Arizona republican., 1906-08-07
THE CITY COUNCIL
 IN ROUTINE SESSION
The Matter Og a New Charter Was
 Touched Upsn

At the regular monthly meeting of the city council last night. the bills for the month were audited and cr- dered paid by warrant and several matters of a routine nature were dis posed of. Best of all. the warrants which were drawn In payment of the salary claims, will be paid by cash. something that is decidedly new in the affairs of Phoenix. The total amount of the warrants ordered paid is $5296.6O to which should be added a library fund claim for S72.5O. mak-
 ing the total expense of the city for the month of July S5369,10.
 All of the members were not present at the meeting last evening Council man Christy from the second ward, who has been in California. did not return as he had intended. There was a quorum, however. and the business was taken up and disposed of in a very short time. The council was late in
 beginning its work, the time of the early evening being taken up with a caucus of the council members. At the caucus the hose bids were discuss ed and one of the bids was finally agreed upon This was not done. how CNtAs uiilll tue IlelIlutIS DI llt lire ue- partment had been shown the samples offered and the guarantees which went with each piece of hose. The firemen
 further picked out the hose without any knowledge of which firm was of fering the samples shown them Fin ally the firemen agreed on two p.eces Of hose both offered by the Doris Heyman company. A contract for 1000 feet of one quality was entered into by the council. payment to be made in in- terest bearing warrants and no part to be paid until after the hose had been
 in use thirty days and carefully test ed. The hose cost 80 cents per foot.
 The reports of the city officers were received and referred 10 the finance committee. The Pioneer band was granted the use Of Fireman's hall for one night each week with the provision
 that practice should cease at II o'clock each night The oil tanks in the southwest part of the city, were dis
 cussed and 10 find some possible way to make their owners protect them
 from fire was made the work of the
 city attorney. He will investigate and report at the next meeting. Whether
 the watering place at Five Points is under the charter a drinking fountain
 or should be paid for extra by the city is also a question that was put up to the city attorney an answer. The water company officials maintain that the words drinking fountain in their fran chise means a fountain not used by stock. They have agreed however to accept the construction of the law as
 made by the city attorney.
 A new city charter for Phoenix was discussed by the council It was the l expressed wish of MT. Kersting that should a charter be asked for from the next legislature. 1t be a referen- dun or home rule charter. He cites instances where such charters are in force at Los Angeles. Chicago and 1 nearer at home. Roswell. New Mexico. With such a charter it is not necessary, he said, to be going before the leg tslature with requests for amendments.
 all questions being settled by the di-
 rect vote of the people. He claimed another good point for the referen- 1 dunn charter in that when an amend ment to the charter is offered and is lost it is not impossible at a later date to secure it's adoption should public
 sentiment change. All the members of | the council agreed that before long, a charter commission should be created
 to outline a plan. As to whether un- | der the organic act such a charter could be secured for Phoenix will be | learned and reported to the council as | the next meeting by the city attorney The council adjourned to the next | regular meeting night though a spec ial session may be held at any time | and this is not unlikely for there are many requests coming to the council for change in the plumbing law of | the city.