Source:Tilt/content
Kirk Q. Bigham, chairman of the public works committee, of Pittsburg councils, and John Lennox, chairman of the survey committee, indulged in a little rapid-fire repartee after the meeting of their respective committees in the city clerk's office yesterday afternoon. Lennox claimed that his committee was robbed of a quorum in order to make up one for the other. This was possible, because certain councilmen are members of both committees. The object in calling them together at the same hour was to enable either to get a quorum.
The survey committee was the first to get a quorum. While they were discussing an ordinance, the public works committee gathered in an inner room. As soon as the latter got down to business Chairman Lennox had difficulty maintaining a quorum long enough to dispose of the business. This he succeeded in doing, however. When they adjourned he joined the other committee himself, he being a member of it also.
When both were adjourned the two chairman [sic] came together. Mr. Lennox was mad. He told Chairman Bigham that he had taken away from his committee several members to make up his own when he might have waited five or six minutes until they got through. Mr. Bigham smilingly asserted his innocence.
"If you have any fault to find you can introduce a resolution of censure," he said.
The surveys committee failed to recommend the changing of the name of Stobo street to Amherst. Instead they approved the ordinance locating Moultrie street from Fifth avenue to Center avenue. Excepting for a slight break Stobo street is a continuation of Moultrie and it was considered better to have one name applied to its entire length. Several other street ordinances before the committee were given an affirmative recommendation.
In the public works committee, the ordinance authorizing the Pennsylvania Water Company to lay a water line in the Twenty-first ward was sent to the department of public works, because it did not tell exactly where the lines were to be laid. Director George W. Wilson was present. In explaining the purpose of the ordinance, he said, some citizens residing in the Twenty-first ward at a high point above the Lincoln pumping station were without water, because, with its present stations that point could not be supplied with water by Pittsburg. The city would not be justified in building another station to supply it, he said. He understood that the line would come into the city 1,000 feet. He said he would have a plan made if the ordinance was sent to his department.
The committee approved three contracts made by Director Wilson for the laying of a water main from Highland reservoir No. 2, as follows: Section 1—To T. A. Gillespie Co., $92,000; section 2—T. A. Gillespie Co., $377,500; section 3—Booth & Flinn, Limited, $195,000. Several ordinances were recommended.
