Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-06
CITY FATHERS HOLD FORTH Rather Warm Was the Meeting X For a Time. MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE Was the Awarding of Contract For Sidewalk Building Highest Bidder Got There
 |. 6 N. Commended.

"a. The city fathers neiu regular heN' ing last night in The council chamber with the following in attendance; Mayor F. " Evans and Aldermen Ashforu' Rainbow, Kerr, Mcknight, Msighah' Drennen. Williams, Hamilton, Gray, Mc- Canfn, Hentschel and Graham.
 Tha minutes of the previous meetlns were read and approved.
 eTne rules were suspended and the clyi!- dans present. were allowed to address the board in support of various petitions, claims. etc. The petitions and other claims were ref5rred 10 the proper com mitteeS.
 --e. The Alabama Gas and Plumbing com many preserted a claim for $1O2 for work done on a school building The claim was presented by MT. Hefiin, who requested for rha company the privilege or payins the company's licenses and taXes py re- ceiptbng the bill. IL was relerleu .o 'ie 3 finance committee.
 D MT. Kettig presented petition rom tie citizens of the viciEtty Of Avenue I ana Nineteenth street, objecting 10 the grant F ing of the franchise to the Blrmiheildiii III Railway and Electric company,
 Alderman Gray presented a resAutloh as follows:
 Resolved, That that par- of the fran chise granted the Birmingham Railway and Electric company on April Zl WHICH reaQS as TCllOWS. AHU lChtAi along Tenth avenue to Nineteenth street. 4 thence along Nine Jeertth street, souIh, ? to Eleventh avenue" be and IS nereoy stricken out and the action of the board is rescinded
 R The resolution as offered was adopted.
 The petition to abse a nuisance at 2122 Second avenue was referred to the police department.
 Mir Vadebonceour stallkeeper in the market house. complained that MarKet e -l-frnl m proyocation and arrested him. The com plainant made a vehement statement, and stated that Jack" Curran said he would give him a ticket to Coalburg.
 MT Curran made clear statement Cu the facts in the case. The misunder- standing arose over an attempt to col leds the market reLlt. The stallkeeper admitted that he had not paid his rent:
 Mayor Evans read the resigna ton or @ Alderman W. J. Pearce. dated April "A. .- Upon motion it was net accepted, and Mir Pearce was reques:ed lao continue to represent the Seventh ward. The fol- lowing is .he letter of resignation
 April 24 1S97 r Hon. F. V. Evans, Mayor, City:
 Dear Sir:-My business being such that I cannot spare the time to properly look after the duties expected and required of an alderman, hereby beg to tender my resignation as alderman from .'he Sev- enth ward South. Yours very truly,
 w. J. PEARCE. /. s, Mayor Evans reported that the services of MT. Douthit, who had been employed to collect for the construction of the sar- itary sewer, had been dispensed with. A motion was made that MT. Douthit be retained and his salary paid out of the fees. It was carried, with Aldermen Ashford and Drennen declining to vote.
 Mayor Evans read a communication from the Sloss Iron and Steel company concerning the city convicts He report ed that the prisoners were returned to the city prison awaiting the decision of the supreme court in the matter. The mayors action was coEcurred in.
 The mayor stated that extraordinary efforts had been made to collect the school tax from the railroad companies of the city and that the Louisville ard Nashville, with its usual promptness and Hberalfty, had paid same, being the only on5 up to the present so to do.
 The invitation of the board of educa- ton to the alderman to occupy seats on the stage at the closing exercises oS the schools this evening was accepted.
 The rclports Of the officers were re- ce6ved as follows
 Street and Poll Tax Collector A. A. Ganlbia reported as follows:
 Street tax collected. ....$2,421 % Poll tax 0oolored) .. :. .. .. .... 193 50 , Poll tax fees ... 347 50
 Total collections ....$3,331 % -SIkt1I M TCpIuttu lHt foSudlbCc LII fifteen bubtiing permits and received $950.
 George Eustis, tax collector, reported the collection of $7,136.26.
 Gecrga Eusis, treasurer, made his 0risg1lsr monthly report, showing coalec- tions and disbursements. His report showed that there is $4,153.04 in cash on ihaDd.
 The budget was read and ordered paid. It was recommended that two months rent ho nqfd. Carried.
 The judiciary committee reported the allowance of several petitions and the re- jeotion of otheas. CaurTe'd.
 The street committee reported open ing the following bids for construction of the Fifth avenue sidewalk from Six steenth to Twenty-fifth streets: = < Dun L,allande Bros., $7655; c. M. Burk halter, $7,521; Mahaffey & Co.,, s7,500. No recommen daticns were made, and the matter was deferred.
 The fire committee reported ard it was accepted. Notice was given that at the next meeting an appropria ton would be asked to increase the firemen's salaries.
 The market committee reported. rec } ohm mepdfng no change in the 1oca tion of the eourcH chamber. Concurred in.
 The Night committee reported that twelve nights could be moved.
 The police and sanitation committee reported and recommended the refusal of the increase of salaries as requested by the police commission. 's1@ Alderman liT3nam moved the auOptlOn zlofs the report, and 1t was seconded by Alderman Hentschel. It was carried.
 The following is the report of the po- lice. and sanltation committees: yTo the Hon. Mayor and Aldermen-Gen-
 tlefnen:
 ~ This committee has taken under con- tideration the petition of the police com mission for an increase by your body of tine salaries of certain members of the police force. and we find that the act creating the board of police commits sioners positively prohibits the mayor and aldermen from complying with the request made for a change of salaries in the following language: -'@.rhe said bosnd fthe police commits sion) shall also have exclusive authority and power to prescribe the salaries of the police officers and patrolmen and such sslaries shall not be increased CT diminished during term of said officers or pa tl>olmen"
 Section Of the said act desiguates the station house keepers, or wardens as 1neimbers of the police department. ard especially stipu1ates that they shall "be