The age-herald., 1899-12-07
ELECTION OF CITY
 OFFICERS DEFERRED
Illness of Alderman and Candi-
 dates the Cause.
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
Alderman Camp Introduced Ordinance Limiting Expenses and Fixing the 1900 Budget License
 Schedule Adopted.

City officers were not elected at the meet ing of the city council last night, the elec- tion being postponed until December 19 on account of the serious illness of Alderman Pearce and of some of the candidates.
 It is altogether probable the elections when they do take place will be in open session, with the candidates and their friends present. Some of the members of the board wanted to include a clause to that effect in the motion to postpone the election until the 18th, but did not. The suggestion of such an innovation was ap- plauded by several members of the board, as well as by a large part of the audience The license ordinance for 1900 was adopt ed. Several changes, mostly increases from this years ordinance, are, noted.
 When Mayor Drennen called the board to order at 7:45 o'clock every member ex- cept Alderman Fearce was present. Mr. Pearce is seriously i'll in one of the in firmaries in the city.
 About thirty minutes were consumed in reading the minutes of half dozen or more previous meetings, at the conclusion of which Alderman Jones moved that with
 
 cials the board go into the election of city officers for 1900.
 Opposed the Motion
 Alderman Moore opposed the motion, say ing: Tn as much as salaries for 1900 have not been fixed and some of the candidates and one of the aldermen are dangerously ill, and as various other matters have pre- scented themselves since the last meeting, I would ask the board to pass the matter of election of officers over until the next regu- lar meeting, or if not possible to do that then let this meeting adjourn over until some time next week. l move this as substitute"
 Alderman Jones said: 'I made my mo- tion in good faith. l thought this was the time for the election, and if so. we should elect the officers tonight. l am tired of the candidates, and I suppose the other mem- bers in the same fix. I started to n- clude in my motion that the election be in open session.
 Alderman Rainbow moved that after the disposal of routine business the board ad journ until December 19, the night before the next regular meeting. The motion was unanimously adopted.
 Chairman Kerr of the finance committee reported favorably the monthly pay rolls of the various city departments, as follows: Fire, $1,S63; police, $3,19i15; miscellaneous, $1,S3S.66; cemetery, $115; street and sanita- ton, $1,2l15l; engineering, $5S1.15; pound, $66G6. They were ordered paid.
 Alderman CamL's Ordinance
 Alderman Camp introduced the following ordinance fixing the budget for 1900, which was referred to the finance committee: To the Mayor and Aldermen of Birming- ham:
 In presenting this ordinance I desire to impress each alderman of the absolute ne- cessity of limiting departmental expenses to fixed appropriations. For years as city now as an alderman go on record as say ing that it is the only way to run the city upon sound business principles. I have used my best judgment in trying to make the apportionment fair and equitable, but submit it to the board for such revision as may be deemed advisable.
 A condition. and not a theory, confronts us The city has reached the limit of her credit. We cannot safely count on more than $900, 900 income in 1900, and unless we conduct our municipal affairs on business methods, by living within our means, it is safe to say that they will soon be thrown into the federal counts by the holders of the city bonds.
 An Ordinance, To regulate the expenses of the city of Birmingham for the year 1900. Section l. Be it ordained by the mayor and aldermen of Birmingham, that the expen- ses of the several departments of the city for 1900 shall not exceed the following:
 Budget