A Special Meeting

At the special meeting Monday evening, all the council was present with the exception of Alderman Barker, of the sixth ward. A communication received from C. T. Parshall, clerk of Ann Arbor Town, relative to depositing dead animals on lands adjacent to the city and requesting the council to provide a place for their burial was referred to the General Fund Committee. 

The Finance Committee made the following report which was adopted. To the Hon. Common Council of the city of Ann Arbor, Mich. Your committee on finance would respectfully call the attention of the council to the necessity of taking some action immediately, looking to the raising of a sum of money necessary to meet the outstanding warrants, and to pay the necessary expenses of the city government for the current year. 

The general fund, out of which the salary of all city officials should be paid and also out of which the street Iighting bills must be met, is already overdrawn to a considerable extent. 

The general street fund, out of which workmen upon our streets must be paid, and out of which all bridges and culverts made or repaired must be paid for is also overdrawn, and warrants drawn upon either of these funds cannot be paid by the city treasurer. Consequently our city witnesses the humiliating spectacle of having laborers and others holding its orders, going to money lenders and banks and submitting to a shave in order to receive the cash while the city is abundantly able to pay its obligations promptly. In view of this state of affairs we urge immediate action and recommend that a meeting of the tax paying electors of the city of Ann Arbor be called for Monday, June 4, 1888, to be held at the city Hall, commencing at 10:45 o'clock in the forenoon of that day, polls to be opened and remain open until 4 o'clock in the afternoon for the purpose of allowing said electors an opportunity to vote upon a proposition to raise five thousand dollar by tax for the general fund. The ballots used to read: "For the tax of five thousand dollars- Yes" and "For the tax of five thousand dollars- No." 

And your committee would further recommend that they be empowered to prepare a statement of the financial condition of the city and have the same printed for general distribution, showing the necessity for such action. All of which is respectfully submitted. CHRISTIAN MARTIN, L. D. WINES, THOS. KEARNS. 

The general street committee, to whom was referred the petition of John J. Robison. complaining that the city had not done what it agreed to do in reference to lowering Main St. in front of his premises, made the following report: 

We find the matter of lowering said street was brought up in the council on the third day of May, 1886, and referred by vote of said council to the general street committee and the city engineer with power to act; and we also find that said committee did consider the said matter and were unanimous in their opinion that said street should be lowered to the grade as shown by the stake set by the city engineer. 

We also find that said street has not been lowered as agreed to. 

Believing that municipal corporations, as well as individuals, should fulfill promises made and obligations entered into, we therefore recommend that this council cause said street to be brought to the grade agreed to and shown by the records of the city engineer. NELSON SUTHERLAND, CHRISTIAN MARTIN, EARL WARE, FRED BARKER., . 

Ald. Miller, of the fire committee, made a verbal report stating that on inspection of the public cisterns, he found three that were out of order and empty and that the steamer was out of order and needed repairs. 

On motion of Ald. Allmendinger, the fire committee were instructed to place the steamer and public cisterns in good repair and to fill the latter as a reserve in case of fire. The bond of John Kahoe was presented and accepted. The bond of August Roehm was referred back to the committee to report at next meeting. 

On motion of Ald. Spokes, the Fire committee were instructed to interview the Water Co. in regard to testing the hydrants and furnishing map showing location of water mains and hydrants. 

A motion by Ald. Ware that the rent for all defective hydrants be deducted from the water rent for the periods they are known to be defective, was carried. 

The matter of ascertaining the natural water course on WestFirst street, on motion of Ald. Martin, was referred to the street committee. 

On motion of Ald. Wines, the chairman of the sidewalk committee was ordered to grade and relay the sidewalk on the north side of Monroe street between State and Packard street, as ordered by the council last year, and assess the expense to the adjacent property. The following resolution was introduced by alderman Martin and adopted. Resolved, That a special meeting be held at Firemen's Hall from 10:45 in the forenoon until 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day at which time a proposition to raise five thousand dollars for general purposes by taxation upon the entire taxable property of the city shall be submitted to the property taxpayers of the city. At the meeting allots used shall read, "For the tax of $5,000- Yes," "For the tax of 35,000.- No," and those voting "For the tax of $5,000, Yes," shall be deemed to be voting in favor of raising said sum in that manner and those voting, "For the tax $5,000, No," shall be deemed as voting against the raising of said sum. 

A motion by Ald. Allmendinger that eight hundred dollars be transferred from the contingent fund to the general street fund, to be replaced Feb 1, was carried. 

The bill of the Electric Light Co. was referred to the finance committee. A motion that the council meet hereafte at 7:30 o'clock p. m., local time, by Ald. Miller, was carried. 

A motion of Ald. Ware's that the police committee be instructed to appoint two patrolmen, was not acted upon and the council adjourned.