El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-01-18
"WHO'S GOT THE BOTrOM2"
The Report on the Condition of the City
Hall MysteriOusly Lost.

The city council came near adj ourn-
ing last night at the special meeting
without taking action on the condition
of the city hall building, because the
joint report of the city engineer, Chief
Holland and S. H. Buchanan could not
be found. City Clerk Ben Catlin look
ed high and low, up stairs, down stairs,
and in my lady's chamber; but the
precious document could not be found.
Then he cha led up street after his
brother nom be discovered Furnishing
meme of Louis XIV of France did you
put that re port?' said Ben. "Report?
report? what report?" and Jake tackled
another lucious fried Bivalve from Nor
folk Va. why, that report about the
| condition of the city hall" 1.-THE
mayor put it in his pocket. That's
the last 1 saw of it," Then Jake turn.
ed his undivided, unseggregated at
ten ion to slowing away the remainder
of that cargo of Bivalves in the after
compsrt ment of his capacious hold.
When Clerk Catlin returned with
this freshly CLEANED intelligence, his
honor, the mayor, made frantic
search through all of his pockets, both
gre at and small, and even investigated
the interior of the lining to his Derby
hat: but no report. He was on the point
of looking into his socks when JuGg
Coldweli assured his honor that for all
legal purposes it was not necessary for
the council to have the actual dOcu-
meut before it, if the purpOrt of the |
same was known. So the idea OF ad- |
journiog over until this evening, was
given up and the august body met |
with only Alderman Scott absent. His
homer stated that the purpose was to !
consider the report on the special COM |
mittee above enumerated, on the dan
erous condition of the west and south |
walls of the city hall building, and act |
relative to removing the city off, ers |
and the fire department to other quar-
terS. TIE bui' ding was at present I'M
tenatable, IS with tie first high wind |
the whole businf 81 was liable to cave /
in. His honor had busted himself |
about locations, and had tried to Sc
cure the burnei premises of Samuel
Schulz, but Mr.. Schultz had declined
to lease the property as he exp cted
shortly to build there Moreover, sat-
isfac; DRY arrangements could not b
made with Judge Edwards about rent
ing the premises near thu present city
hal, and be had not been able to Sc.
Mr.. ClSrdy about the premises at the
corner of Ut.h and Overland streets.
which see med about the most des IA BILE
place. 1t hal ten rooms, AMI after be-
ing fitted up could be rented for $50
PEI month for the city offices and the
p rim Mt.
Mr.. Clifford straightway raised q
long and loud wall about removing the
d. partment from ward one. Judg..
Colo we'll said if the building is unsafe
we ought to move right out even If it
was necessary to camp on an open lot
The mayor stated that he had seen Mr.,
Kneezel the architect who told him
that he bad been compelled by those
who had he say about the construction
of the build ing, to reduce the expense
of the same by $4,000. This could only
be done by tax ng off one brick all
around, an making the foundations
shallow. To offset this, studding was
placed in the weak walls. The build
ing ia ia It had been unsafe from the
time of its C ,mpletion.
Judge Col lwell then Incidentally, as
it were, stirred up Nj. Clifford with a
long sharp sli k, by moving reference
with power to &C, 10 the chairman of
the finance commit ee, apd-bu-,h he got
no further, as Mr.. Clifford was almost
prancing around On eli fur with sit
d gnatiOn hot within him. DEITY con
cealed b. meath polite smile. Mr.. Cliff
everything loaded onto his g. oulders,
he had enough to do already-give
else whack at the bat 1t
was ca ually announced here that M.
Buchanan Fad said the entire city hall :
building would have to be pulled :
down. The mayor said he wanted the !
we floor roofed over for the 6remen, +
bnt M. Buchs pan shock his head, and ;
"a d. mo, no." So that settle d it, :
Toe council and city clerk, engineer
and collec'o or could b. cared for in the
bird story of the court house. I
The Gurdian knot was finally cut by /
5he question Of he location of the de- e