The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-17
LOCAL MATTERS.
CITY COUNCIL,

LOChL Nl "A i L1eCo
CITY COUNCIL.
The regular semi-monthly meeting Of the
City Council was held In their chamber yes
terday afternoon. Present: j. J. English,
Esq, president Messrs. Todd, Kent, Sloan,
Lohman, Strauss, Fogarty, Davis, Greanor,
Wynne. Higgins. Mayo, Smith, Flournoy,
Allen, Lipscomb, jenkins, Brannan, Prince,
Moses, and Laube.
| COMMUNICATIONS.
| The President stated that before proceed
ing upon the regular business Of the meet
| ing he desired to lay before the Council
| three communications from Mayor Kelley.
| The first recommending that the Council
instruct the Commissioner of the Revenue
| TO make an assessment of the property
owned by the city and make return
thereof TO the Auditor, in order that the
latter officer may, in his annual report, soon
to be furnished, give an accurate account
of the assets of Richmond. The second
was in relation to the employment Of thirty
extra policemen on the occasion of the
special election on the 9th December, 1870 ;
and the third referring to
FIRE ESCAPES.
| The calamity at the Spotswood Hotel. he
says, has strongly directed the attention OF
the public towards inquiry for better
means Of securing an escape from burning
buildings than is furnished by. our ladder
companies, az now equipped and organized
He had made efforts in various quarters to
collect information on the subject, and he
presented with the communication draw.
| ings and explanations of what seemed TO
him the most complete, effective, cheap,
and simple contriyances yet invented for
that purpose. They were furnised by the
proprietor of Frank Leslie's illustrated
paper, who took the great trouble to make
the exhibit complete and fortunately, one
of the company originally organized in New
York to operate the instruments is now,
and has for many years been, citizen o'
Richmond.
| He recommended to the Council the con-
version of one Of our existing fire COM
panes into an organization for the use OF
these escapes, or the formation Of a new
compsny with the like intent. He would
be happy to cooperate in any way with the
Committee on the Fire Department in the
introduction of this or any other efficient
plan to secure more thorough means OF
preventing recurrence OF the terrible dls'
aster of last Christmas.
| The above communications were received
and appropriately referred.
| REPAIRS TO FIRST MARKET-HoUsE.
Dir. Sloan. from the Committee on First
Market. presented a report as to the con.
dition of that institution Of the city, and
recommending an appropriation OF s2,oOU
for its repair. The amount was ordered to
be expended.
A NEW FIRR-ESGINE.
Mr.. Sloan laid before the Council COM
munication from the AmoSkeag 01anufac-
turing Company, Of Manchester, n. H.,
proposing to deliver IN improved steam
tire-engine in this city for the sum of 81 800;
which was referred to the Committee on the
Fire Department. with instructions to re-
port at the next meeting of the Council. Il.
| THE HACKHEN. .-
Mr.. Kent laid before the Council petit
tion from number of hack owners Of the
city asking fair play at the depots and land.
ings. They claimed that, under the present
city ordinance, Messrs. CARRIER & Co. mo.
Dopolized the trade. The petition was ap.
propriatelY referred.
! HORSE QUESTION DISPOSED OF.
| A petition was presented from VIM. NJ
Ledley, praying that $50 be refunded to
him upon an advance made upon black
horse left with him for sale, which horse
was subsequently taken possession of by
the city and sold, no person being the claim.
| dilbs uC Sltf luC SdlG
OF "perishable unclaimed property" The
amount was ordered to be refunded to Mr.
Ledley.
| TIE TREASURY.
The City Treasurer submitted Ills report
| showing balance in the Treasury on the
I'd of January of SS3,516.03. The report
was ordered to be printed.
AN ORDINANCE ExcHANGE-THE RAILROAD
| CONNECTION.
Resolutions were offered by Mr.. Thomas
II. Wynne ordering that copies Of tho ordi
nances of this city be sent to such cities as
may he designated by the President, and
that the ordinances of those cities be re.
quested in exchange therefor also, in rela.
ton to the connections Of the Richmond
and Danville. Chesapeake and Ohio, and
Richmond and York River Railroad Com.
panies, requesting Mayor Kelley, together
with the Presidents of the above companies,
to execute contract between the city and
the companies relative to the connection OF
the roads. the papers in the whole
matter were ordered to be printed.
PETITION oP THE TREDEGAR COMPANY.
A petition was presented from the Trede.
gar Company praying an extension of the
time allowed heretofore to that company
for the transportation of newly-built cars
through certain streets, which expired on
the 1st of January, 1871, to the southern
depots. The petition was rejected.
| MONROE PARK.
| The report of the Committee on Public
Grounds and Buildings, recommending an
appropriation Of 81, ,0UO for bcautifying and
improving Monroe Park, was adopted
ayes, II; noes,
| SHADE TREES.
A resolution of inquiry as to the expe.
diency of planting shade trees in the city
was presented by Mr.. Kent, and referred
to the Committee on Public Grounds and
Buildings.
TAX oNMAYo's BRIDGE.
A petition was presented by the Presi.
dent from Mr.. Mayo, asking that q certain
portion Of the tax On Mayo's bridge be re-
| funded.
sundry other petitions and papers were
presented and appropriately referred.
| GRAIN MEAsURER FOR THE CITY.
MIR. Sloan stated that the Office of Grain
Measurer had become vacant by the death
OF Mr.. Henry Davis, and he nominated
Mr.. John B. Dowden to fill the vacancy.
Mr.. Todd nominated MIR. R. W. Apper-
! son.
Mr.. Wynne nominated Mr.. L. Woodson.
MIR. W. A. Shields was also nominated.
The voted resulted as follows: Dowden,
0; Apperson, Z; Woodson, 2; Shields. 2:
There being no election, on motion, all
the names were dropped except Messrs.
Apperson and DoWden.
| The second ballot resulted as follows:
Apperson, 12; Dowden, 8. Mr. Apperson
| was declared elected.
Adjourned. ks