The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1917-06-13
STOP FIRES
IS PURPOSE
l[N Tx Lew Is MADE
EmSin9 Assessments Finally Passed
Over Opposition and work VIII
nexin AZ Once On street
i Paving.

Aroused 70 the need of cooperation
"a the part Of the city officials and
the merchants for the purpose OF
preventing such heavy fire losses.
the city council on last night met
the request of the merchants to pay
haH the salary Of the night watch
man and went them one better by
providing for the employment Of an
addstional policeman to patrol the
business district at night Some
thing must be done TO prevent the
fires that are eating off block after
block of the business section. z de-
ciAred Il. r. Phillips, chairman Of
the police committee 4 had never
given the matter the proper consid-
Grafton and really did not know how
serious II IN. but now am convinc-
IA that WAxahachie will suffer n
ranciaI loss In the way OF increased
Insurance rates nnless We learn who
Is responsible Tor the fires. Z
According to MT. Phillips, the In
sslrance companies hayfs paid out
about <1-25 In fire losses for every
$1-0D collected. and that with the
equipment for fire prevention Wax
ahachie ought to be in line for q
reduced key-rafe. but as a matter OF
fact there is danger OF getting the
rate increased because OF the enor-
nioHs Loose sustained within the last
six or seven years He did not
nince words In dealing with the
problem, but declared there was
something radically wrong and that
il must be regnedied Mr. Phillips
proposed that the city council eul-
ploy man who Is capable and who
Will ascertain the source of destrue-
tive fires, and keep such a man on
guard along with the present night
wafchman IN the business district OF
the eass in All effort 70 make the
frs risks less hazardous.
a discussion OF the fire losses also
led 10 talk about the building law
End the utter disregard for same by
some people. 1t was pointed ont that
the building laws OF the city were
adequate, yet certain buildings were
CONSTRUCTED in violation OF same.
motion which authorized the
employment OF an additional night
police officer carried with it the pro-
vision that the mayor, the chairman
OF the police committee aud The city
marshal select the man and fix the
salary.
Lighting Contract.
The Texas Power and Light coma
pany refused To make a contract with
the city for less period than five
years which called for the installa- |
tion Of sixteen additional street
lights. the council preferring to con-
tract for lights only for their terms
of office, SO after discussion II was
decided that contract be authorized /
for q period OF five years Under the |
tersag OF the new contract the city /
gets benefit Of reduced rate on
street lights. Heretofore the price
paid for Go-candIe power street lights
was $50 per lamp. Now the price /
IA s1.25 per lamy Instead OF reduc-
ing the amount expended for light
ing purposes, the council has decided
TO install that number fyf additional
lights and these will be put in at
once.
New Tax Levy.
The tax levy for the year 1917
was placed upon its second reading
Under suspension OF the rule and by
further suspension of the rule was
placed on its third reading and final
passage. The levy is as follows:
Current fund ...-.... 80
Emergency fund ... 40