The City Fathers In Council

At eight o'clock last night Clerk Mills called the roll, twelve aWermen responding. It was a regular meeting. The first buiness of course was the reading of petitions. There were hut two of these. Several citizens living nörth of Geddes and east of Twelfth st. complained of the street crossings, whicb, especially during the winter nionths, were many of theni in wretched condition. Their petition was referred to the sidewalk committee. President H. S. Dean of the County Fair Association asked that policemen be detailed to preserve order and to protect property at the fair grounds during the fair. Referred to pólice committee. Nina bids were opened and read for the $30,000 5 per cent. sewer bonds advertised for sale. Two of them were frorn local firms, the Farmers and Mechanica bank and Mrs. Grube. Referred to finance committee. Matter of Herman Hughes' claim on the city for damages was referred to the Board of Public Works for investigation. Committee on sewers recommended that all the curbing screws but 25 be sold. Adopted. The street committee asked that a surveyof Third street between Huron and Washington streets be made and that proper steps be taken to protect the riglits of the city therein. Adopted. The same committee recommended that $150 be appropriated to grade down south drive of S. University ave., and .f250 to grade W. Washington st. Adopted. Also that the M. C. R. E. be ordered to place a flagman at the Fuller street crossing. Adopted. The street committee recommended that the grade be established on portions of W. Washington, Broadway, Beakes, S. University and E. University. Also that repairs be ordered on W. Jefferson and W. Huron streets. Adopted. Next came the report of the lighting committee with regard to their investigation of the responsibüity of the Michigan Electric Company and the advisability of awarding to them the contract for lighting the city during the next five years. The committee reported in favor of awarding the contract to the Detroit companv. Alderman Butterfield wished tö offer 1 a motion. He said there were many 1 difficulties in the way of awarding the 1 contract to a firm. from outside the city. i He made a telling speech exagerating ' in no way the troubles such a course might bring. He said that the Ann ' Arbor Thonipson-Houston Compauy, the present holders of the cotract for lighting the city knowing well that the acceptance of the bid made by the Michi-" gau Electric Company would jeopardize the entire business interests of the local company, had secured possession of the bid of Wm. H. Porter of the Michigan Electric Company, the lowest bidder. In concluding Mr. Butterfield moved that that the city accept the bid of Wm, H. Porter, of Detroit, with the understanding that all rights under the bid were transferred to the Ann Arbor Thompson-Houston Electric Company. Alderman Brown asked for the last report of the lighting committee. This was read in the shape of a long and intricate contract preparad by Prof. Carhurt and the city attorney. In this President Lockwood of the Michigan Electric Co., bad made certain peculiar chances, which Prof. Carhart claimed defeated the ends desired - the maintaining of the best service. Pres. Lockwood claimed that they would furnish as good light as the city now receives. A lively discussion between these two gentlemen arose, in which Prof. Carhart evidently came out ahead. The councilmen seemed unwilling to decide at once on the matter and the report of the committee was laid on the table until the next regular meeting. Dr. Dell was given permission, rent free, to run a driving track at Felcb Park. The street railway ordinance was put on its third reading. An amendment was offered permitting the company to lay tracks from the M. C. depot down North State St. to conuect with its track at William St. This change looked suspicious to the seventh ward aldermen. They thought it should not pass without giving the residents on that street a chance to protest if they wished. The matter was finally laid over for one week to be acted upon at a special meeting. Arthur J. Sweet asked damages, etc, to the aniount of $2,507.15 on account of injuries received July 25 by the caving in of the Packard St. sewer. He chjiimed that the curbing was improper and insufficient. Referred to finance committee. Alderman Koch presented a resolution asking the street commissioner to distribute the city's work more evenly to the men and teams about the city. One alderman claimed that if a man was not a relative or personal friend of the commissioner or some member of the B. P.W. be could not get any kind of a job from the city. It was said that or.e or two uien hal liad regular work every day for a year, while others fully as deserving could get no work at all. Another alderman tliought the B. P. W. would do as is it pleascd about it the council'8 reqnest to the contrary notwithstanding. This seemed to be the general opinión, but the resolution was passed. The council concluded to reut the road roller to the county fair for certain purposes about the grounds for $5 per day, the actual cost of running it. Alderman Coon asked the street coinmissioner be ordered to destroy the obnoxious weeds in the streets of the College Hill addition. Several aldermen kicked - claiming to have weeds in their wards fnlly as obnoxious. Höwever, the resolution of the alderman from the sixtli ward was finally adopted. Adjourned to meet next Monday night at 8 o'clock.