HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1917-03-08 MinutesA210
CALLED MEETING OF COUNCIL TRORSDAY MARI! 8'j ' 1911.
Members present: O. Hefty, F. G. Erfert, F. H. Wharton, L. T. Highlayrtnat , E. L.
Councilmen Filer and Romfh absent from oity.
The call of the mayor was read as follows:
Miami, Florida, March 8, 1917.
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Hon. P. A. Henderson,
Mayor, Miami.
You are hereby requested to call a special meeting of the
city council to be held in the city council chamber, Miami, Florida, at
7 30 P.M., Th.raday March 8, 1917, for the purpose of acting on the
inspection of boilers, engines and the passage of an ordinance to cover
such inspection. •. �o �e�.� ._)-4 L&i'
Hon. E. C. Romfh,
F. H. Wharton,
F. G. Erfert,
Caspar Hefty,
C. F. Filer,
L. T. Hi-hleyman,
F. L. Brady,
Councilmen:
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Yours very truly,
Councilman
-----�- y
Counc lman
c.—
You are hereby notified that r. special meeting of
council will be held in the council chamber at 7 30 P.M., March 8,1917,
for the pur;:ose of considering an ordinance reG Latin: the inspection
of boilers and en -fines in the city of Miami, Florida. \
I, W. J. Whit: --an, chief of police, city of Miami,
:.ereby ertify tnat I served a true copy of the fotigoing notice upon the
following members of the city council of Miami.
Covxicilm'n
Councilman
7A
Courio loran ---
Councilman
Councilman
Chief of Police.
Pr"1i+AYfir�Jllphlmrffi�'�il�fiB �riCryii8ii4rclpG�piffin'FIi5i9p ��
neoeseit for this boils
Galled meeting Maroh 8, 1917.
�� r. Erfert: Is there urgent y r ordinanoe?
Mr. Cason: It is a question for oounoil to determine whether the matter shall come up to
The boiler inspector reported that one of the laundries, Mr. Davis, is conducting its
business.without a licensed engineer and a competent man in oharge of the steam plant. T
boiler inspector is here and oan give you all the details.
Mr. Hefty: I don't think we oan pass an ordinance to night but we might consider it. The
is more than one side to be heard, the parties who own these plants should be given an
opportunity. We don't want to burry through an ordinanoe and have it also knooked out.
Mr. Cason: About two weeks ago the boiler inspeotor arrested Mr. Davis, the Miami Laundr
for operating an engine, steam, without a licensed engineer. He was founf guilty in
polioe court and it went up on haebeas oorpus proceedings and Judge Branning ruled the
old orceinanoe was bad for several reasons, one being that there was no provision for•
continuing the board of inspectors, the board providtdg for expiring with the term of
former mayor Watson; it also left to the discretion of the inspector the qualifications
an appe.oant. The city now has no boiler ordinance. As to its immediate urgenoy it,
is for the boiler inspector to oonvinoe you of that.
Mr.. Hefty: Do these boilers carry insurance?
Mr. Cason: It is not so much that as safety of the pfibite.
Mr. Hefty: They carry insuance and there must be some inspeotion.
Mr. J. G. Crosland: I would like to ask what is the use of a boiler ordinance. We are
insured by a first class insurance oompany and have four inspections each year, two into
two external and if we furnish this oounoil with a oertifioate from the insurance it
seems to me that would be sufficient. We certainly have not more efficient men it this
town than the insurance people, so why should to have to be subject to looal exsminatibn
and pay out fees with all the other money we are paying for taxes, licenses - why ad.&
more burden to us. The railroad company is exempt, their l000mo-ives are not examined
and I judge at least a hundred pass through here every day. It is unconstitutional and
has been taken under a bad law - we have been paying out money that should come back to
by ribbhte. So far as this license business is concerned, it is a onesided &air. Other
citieWetn Florida I don't think are working under it, I don't believe Jaoksonville^-ithd
other large cities. ?.
Mr. Hefty: You have four inspections?
Mr. Crosland: Yes, sir, four by one of the best insurance companies in the United States
and when one of those insurance men go through a boiler it is equal to a dose of saga
through a human being. When they give you a certificate you oan rest assured it is rsaf
Mr. Hefty: How many inspections by the city?
Mr. Crosland: One by the city at `2. and fcur by the undue writers, but the city dons't in
and we carry $10,000. insurance. A11 we do is to pay out so much money per year and all
inspector does is to close us down for two weeks and take a look into the boilers.
Mr. J. L. Billingsley: I am interested in this matter and it seems to me if this is so
important that when a regular meeting is called there will be so many other things --
for attention the boiler inspection mutter will have to go over again and I should think
on a special evening, with only two matters before you, would be a good time to consider
this and council is simply going to be asked to do, according to Judge Branning's ruling
what it has already attempted to do. It is not a new proposition, Judge Branning held i
bad because it did not provide for regular meetings of the,inapector and associates yet
fact is they meet every Monday night. As to insurance on boilers, you might aboliski your
building inspector because a building is going to be insured. Simply because there Ze a
good ueiler is no gveund guarantee that an a€p inexperienced man will not blow it up. Th
is elao intended to license competent men to operate these boilers.
