The age-herald., 1900-04-05
THE CITY COUNCIL
 GRANTS FRANCHISE New Telephone Company Given
 the Right to Operate. WAS FAVORABLY RE PORTED Ordinance Will Be Drawn Up and Pre- sented at Next Meeting-Improve-
 ment Assessments Made Over
 Protests Routine Business
WAS FAVORABLY RE PORTED

Among other business transacted, the city council last ;ght voted to grant franchise to the Peoples IIiome Telephone company. The ordinance covering the fran chise was not presented, but will 3e ready by the next meeting of the council, two weeks hence. The vote by which the fran chise was granted was unanimous.
 The telephone franchise matter and tine making final of improvement assessments were the only questions of much interest before the council, but that fact did not tend to shorten the session.
 The following members were present when Mayor Drennen called the board to order: Mayor DrenneCl, and Aldermen Ly nagh, Rainbow, Camp, Mcknight Kerr McAnally, Altman, Graham, Thach, He.dt Gray and Jones.
 The reading of the minutes of tne pre- vious meeting was dispensed with and the rules suspended in order to give an oppor- unity to any citizens present Who desired to address the board to do 50. Captain w. A. Walker P. G. Bowman, G. R. Harsh and others were present to protest against assessments for Improvements, ard ill order tc get the matter before tle board so .hey could discuss it, Chairman Kerr, of the finance committee, moved to confirm the assessments.
 First Matter Taken Up
 The assessments for the Fifth avenue im- provements were first taken up, and Cap tain Walker addressed the board. He ap- peared in the interest of Mrs. T. s. Smith, who owns several lots along Fifth avenue west of Eleventh street. Last fall when the promoters of the state fair were mak- ing their arrangements for it's opening they sought to have Fifth avenue opened up west of Eleventh street. Mrs Smith, who owned the property through which the av- enue would run, consented to deed the right of way to the city provided none of the cost of improving it should be assessed against her property. This promise it ap- pears, was made and the fence enclosing that particular property was removed and the street graded and macadamized by the city. When it had been completed the city council assessed the cost of the im- provements against the abutting property, most of which belonges to Mrs. Smith. It was against this assessment that Mrs. Smith protested. Captain Walker made statement to this effect and requested Mr. Bowman, who was present, to explain what the agreement was. He said that the pro- motors of the state fair had requested the city to make an appropriation for the fair, but on account of opposition this was not done. The committee representing the fair association then saw Mrs. Smith and she agreed to tear down the fence and open up the street if the improvements should be made without expense to her. He said the mayor was seen and he agreed to make tne improvements.
 Without Cost
 MT. T. S. Smith said he had agr5e6 with his wife to the opening of Fifth avenue from Eleventh street to the fair grounds if 1t could be done without cost to Mrs. Smith, but that about the first of March last he was served with notice that her property had been assessed at an average of about $36 per lot for the improvements.
 Alderman Camp said that as no official action had been taken in the matter, and as the question of making the assessment were different matters he therefore moved that the assessment be confirmed
 Alderman Kerr said he had a distinct board was no party to the action The with the understanding that bonds were to be issued and the work pushed through He said the question of settling with Mrs Smith would require the taking of testi- mony. He seconded Alderman Camps mo- tion to confirm the assessment.
 Captain Walker said that If the question