The herald., 1898-12-31
THEIR CLOSING SESSION
COUNCIL WILL TRANSACT ITS
LAST BUSINESS TODAY
MATTERS WHICH WILL COME UP
Police Signal System to Be Readver-
tised-Hitch Over an Engine
House Site-Other Matters

of the council will be held, at which AZ
attempt will be made to clear up all UNI
completed business, in order that the table
may be left clear for the incoming mem
bers. This action is not taken with the view
OF crowding through any one project for
any purpose, but simply to close up mat
ters which have been under discussion for
a long time and with which the present
officials are familiar, while the incoming
councmen would have it all to learn.
Several matters of Importance will come
up, among them being the awarding OF con
tracts for the extension of the fire alarm
system, the police signal system, approval
of contracts and bonds for the two tunnels
and for furnishing the new hook and ladder
trucks and chemical and hose wagons, also
the Sixth ward park site and the disposal
of the two proposed engine house sites held
over for consideration from the last meet
ing. Besides these there are a number of
questions Of lesser Importance which will
probably cause more or less discussion.
That new bids will be called for for fur
nisMng the police signal system is almost
a certainty. There are several reasons for
this action, the principal being that the city
has been informed that if another opportuni-
ty is afforded competitive bid will be sub
mitted and also because of the question
which has been raised regarding the placing
of telephones in the signal boxes.
Chief Glass found fault with the expense
OF the work if the Gamewell bid should be
accepted, and there was question in his
mind whether the city did or did not have
right to expect telephone instruments
with each of the boxes. 1t will be remem-
bcrcd that with all the publicity given to
tbo
the only company to get in a bid. Now,
however, the councilmen have received in
formation that the Chicago Police Signal
company, using the so-caled Cregin system,
would put in bid if given chance. Under
the circumstances and upon the advice of
Electrician Francis the council viii un-
doubtedly readvertise.
The question of renting telephones and
wires for the system will also have to be
considered. There is bid in to supply the
city with fifty telephone instruments for
boxes and desk telephone for the police
station for $3.50. There is another bid in
from the Sunset Telephone company offer
ing to rent to the city fifty telephones FOR
tie police signal boxes at $50 each per
year and a rental of 80 monthly per mile
cf loop wire needed. On its face it would
appear to be good thing to buy the tele-
phones, instead OF paying rent, but there is
another feature to be considered. ii the
council bought telephone instruments it
would undoubtedly result in the telephone
company's withdrawal of its present gratui-
tous use of seventy-siX wires used by the fire
. alarm system. This would necessitate the in
staation by the city of underground cables,
which would cost the city about $4,000,
according to an estimate recently made.
There will he used about seven miles of
loop wire, which would cost thu city about
500 per year rental if the telephone com
pany's proposition is accepted, but this
cffcr would not hold unless nc. city also
rented tdc compaEy's phones.
Electrician T,ancis was in consultation
with some of the councimen yesterday and
expressed his opinion freely. He does not
believe that the proposed Reimbursement
will be productive of any result save to
entail delay, but as the councilmen cons;d-
cred there was a possibility of the city's
reaping an advantage, he would advocate
the measure.
Final approval Of the deed of Herman
Boettcher for the twenty-acre park site in
the Sixth ward and authorization Of the
drawing of check for $4,000 in payn,en mi
will come up, the deed and contract having
already been approved by the city attor-
uey. Contracts and bonds for the new fire
apparatus are ready and will be approved,
also the annual inventories of the various de-
partments. The fire alarm bid will probably
be awarded and the contract ordered
drawn.
The closing motion with reference to the
awards for fire engine house sites will proba-
bly, be made Districts 4, 5, IL and l6 have
al J1- Nd arti suaH no
satisfactory offers were received To these
will undoubtedly be added district 16. The
property which was recommended here by
the committee for acceptance is lot l00x
1855 feet on Marchessault street. opposite the
Plaza, between Los Angeles and Oivera
streets, offered by +. NJ. Kelsey as agent,
the real party at interest, however, it is
said, being Walter S. Maxwell and several
others. The price asked is $4,000, which is
by many regarded as much above the
value OF the property.
The property was originally owned by X.
S. Baker, having been acquired by him
trough the foreclosure of mortgage for
$3500. On the death of Mr.. Baker, in set
ting his estate, an appraisement was made
in which the lot in question wal valued at
$4,000. This was in March, 1895.
Since the proposal to sell to the city the
property it has been reported that the
proposition, SO far as the heirs are concerned,
was to be on basis of between $4,000 and
$4,000 for them, and that that would be
really the. amount they would receive for
their property. This,would leave difference
to be paid by the city of say $4,000, but out
of this $4,000 it was said to be understood
that there were certain claims against the
property in the shape of judgments, at
torneys' fees, ETC., which would bring the
total cost up to price asked. However, the
deeds to the city, should it buy the land,
would have to be made out by the hersiand
would be- on the above-named price basis,
and this being the case. several of the coun-
cilmen cannot see their way clear to ex-
planning to their constituents why they paid
the larger sum. The real estate agents'stand
only as Intermediates and have no direct
personal interest in the transaction beyond
their commission for effecting the sale.
When the subject comes ND at todav's
meeting it will undoubtedly be thoroughly
threshed out, as it is expected the inter
csted parties will be on hand to press the
acceptance Of the site. That the property
is advantageously situated and lust what is
wanted for the purpose is admitted by nearly
all concerned, but the method of sale and
the difference between what will be paid
and what the owners will get is the stick
ing point. Whether a board of appraisers
will be appointed to- value the property or
whether new bids will be called for is vet