Moved oy L. T. Hiehleyean, seconded by E. L. Brady that the boiler ordinance be held ove
until the next regular meeting. Motion carried.
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the city
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8
JOHN J. JONEE; CARNIVAL SHOWS REQUEST TO EXHIBIT IN MIAMI AT FLAT RAte
:,:r. Hefty: The other matter is the question of John J. Jones to exhibit at a reduced rat
of license.
Pepresentative of the show: VTe are aepearing to ask that council grant us the same privi
to this "Booster's Club" as you did the Con T. Kennedy Shows. We have a oontraet made
six weeks ago, with the Elks Booster Club and we ask the same courtesy as was extended
to Kennedy, as the major portion of the receipts will go to the Elks building fund. I
willsay that if we have anything objectionable it will be eliminated. I have had thirt
years experience with the show business and I say sincerely that we have no girl show
of any character, nor fake gambling devices, but should there be anything that might be
construed as a gambling device, it oan be eliminated. Of all the states I have visited I
don't know of a discrimination in the license act. We show in Atlanta for the benefit -'of
t fire ana police funds; Chattanooga, Macon, peroentage basis, the cities waiving the
license entirely, that money being turned over to whatever fund is determined. Mr. Cbnr
a number of Elko who are here will bear me out that the contract has been made for six
weeks. We sire now at West Palm Beaoh with 300 people, not a foreign person in the show.
Jones is a resident of Florida, and if we are not permitted to come here it will work a
hardehip on the citizens of this state to the extent of $7500. and my oontract is
each that it will deprive me, as well as others, of salary; other employees of the show
will suffer and I sincerely pray the same courtesy be extended to us as was to the Kenne
shows.
L'r.- B. Douglas. I am here to represent the merchants bureau
in opposition to allowing any show to come to Miami under any
than the ordinance passed by this body to govern licenses for
made one mistake is no reason for making two.
Mr. Hefty: We are ready to admit that council made a mistake,
of some of the bodies now making this objeotion.
s
ege
a�.
:r
and '
1y
of the Chamber'of Commerce
consideration other
ehowea simply beoauae council
but it was at the request
Mr. Douglas: I beg to agree with you,- it was our mistake as Wellies yours. I was not o
of those who made the mistake; I objected to it, I attended the meeting of that body and
objected the same as I am now. Mr. Highleyman well tell you that.,I didn't believe it we
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A210
Called meeting Maroh 8, 1917.
Elks Lodge No. 3, and if we have to resort to anyt
us do without one. Miami is big enough to do that.
else and I hope you will leave the ordinance stand
show.
hing of this kifid to build a lodge, 'lei
without the support of Janes or anyone
as it is and make no concession to any
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Mr. Crosland: I would like to ask when this show will oome, if permieision is granted?
Mr. Hefty: Nett Monday.
Mr. Crosland: That means the fish business will be killed. I didn't know.thie matter was
coming up. I am speaking from a selfish standpoint but it means demoralizing the fish
business until this show is gone.
Mr. W. J. Rodgers: I am sure all of you remember this ordinance was passed twp years ago
to keep out this very show. We have had experience with the Jones show and we know that
whale they try to be clean a show of that kind can not be as we would like to have it. We
are fighting this from a business standpoint. We have been over it time and timeegain an
paid for an ordinance that will hold water and that the people be protsoted, ana'by neome
accidental hook or crook this concession was made to the Kennedy show. There oould have
been a minority report from the Chamber of Comeeroe that I believe would have had more
weight with you than the majority. I have no objection to the Elks building a club house,
the business men don't want it started with a performance of this kind.
er. E. McDonald: I would endorse what has been said. I admit I was one of those who
favored letting the bars down for the Kennedy show, but I did so not knowing what it was.
I don't believe they presented it properly,- they said there would be no side shows or
garrbling• devices and it was exactly opposite whatbwe thought. I didn't go but I saw it
was demoralizing and I am against it and hope you•will let the schedule stand as it is.
Mr. Billingsley: Anything my friend Conrad wants I would like to see him get. If he is
interested in this I am very sorry. I know one line of business that would be increased
by the visit of the J. J. Jones ahow and that is the criminal court over here. The last
time they were here I thinly one sentence was five years and one for two. When the Kenned
ehow was here thee appealed to me,- we have people in town who furnish amusement all the
year, they are residents and good citizens. They pay taxes and have their homes here and
when the tourist season opens that is when they get the best business.
