The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-30
MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITIZENS OF FIFTH WARD COM
PLAIN or ASPHALT PLANT. ~
a Petition TO Have the Texas west
crn Railway Franchise Revoked.
Other Proceedings.

The city council met yesterday after
noon In regular session, with Mayor Bra
shear presiding and all the aldermen pres
ent except Alderman Woolford
After the approval OF the minutes, Sec
rotary Bsugh read the following petitions
and communications:
PETITIONS.
A communication was read from Super
intendent Kimbrough OF the city schools
and Principal Mayors of the High school,
inviting the mayor and council to attend
the commencement exercises to be held at
the Auditorium on Thursday evening. June
l. Accepted
A similar invitation was read to attend
the commencement of the colorod High
school at the Auditorium on June 2,--io
cepted.
| The following petition was read from
citizens of the Fifth ward.
! To the Honorable Mayor and City Coun-
Gil OF the City Of Houston:
Houston, Texas, May 23It Is rarely the
citizens of the Fifth ward make public any
! grievance in print or lntrude on the arm
OF the law over a common wrong AS a
| rule they are labOfers and poor people
neither OF which is a crinle-and they
take their position philosophically. mind
! their own business and meet their obliga-
tlons They are class OF people that
may be termed optimists and thoy despise
! pessmists. In this instance we hope the
| public VIII overlook our shortcomings by
| uttering vigorous kick against a common
ana serious nuisance to. tho homes and
| business places adjacent to the Barber as
phalt plant, corner Willow and Wood
streets. The dust smoke and medicinal
odor caused by this factory are simply UNI
| bearabe to the people in an area of six
/ blocks, and while In our humble way we
have appealed TO the mayor and city mar
sinai to protect us in our homes, their eff
forts were the result of making slight i'm
| provements, but it seems their authority
! Is now exhausted so we petition the mayor
and council to come TO our aid in abolish
ing n criminal nuisance We are ever
ready TO pay our taxes and other municipal
! expenses and we hope you will see our
humble but happy homes are protected
to tho extent that we can keep open
house, have our washing done at home
and maintain our usual health, which is
| Impossible under the present condition of
affairs, as our wives and children are ALL
Ing, due to the sickenng odor. and while
usually we are docle as lambs, we might
later on assume the position of a lion at
! least II we are driven from our homes.
Unless this evil Is remedied soon, several
blocks of houses will be unoccupied. caus-
ing disastrous loss to the property own
ers. who 9re mostly widows and sustain
their households by rents We pray of
your honorable body for immunity and
most respectfully Invite the mayor. mem
bers of the common council, newspaper re-
porters or other authorities 10 ohserve
personally the dilemma we are placed in,
This complaint is unanimous and he sont-
! ment OF all residents between Willow aud
Montgomery and the Southern Pacific
railroad tracks.
j, Bittman 1914 Vine street J.. Kass-
man, 1909 Vine street. W. r. Lindsley. l106
Montgomery. Fritz Doerrer. lois Vine:
w. p. Davis. 1916 Vine: j. A. Person
1014 Shea, r. Mahoney 1902 Wood; ] w
Billy 1909 Vine: Mrs NJ. b. Henuessy.
100 Shea, L. C. Henressy. 1lO9 Shea. w. +.
Hennessy, 100 Shea; j. Durar. iii she.
Joe Bruno 1919 Vine Robert Smith. HOB
Wood, Casper Erb l0t9 Vine. Fritz Yost
1920 Vine; Mrs f. NJ Hogan. 10l6 Wood:
Miss Mary Hogan, 1916 Wood II l.. Hohl
1908 Wood, Alice Follett. 1920 Wood; p c.
Gagno, Mrs c. Gagne f. r. Gagne. Mrs.
NJ Sweeney. Willow street: Fred Kurs.
1915 Vine: Carl Hahn, l0l5 Vine; Chas.
Kaule, Wood street. Mrs Hnkle. 1000
Shea; Mrs. l., e. McCartie 1905 shea Mrs
j r., Bell.
Alderman Auhertin said the people had
much ground for complaint and that they
should have some remedy He said the
dust and smoke from this plant was sim
ply uubearable.
Alderman Dickson said II the Barter
plant would comply with the ordinance re-
quiring every boiler to have a 60-foot
smoke stack the cause of complaint would
he remedied
Alderman Halverton said he had gone
by tho plant during the day but saw moth.
ing that was Objectionable except the
smell OF the asphalt which was healthy.
He thought the people on Main street
where the pavement was being put down
would have the same ground for complaint.
Alderman Auhertin said IT was not so
much the smell that was objected to as the
dust and smoke.
Mayor Hrashear said that If the plant
complained of was a nuisance, the council
would have the right to abate IT,
Alderman Heiser said II the matter was
dclcterious to public health the matter
should be referred to the board of health
Alderman Hayerton said II the plant
was moi really dangerous to health the
Inconvenience should be borne, as In order
to pave the streets with asphalt there must
be plant located somewhere contiguous
. ~, ha MT.