El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-07-30
THE CITY COUNCIL.
Reducing the Police FUrce.-That San
ia Fe BiII.-City Scrip.

| I'd re BlIl.-ClIy scrip.
After the customary prelminaries.
Chief .Lockhart reported to the council
that T. H. Conklin bad promised to
repair the sidewalk in front of the Ell
PasO street premises represented by
him without delay. The city clerk
read his quarterly report of the ex-
penditure5 and the condition of the
various funds on hand. The report was
received and fled. The clerk report
ed also, the city pay roll for July. 1t
amounted to S2126. 80, and the clerk ex-
planned that he had figured the scrip
at So. Mr.. clifford, however, though t
the SCRIP should be figured at 80: and
after some discussion the Clerk was
instructed to issue the scrip or 80
cent basis.
MIR. Clifford then thought the police
force was too large. There were
twelve men on duty now when ten
would suffice at this time of the year.
Chief Lockhart here sad he could not
get along with less men than were now
employed. People were already kick
ing because they claimed there was not
enough police protection: but the city
was now poiiced pretty well. Police
man HerOld was on special duty all the
| time, and Policeman johnson attended
only to the Election OF fines. Mr..
| WhitmOre reported in the matter of
| the district messenger service that the
company had not yet Incorporated, but
would do so on seeing its way clear for
support. He recommended that the
city attorney be ms ructed to draft an
ordinance for franchise in this mat
ter. Carried.
City Attorney Kemp reported bill
from the board OF health for an amend
ment to the scavenger ordinance pro-
viding for the scavenger's furnishing
dry dirt for closets not connected with
the sewer. the scavenger TO receive
extra fees for such service. Adopted.
Judge COldweli reported a bill for an
ordinance Furnishing tapping the sewers
by fine of S25 to $500, and imprisonn-
ent in the city Jail of 10 to 30 days.
Tue judge said such tapping was like
y to result, if tolerated, IN the impair
ment of the sew er system, and endau-
gered S34O, 0OO worth of property, to say
nothing OF posi- le de,rlment to public
health: and in the opinion of the
speaker there ought to be charter
authority to make 1t almost penitep-
tiary Otfense. The matter was finally
referred to the city attorney with in
structiOns to dra suitable legislation
Mr.. Clifford reported sewer COM
missioner's bill at ST, and the street
commlss oner's bill at S46.25 for the
week. Allowed. A S63 bill from 3. Z
Ma orS was also allowed.
MIR. Drummer was given further time
| in the matter of the proposed arc lig hit
at the corner of Overland and Oregon
streets. Mr.. Drummer com planned of
the sand ridge on Oregon STREET just
above the s. z. track. He was inform
ed that this ridge was pat there to
turn the water that came down the
street in flood times, and that the
street force had had no time to
remove the obstruction.
Agent Truil of the Santa Fe road
presented Written statement of his
financial relations with the city On &C
count of the trials, tribulatiOns ana
| troubles with the late, lamented flo cd.
The statement written in the shape
of a diary which Mr. Trull had compil-
ed by the ti,ful light Of tho midnight
oil, tss sort Ofside relish to the mu-
hilarious duties of the day. Mr.. Trull
ella med that there was q distinct un-
derstaing with Alderman Whltmore
and Judge COldwel that the city
would go in with the Santa Fe COM
pany on a so per cent. basis; that all
agreed the work was most important
and had to be done for the projection
that he knew nothing about the mat
ter further than that his understand
ing at that time was that the city
would stand a $50 expense in connec-
ton with the work. Alderman Cold
well stated that $ understanding was
bout the same, but that the Santa Fee
company had done the work and
should be protected; that it was true it
was 'bloated monopoly" but where
would Ell Paso be today if it was not
for that monopoly.
Mr.. Scott said it was his understand
ing that at the special meeting the
city agreed to share the expenses with
the railroad company. Mr.. Irull show
ed that there was no charge against the
city for superintendent aud consider
able material used for the city's pro-
lection, but there was little charge
for forty bales of hay used in The canal
dam that was uncertain, and which
Mr.. Trull did not know By whose offer
ing they were sent to the dam. On
Judge COldwelIs motion, the Santa
Fe bill was allowed less the hay
charges which Will hot be paid until
the mystery connected with the same
is explained.
j. L. Hara asked leave to continue
to operate his refreshment wagon with |
mis- foot peddler's licelse. A lis Of |
signatures as long as the nor al law,
was appended to the petition. Chief |
Lockha t said thai there bad been a |
number OF complaints about this cart. |
Merchants did not like to have it ia |
front of their places of business, and |
the running OF waste water from the |
wagon made the surroundings more or
less filthy. The council instructed the |
chief to euforce the ordinance. B. E.
Majors asked leave to put up frame
dwelling just inside the fire limits. 1t
was developed that the building was
built, and that there was no
other structure anywhere near it. The
petition was granted as it was shown
that the building was only temporary
until a better structure could be erect