',r. Conrad: I didn't come up here to give you anyedvice, simply ask that you do what you
think is right. When I was on the council I know there were times when I didn't appreoiat
advice from outsiders.
Representative of the show: I am foroed to say to you, out of respect for the members
of the show, that every woman is a married lady or a sister of an employee of the show.
re_ar1 to fi.11ine the jails, it is possible for arrests to be made in any town while
there is a carnival underway. Mr. Jones does not foster nor does he permit any one on
the show of an imnoral character. If we had anyone on the ahow who would go on the -
streets soliciting, it would be a disgrace. We have exhibited in the best pf Southern
cities without offence and I simply ask for fair play. I don't think you will make any
mistake by granting this license at the same rate Kennedy paid, for the benefit of the
Booster's Club, made up of men who desire to keep their oontraot. If we show to 12,000.
in two weeks that would be 120,000 ten oent admissions and I will give this oounoil
every penny over 12,000. and if we do that I will make the Booster's Club a present of
;1,000. in aLiition to the 1,200. under the contract, and if there is any question in
your mind, I will pay for fifty messages to Orlando, where Mr. Jones has wintered for
nine years. If your merchants do not want carnivals, let the ruling apply hereafter.
I have been solicited to buy material here. I know the Kennedy people left more than
$2,000. with the merchants here. We have 300 people who will spend at least $1.50
p=r day for food; that is t4800. and we are paying $4500 to the railroad and guaranteeing
the committee 1200. on a percentage basis. I contracted with Mr. Ullendorff for 1500#
of meat for cur animals; tith the transfer company; with the electric light company, and
I pledge you my word it is not possible for Mr. Jones to take $2,000. out of here. If the
show business was as rosy as it looks, they would all be million heirs. Mr. Jones has
worked h rd for 12 years, and often if not for his oars we would be tied to the ttaoks
somewhere. We have to pay our obligations the same as others.
Mr. McDonald: This gentleman has made a plea for the Jones Co. He is an outsider and we
consideration for our merchants who live here, support the city and I think our interests
ought to weigh more than the interests of an outsider and we ask your consideration.
Rep. of show: I believe it possible to get a petition of 50 per cent of the people to let
this show come in here under conditions as they exist, since the contract was signed. Ever
body has extended us sympathy, There are only a few yere and yesterday there was a
tie vote on the question in the Chamber of Commerce.
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?Mr. Brady: I want to say council is in an embarrassing position on this subjeot. I have
had at least a dozen call on me to day and ask that the show be not allowed to come in
without paying full license. I have had business men to ask me if I thought council would
.so weak. I am an Elk and in sympathy with the Elkseand the show, but if we are representi
the business of the city and its people, there is but one thing to do and that is to let
,them in only on the established lioense.
hie,
"r. Iiighleyman: I have been getting it hot from Brother Elks. I favored the first show
coming in. It was the first in several years and our ohildren all enjoy a show - we all
remember that time in our lives. The Jones show is the cause of the high license, it oame
here and cur experience was not an agreeable one and this council, of which Mr. Conrad
Iwas a member at the time, passed the ordinance establishing the high license.
,We have had one show this winter and I think that is enough. Dozens of people have been
ito me about the matter. I spoke to Charley Muller three or four weeks ago and told him I
f-lt sure ocunoil would be opposed to allowing the Jones show to come in and I believe
he agreed with me at the time and I believe he in a way agrees with me to day. I told this
gentleman I was willing to come down to night and if the business interests of Miami were
in favor of his show, I would be. I want #o go with the majority for the best interests o
this town irrespective, but I believe the majority are against it. I am an Elk and wed
if a show is brought in because it .comes under the auspices of the Elks, why can't all
the other organizations bring in shows.
Mr. Wharton: If douncil wants to cater to public sentiment we will, have to vote against
allowing this carnival,to oome here. I am an Elk and belong to the Booster's Club, but,I
don't think two carnivals in one winter for the best interest of 'the eitye. We did let ,th.
Kennedy Co. in under a blanket ordinance but it was under f lee,preteneee, They never WO%
have gotten my vote for such a rotten show. 1 venture 75% of. t>ie :lest. peop .e d the of
i,are against it. -.'. .._.''='...
R4I Called meeting INtoh 8, 1917.
Mr. Erfert: I was the only man who voted against the otheT oarnival and suppode I
have to vote for this one to oome in. This man tells us about the money they will pay
the electric light company and others, but it all Domes right out of the poor people of
Miami. I believe one show is enough and think I will vote against it. Has this gent].ema
made a request for a reduotion in the lioense.
Mr. Hefty: I think he is making the request, I thought first it was the Elks Club but it
seems the ehcw people are making it verbally.
Moved by F. G. Erfert that the request be denied. Seconded by F. H. Wharton. On roll
call all voted yes, motion to deny being oarried unanimously.
Attest:
City Clerk.
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Presteint City Comical