Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-30
HYATTSIVILLE NEWS.
Business Transacted at First Meeting
of New Town Council.

OI New AOWA SOOhSiA'
Special Correspondence of The Star.
EVANSVILLE, May %. 1905.
The first regular meeting of the new coun-
ell was held last evening. Mayor owens
presiding and all the members being pres
| ent. The report of the inspector of build
ings and plumbing showed the total number
of water permits 304: the number OF
sewer permits 1866 The treasurers report
from May l to date Indicated receipts as
1896 80; expenditures, SS51.I4.
Councilman Harry w. Shepherd, chair
man of the street lighting committee. pre-
scented recommendation from the citizens
committee on the electric lighting PROPOSE
ton that Mr.. Chas. l.. Reederso of Baltimore
be engaged supervising engineer to sup
erintend the installation of the plant. FOR
the sum of $500. Councilman DeVlin de-
clared that he had never been notified OF
any meeting of the committee, and that he
would vote against any proposition TO IN
stall plant using alternating current.
He opposed the use of a gas-produclng en-
CINE it being understood that a majority OF
the committee preferred this means OF
power Councilman Devlin stated that this
sort of power was in its experimental stage,
and that he for one was not willing that the
taxpayers money should be used in making
experiments.
Mayor Owens stated that the employment
of the engineer did not commit the council
to any particular sort of current or power,
but the services of such man were neces-
sary in order to enable the council to decide
Just what to do. Chairman Shepherd stated
that Mr.. Reeder would not be paid one cent
unless the council decided to employ him to
supervise the construction of such plant
as the council might decide to install.
J. Councilman Mudd of the lighting com
mittee stated that out of large number or
towns having electric lighting plants three
fourths of them used the alternating cur
rent
o.. ,o.u,, f,,r+l,o,r ,,tccucsio,, tho reoonl-
menda ton of the citizens committee was
withdrawn and the matter returned for
further investigation, the object being TO
have the committee look around to see II
an engineer can be engaged for less money
than the sum for which Mr.. Reeder agrees
to do the work
Councilman John Fainter. IT.. presented
draft of a proposed ordinance increasing the
water rents, and the schedule was unani
mously adopted. The principal increases
are: For fiat rate, SIS per year; bath room,
So per year; closet. 81, and water for grass
plots So per year. There are various
charges for miscellaneous purposes. The
increase in the water revenues resulting
from these changes Will be about $500 per
annum. an amount that VIII make the water
plant self-sustaining.
Mayor Owens appointed special COM
mittee to take up the matter of the recent
act Of the legislature licensing peddlers and
hawkers In Hyattsville. and to recommend
to the council the persons and businesses
to be taxed and the amount to be charged.
Councilman w. p. Magruder was appointed
chairman, with Councilmen Devlin and
Darnau as members of this committee.
Considerable discussion arose over the
proposition of the road committee to place
a hand rail in front of the properties of
Mrs. w. w. Frost and Messrs. c. c. Vince
lock and C. A. NJ. Wells, Columbia road,
for the protection of pedestrians. The mat
ter was placed in the hands of the road
committee with power to act.
Councilman Devlin moved that the road
,-at,a to af,yad frnr fIa n
divided equally among the three wards.
While the members of the council appeared
to agree with their colleague as to the wis
dom of the principle involved, 1t was
thought to be unwise to absolutely commit
the council to a rule that might, in an
emergency, work a hardship If strictly adj
hered to. Mr.. Devln withdrew his motion.
Councilman Darnall. chairman of the COM
mittee town improvements, presented an
ordinance. which was unanimously adopted,
limiting the speed of automobiles and other
vehicles within the corporate limits to ten
miles an hour. and an order was passed
that signs be posted at all entrances to tho
town notifying strangers of the substance
of the ordinance.
Mayor Owens read the returns Of the re-
cent special election, declaring that the vote
for a gas franchise was 60, and the vote
against the proposition was Is. He there
fore declared that the proposition had been
carried and that the franchise would issue.
The Judges making the returns were Messrs.
w. c. Soues. j. Frank Rushe and Arthur
Carr: the clerks of election were Walter
johnson and n. G.. Darnall.
Councilman Darnail nominated Mr.. l.. o.
Wissman for reelection as inspector of
buildings and plumbing. and Councilman
Devlin nominated Mr.. N C. DarnaH for the
position. Mayor Owens and Councilman
Devlin voted for Darnali. and Counclmen
Darnall, Fainter, Magruder, Mudd and
Shepherd voted for Mr.. Wissman. and on
motion of Councilman Devlin Mr.. Wiss-
mans election was made unanimous The
present clerk. Mr.. John r. Hickey. was
elected his salary being reduced from 500
to $50 per year. Mr.. r. w. Wells was re-
elected town attorney. he to serve without
pay. Last year he received 500 for his
services. Chas. w. Barr was reelected
town bailiff. to serve without pay, and w.
w. Rushe was reelected under bailin under
the same conditions.
Councilman John Fainter was elected
president of the town council, to act in the
absence OF Mayor Owens.