El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-27
Awarded Without Receiving
Competitive Bids. |
THE PEOPLEARE AROUSED
They Will Meet Tonight At the Office
Of Hon. Leigh Clark To Discuss the
Matter.-TOO Many Plans Are Be
ing Given To FavOrites just At
This Time and A Reaction Is Like
ly To Set In.

ly TO Set In.
The biggest piece of work done last
night by the city council was the
awarding of the contract for electric
lights to the present company at q
slight reduction in cost of lighting to
the city but none to private indivi-
duals who use. incsndescent lights.
The action of the council was some
thing of surprise, for the reason that
had been instructed to receive COM
petitive bids. Strange to say
the proposition was presented by the
chairman of the fire and water COM
mittee, from whose hands the matter
bad previously been taken and trans
ferred to the mayor.
Today the business men of FL Paso
are indignant at the hasty action OF
the council in the matter and are out
spoken In coudemning the iron Glad
five year contract entered into and the
non reduction of the price of lights to
the consumer. Tonight mass meeting
of citizens will be held at the Office of
Hon. Leigh Clark to discuss the mat
ter.
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
When the roll was called last night
all aldermen answered except Mr..
McDuffie. The clerk then proceeded to
read the minutes OF the last two
meetings which were approved.
The mayor stated that the new ap-
paratus for the fire department had
arrived and was being tested.
In reference to purchasing lot for
the second ward Mexican school he
said Maj. Hammett had submitted q
proposition, Offering to sell half 9
corner of Seventh and Kansas. The
mayor suggested that the lot be pur-
chased, to be considered at the proper
time.
Major Wimberly stated that about
81, 500 would be left over after paying
for the pumping station and asked to
know what to do with 1t. He said it
would be available for laterals.
DR.. Yandell said that he had sent
out sixty-six notices to various persons
informing them to make sewer con-
nections and that fifty of these would
pay IS each to the city.
CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
Judge Kemp read the following
which was received aud filed:
At the last meeting you referred to
me the attached communication sug-
costing the following charter amend
meuts:
First. That no official who handles
public funds shall hold Office for more
tQ8n Two successive terms.
Second. That all such officials shall
be required to give the bond of some
surety company authorized to do BUSH
ness in the state of Texas.
The terms of reference do not indi-
cate the points on which you desire
my advice, but I suppose it is as to the
validity OF such amendments, If made,
and I reply accordingly.
AS to the first, in my opinion this
&C.
hd1ty, and may be held by the courts to
c0ntravene the terms and spirit of Art
icle 1, Section 10 of the Bill of Rights
OF Texas. In some states there are
similar inhibitions as to certain Off
cials, but they appear to exist, as far as
1 have seen, under express constitu-
tional provisions: however, I find no
direct decisions on this point, ard ex-
press only my individual opinion,
which is that consider the proposed
amendment of doubtful validity If test
ed.
AS to the second: Under the Texas
act of 1879. page PA, surety companies
are authorized under specified qualifi-
cations, to do business in Texas, and to
secure city Official bonds: but by ex-
press proviso they are prohibited from
going on the official bonns' of any state
or county official in this state"
think If the legislature should make
the amendment suggested it would be
valid, but as to its advisability, you
may consider whether a security not
seemingly deemed by the legislature
sufficient for state and county officials
is, standing alone, good enough for the
city. Very respectfully yours.
WYNDHAM KEMP,
City Atty.
The clerk read his report of Is build
ing permits issued during December