 1t would be all right for them to
order material, ETC., in view of the sewer
litigation. Alderman Dreiss presented a
resolution, adopted by the council, an
swering in the affirmative.
City Physician Menger, in communi-
cation, pointed out the need OF the city
and county coming to some def
mite arrangement regarding the equal
burden OF the pauper sick coming to the
city; filed.
A communication from the city engi-
neer regarding certain streets on Alder |
man Mackey's property, on Prospect hill, |
was then read and this brought the alder |
man to his feet. He delivered lengthy |
speech in which he said he had been at |
tackled by certain member and had been |
accused of dishonoTable action regard |
ing the selling Of gravel to the city, and |
explained that his claim for S59712 for |
gravel was just.
Mr.. Oge said he had found that the bill
was larger than he supposed and had gone |
to the street commissioner and examined |
the books and found that the claim was
too much.
He was told by the street commissioner
hat of arIo n nthar hnply Nxthi
not examined at the time, showed that |
the extra amount Of gravel had been |
taken and the claim was all right.
Dreiss explained his vote on the gravel !
bill at the time of the Burns contract, |
when 81, 400 were voted to pay for the |
gravel taken from Mr.. Mackey's land. He !
did so then to quiet the scandal forever. |
but he declared he never again won Id |
vote for payment of any contract in which |
city official was interested.
Aldermen Beckmann, Devine and Hoef |
ling also spoke to the question, and |
Alderman RobardS arose and said he sup |
posed, as alderman Mackey had ad- |
dressed his remarks to him, that he meant |
him. He said he had never spoken to any !
one, particularly to any newspaper re- |
porters, regarding the accusation the |
gentleman had charged and had never !
reflected on the gentleman's character. |
What he had said was in open council. |
The gravel account had been brought to |
him as chairman of the finance commit |
tee, for approval and he had refused to do |
so, as it was an illegal claim and void. |
Even II Mr.. Mackey had purchased the |
claim from Mr.. Burns he would have |
violated the state law. If it was Burns |
contract the city engingeer should have |
estimated the work before it was con-
was the same; both were illegal. As
long as he was a member of the
finance committee and of the council, he
would protest against all such illegal
claims.
Mackey then asked Robards If the hill
was not to be paid.
Robards-Not according TO law.
Mackey-Then l shall bring charges
against you for approving vouchers for
work by the Collins Manufacturing COM
pany, when you held stock therein, and
for approving Brands contract with the
Abstract company.
Aldermen Beckmann and Devine then
changed their vote of the previous meet
ing, when the money was voted to Capt.
Mackey.
During the discussion of the matter
Alderman Oge made several explanations
and asked questions while other alder
men were speaking and Mr.. Mackey told
him sharply to mind your own business,
and I'll mind mine, and 1t looked squally,
also, when Alderman Mackey interrupted
Alderman Beckmann while the latter was
reading from the minutes regarding the
last years Investigation OF this matter.
Alderman Beckmann told Mr.. Mackey,
that he didn't want any Interruptions
from him" and to shut up his potato
trap"
The matter was finally allowed to rest.
The public Improvement committee re-
ported ordering crosswalks In ward 5,
grading Buena Vista street and on
application of J. S. Scott for loan OF
| the city rock crusher, provided be
repair same and return 1t in good condi-
| tion at the end of three months, made
favorable report, which. however, Alder