Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-17
A LIVELY MEETING.
The City Fathers Debate Questions
and Repeal Obnoxious Ordinances.
A FIRE CHIEF APPOINTED.

The city council considered many
important issues last night, some OF
which had been hanging over their
heads and others were entirely new
they being referred to the different
committees to report at the next meet.
ing.
After a series of hot discussion the
ordinances changing the street names
were repealed, and the wishes of the
citizens were granted.
A few OF the councilmen wanted to
have the matter referred until the
next meeting, but the others stated
that public sentiment was so strongly
opposed to it that 1t was their duty as
representatives of the business men
to repeal the ordinances at once.
If the storm of opposition had been
visible at the time the ordinances
were passed some of the councilmen
would not have voted for it, However
all the controversy and confusion as
regards streets is passed and the
streets are the same as of old.
On recommendation of Acting Fire
Chief Hubbs, Mr.. Nash was appointed
fire chief at salary of $500 per year.
When the body was called to order
Councilman McMillen was the only
member absent.
A petition asking that the city ditch
be cleaned, signed by about fifty tax
payers, was read. 1t further stated
that the ditch had not been cleaned
for two years. On motion the petition
was referred to the sewer committee.
Also they are to investigate the legal
ity of the city to fill up said ditch.
A petition, asking for a sidewalk on
the north side of Railroad avenue. be.
tween Eleventh and Twelfth streets.
and another on the east side of
Twelfth street, between Railroad and
Ttjeras avenues, were referred to the
street committee.
An unsolicited communication from
Mr.. Serey was read, in which he gave
an estimate of the cost of street rail
way construction in the city. The esti
mate for six miles in the city was set
at $S3 400; of the line to Tijeras can
yon, $50 400; making a total of s169,-
500.
Since the matter of municipal street
railways had come up, NJ. p. Stamm
was invited TO speak to the council
concerning municipal ownership. He
presented a petition signed by about
$50 business men of the city, who de-
sired the city to contract, own and op-
crate her own electric street railway.
In part he said that Albuquerque could
never be in n better position to own
her own street car line than now, by
reason of the expiring franchise, which
would involve no difficulties with the
private ownership, as it would when it
come TO buying them out. He read
statistics gathered from many cities
who own their own electric lights,
water system and street cars. All he
asked was that the issue be put before
the citizens and taxpayers at the com
ing election and that he was confident
II would be supported by at least so
per cent of the voters.
The council passed a motion thank
ing Mr.. Stamm for his address on
timely question and referred his sug-
gestions to the street committee.
Some time passed in general discus
sion of the subject in hand. Council
man Mckee stated that he thought the
question Of owning the water system
was more important than owning the
street railway. The street committee
we're also instructed 10 make investi- |
cations along this line
When Mr. Stamm was making his |
Continued on page eight