Baltimore City Council Proceedings.

INCREASING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT-RESOLUTIONS AGAINST RAPID TRANSIT–PROPOSED CONFEDERATE MONUMENT ON EUTAW PLACE-PERMISSION FOR ITS ERECTION GRANTED.

(Reported for the Baltimore Sun.)

A communication was received from the city commissioner recommending the construction of a sewer from Gay and Mott streets to Belair market, thence to Low trees and Jones’s falls; also one along Ensor street to Chesnut street, thence to Low street, and connect with the above sewer.

A communication was received from Robert Turner, president of the meeting of citizens held at Maryland Institute on Thursday last, transmitting a resolution adopted at the meet-Ing, asking that the ordinance of June, 1874, by which the park tax on the city passenger rail way receipts was reduced to 12 per cent., be repealed. Referred.

Mr. Hogg offered an ordinance to authorize the mayor, comptroller and register to contract with the several gas companies to furnish the city with gas for from one to five years, on such terms as they may deem best. Referred.

The ordinance to create a new hook and ladder company in the vicinity of Pennsylvania avenue and Biddle street, and appropriating $15,600 therefor, came up, and Mr. Broumel moved to make the appropriation $10,000.

Mr. Miller stated that this sum would not be sufficient.

Mr. Dobson submitted a letter from Chief Hennick showing the necessity for a new truck company in this section.

Mr. Broumel withdrew his amendment and the ordinance passed.

Mr. Horner offered a resolution, requesting the city representatives in the Legislature to use their best efforts to prevent the incorporation of the rapid transit company. The resolution was passed.

Mr. Broumel offered an ordinance to require the City

Passenger Rallway Company, Citizens’ Baltimore and Peabody Heights, People’s, and Hall’s Springs Railway Companies, to pay, after May 1 next, 20 percent of their gross receipts into the city treasury for the support of the public parks. Referred.

The ordinance to permit the Union Railway Company to lay tracks in certain streets was called up by Mr. Kelly, with an amendment to strike out the provision requiring the company to put gutter plates over gutters which their tracks cross. On motion to concur, Mr. Horner spoke against the amendment and submitted letters from Mr. Chas. P. Montague, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the fire board in support of position. The motion to concur was lost, and a message was sent to the second branch, asking them to recede from their amendment.

The ordinance to lease the lot bounded by Gist, Chester, John and Hoffman streets, for a public park, was passed, after considerable discussion.

The mayor sent a communication from Jas. D. Mason, protesting against the granting of a charter for rapid transit company in Baltimore. Referred.

Petitions referred: Commissionsrs of Park Place, for appropriation of $2,500 to curb the squares.

Referred: To permit the Northern Central Railroad Company to extend piers; to place a guard railing foot of Chester street and pave St. Paul street from Townsend street to Jones’s Falls; to pave North street from Biddle street to Jones’s falls; to pave St. Paul street from Hoffman stroet to Jones’s falls; to open Montgomery street to the basin, and permit Union Glass Company to construct a bulkhead: appropriating $270 to fit up room in the attic of the City Hall for the use of the librarian.

Passed: Appropriating $900 to fit up a fireproof room to preserve records in the Circuit Court.

In the second branch, the resolution allowing the Society of the Army and Navy of the Confederate States in Maryland to erect a memorial monument at Eutaw Place and Lanvale street, was taken up, on motion of Mr. McWilliams.

Dr. Thom alluded in feeling language to his position as being the most embarrassing in which he had ever been placed. He would be the last man expected to rise in opposition to a thing proposed by bis comrades in what he believed to be one of the justest causes Heaven ever shone upon, but which, unfortunately, did not prevail. He felt a glow of joy at his heart when this matter was first proposed. The memory of all the trials and sufferings had undergone; of the hardships, the long marches, the battles won and lost, had all come over him. The monument would be to him one of peculiar significance, and suggestive of his political faith. It would tell him of men who fell in behalf of the right of people to govern themselves, of  States’ rights, on which this government had been founded, and of the struggle between Thomas Alexander Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, the one representing democratic and the the other representing monarchial government. This controversy has not been worked out yet, and the time has not come in this community, he could give his consent to put before another that which would be repugnant to him. He trusted that any Confederate who knew him would testify that he had never been recreant to that cause. He had been brought up and would die in the faith that their principals must prevail, and that the time will come when this favored State will be proud to erect a monument to men who died in that faith. He would, at least, have liked that monument to stand, and if, when consolidation has done its work, some sceptered monarch shall sit on a throne in this country, those who remember our history can tell to strangers that it had been erected to men who were brave enough to fight, and for what faith. With all desire to honor them, and with the disposition to do what was right, he was constrained here in his official position to oppose the proposition.

Mr. McWilllams said that he would not desire to ask what was repugnant to the other side, but he had been in the Legislature when the Union soldiers asked for $25,000 he would hare voted to give it to them. These men come and ask not one cent from the city. Maryland had not been a seceding State, yet every one knows how two-thirds of her people stood at that time. Will any one say that the people of Maryland would not have cast their lot with those they loved – the people of the South – had they not been surrounded by hirelings and forced into subjection? He wanted to offer no offense to the people of the North, nor to any Union man, but he also had his rights. He was in favor of the resolution.

The resolution was then passed, the yeas and nays not being demanded.

It now goes to the mayor.