El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-12-31
THE CITY COUNCIL.
A Paid Fire.DepartmentOr NOt-That is
the Question.

the Question.
The municipal sanhedrin met last
night with only Alderman Whitmore alb
oranges and rowing on
the ST. Johns river in Florida. There WAS
of an attendance outside of
the aldermen, as the much mooted
question Of q paid fire department was
10 be brought up, and-perhaps dis
cussed. But the matter was put over
until 1000 .. m, today, when 1t was de-
cided to call in all the local insurance
agents for consultation. "The minutes
Of the previous meeting" were not read,
on Judge Coldwell's motion, which
rave the clerk an intense pain, as he
has got she better or his fellon and
was counting on having q regular time
of 1t in reading q long and highly in
series of back volumes of
minutes.
The chief of police reported that
the house of Annie ellison at 5th and
Florence streets had been removed
from the public domain, and the thor
oughfare was now clear of incum-
brances. At this intelligence there
vas . general "Ahl" of relief from
the mouths of the honorable members.
for it has been feared that it might be
necessary for the council In toto to
move in serted column down on the
Annie ellison ranch, and Obliterate 1t
utterly.
Judge Kemp, the city attorney, re-
ported on the suit against the city by
George Rand, relative to that part Of
Third street which lies between the
west line of Oregon street and tho east
line of Ell Paso street The attorney
said Rand's title was clear and could
not be defeated in the courts, so it
would be better to accept the COM
promise suggested, viz. for the city to
defense to pay the unpaid costs, and
open up an alley so IS to make it coutin-
uous with the alley to the north and
south, through blocks 118 and 1874. 1t
was brought out that part OF Third
street had never been opened. Also
that Rand had occupied the premises
since 1865. Judge Cold we'll said there
had never been any question rs to the
occupancy only as to the claim Of title.
On Judge Coldwell's motion, the
city attorney was instructed to draw
up the papers necessary for the con-
veyance by the mayor of the property
in question.
Mr.. Burton for the committee on po-
lice said it was about time for the
council to settle the much discussed
question of police salar' es. whether
they were to pay in cash or to be con-
tinued ~ heretofore in scrip. He adj
fund from which the policemen should
be paid, thus doing away with this
discounting of scrip.
Judge Coldwell called attention to the
fact that the police we're collecting
about the only cash coming into the
city treasury, and yet they are paid In
shin plAsters. This is not conducive to
the maintenance of the morale in the
force. The judge held that their
cial fund from which their salaries
should be taken. He favored Mr..
recommendation. The rec
prevailed.
Mr.. Burton then called attention to
the wretched pay of the jailor whose
job was the worst of all He was on
duty twenty-four hours out of the
and ought to haze .
patrol mans pay. It wa the sentiment
of the council that such incre sse in pay
should be made. Judge Coldwell then
up by the city attorney providing for q
paid fire department.. But as the mat
ter had not been discussed sufficiently
in committee or before the council, he
advocated that q special session be
called for such consideration; and on
Mr.. Del Buono's motion, the council
decided TO- meet this morning At 10
O'Clock, a. noted above.
The ordinance which was presented,
and.which:swas to be discussed this morn.
ing read as follows.
Department for the City of Ell Paso
and Providing for the Maintenance
and Government of the same.
Be it enacted by the City Council OF the
City of Ell Paso:
Section 1. On and after the LIST day
of January, 1898, there shall be kept
and maintained at the expense of the
said city q paid fire department for the
prevention and extinguishment Of fires,
which shall consist of one chief, and
ten active firemeu, which latter num-
Der may be increased from time to
time as may be deemed necessary by
and efficiently manage the appliances
used by the said department.; and
among the number of said active fire.
men shall be Included q competent and
efficient engineer. The said chief and
assistant chief shall be appointed by
the mayor. with the consent of the
and shall hold their Offices for
the period Of two years from the date
of appointment and until their success
sors enter upon their duties, subject to
removal, however. under proceedings
instituted in conformity with section
l61 of the charter of said city; and
provided further, that the first ap-
poiptees under this section, unless re-
moved as provided herein, shall hold
until the first Monday in May, 1898.
1t shall be the duty of the chief to
have charge of, and account for, all
the apparatus and appliance of every
kind belonging to the fire department.,
and to see that they are kept in readi-
ness at all times for instant use. He
shall be the executive officer OF said
department and shall enforce all such
rules as may be necessary to secure
discipline and to ensure the efficiency
Of the department.. He shall have the
power to suspend any subordinate off,
3 violation of said f6les, and in such
case shall forthwith report In writing
his reasons for such suspension to the
;ity council, who shall take appropri-
ate &C ion thereon as soon as practica-
BILE.
The assistant chief shall have all
The powers of the chief during his