The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-29
LOCAL MATTERS.
BOARD OF ALDERsFEN.

AooIAA MIA l. LIMO
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
A meeting of the Board of Aldermen was
held yesterday afternoon, John A. Meredith
ESQ.,, (presidenD in the chair. Present al
rol.call: Messrs. Tanner, Scott, Ordway
Williams, thinner, Lipscomb, Spangenburg
Wagner, Manly, Bass, Smith, Vandervall.
t- PUBLIC INTERESTS.
On motion of Mr.. Ordway the ordinance
for the establishment of q Board of Public
Interests was taken up.
Mr. Ordway nominated Messrs. Thomas
". McCance and r. Z. Blankenship as mem.
bers of the Board.
Mr.. Kellam nominated Mr.. j. j. English.
The vote being taken, MessrS. McCance
and BIankenship were declared elected. The
vote stood: McCance, 12; Blankenship, 13.
FINANCE.
Mr.. Scott, from the Committee on Finance,
reported that the committee have had their
special attention called to consideration of
the preeminent claims of the chief fiscal
officers Of the city to such increase of salary
as will make their compensation more nearly
adequate to the arduous duties performed by
them so we'll and faithfully and to their
heavy bonded responsibility. The commit
tee presented an ordinance, recommending its
adoption. This ordinance increases the sal
ary of the Treasurer from $4,000 to S2,400 ;
the salary of the Auditor from S1,S00 to
S2,400: and the salary OF the Superintendent
of the Almshouse from $1,000 TO S1,250.
The committee say that in addition to- bis
other duties the Auditor renders valuable
service as clerk both TO the Commissioners
of the Sinking Fund and 10 the Finance
Committee.
On motion of Mr.. Scott the rules were
suspended and the ordinance passed, only
one vote (Mr. Kelam's) being in the
negative.
PoLICE.DETECTIyES.
City ordinance to repeal section 26 of chap
ter 81 of the ordinance of 1869, and all reso-
lutons concerning the election, appoint.
ment, or pay of detective officers for the city
of Richmond, adopted at the last meeting of
the Common Council, was taken up. The
question being upon the passage of the ordi-
nance, .-. ..-.. n =
Mr.. Ordway presented substitute for the
ordinance, and said that he could not con-
ceipe of more inconsistent legislation than
that of the Common Council in passing the
ordinance referred to. He regarded the
action as too hasty, il.advised, and ill-timed.
The character of the present detectives had
been attacked in the lower branch, and it
seemed to him that the Board of Police Com
miSsioners could control the matter Of cha
racter.
The substitute provides that the detectives
of the city shall be under the control of the
Police Board.
Mr.. Ordway said he only desired to legal
ize the APPOINTMENT of the present detec.
tiyes.
Mir. Meredith (Mr. Wagner in the chair)
said that if they were not legally appointed
there was no police force.
Mr.. Ordway explained that these men are
detailed from the force.
MIR. Meredith said that as he understood
the matter he could see no use for these men
st all. If we are to have them at all, why,
two would be ample for the duty. In the
olden time nobody ever heard of detectives
here; but now we have new system. He
didn't know how others would act, but if he
was Judge be wouldn't like to see man
convicted upon such testimony. These men
are idle; walking about the city doing
nothing. He was in favor Of sweeping this
concern overboard; and if we are to have a
detective force, let it be organized in another
way. He was in favor of adopting the ordi-
nance as it came from the Council. He re"
garded it legal, and hoped it would be the
pleasure of the Board to pass it.
Mr.. OrdWay said he proposed in his ordi-
nance to do away with this irregular system
and appoint the detectives from the police
force.
Mr.. Williams said that in the absence of
proper information he did not know how to
vote. One gentleman had stated that these
men were appointed by the Mayor, another
SAYS by the Council, and another by the
Board of Police Commissioners.
MIR. Smith moved that the subject be laid
on the table in order that further light might
be thrown upon the matter. ~.
Mr.. Manly inquired whether the ordi-
nance appointing these men had ever been
repealed.
Mr.. Ordway replied that the ordinance
had not been repealed.
Mr.. Meredith said he would join the gen.
tleman from Clay Ward (Mr. Ordway) If the
ordinance from the Common Council Is first
repealed. Then, if we are to have de.
tectiye force, he would vote for two instead
of four. Surely it is competent for the
Council at any time to sweep away the en-
tire. system. We have no data by which we
can ascertain how these men are paid, or
even appointed, and yet we know that they
are paid. He wanted to know what warrant
there was for the appointment of these men.
Mir. Williams moved to refer the ordinance
and substitute to the Board Of Police Com
missioners for information and report there
on.
MIR. Meredith could not see the necessity
of referring the subject to the Board OF Po-
0ice Commissioners. The question Is very
simple one. He was In favor of abollshing
the present system, and be would therefore
vote directly to abolish the system entirely,
and would oppose any postponement or re-
ference.
Mr.. Williams insisted that the matter be
referred.
The motion to lay on the table was lost.
The motion to refer the ordinance and
substitute to the Police Commissioners was
lost. :.
The question was then upon the ordinance
as it came from the Common Council, and
being taken, the ordinance was passed by the
following vote:
AYEs-Afessrs Bass Forester, Manly, Scott,
Spangcnburg, Tanner, Tedd, Vanderyall, wagner,
Williams, thinner, and Meredlth-IZ
SoEs-Messrs. Kellam, Lipscomt, OrdWay, ana
Smith,. s.s@
FROM THE COMMON COUNCIL.
i. Joint resolutions from the Common Coun.
ell, presented by the Committee on Finance,
were taken ua and agreed to.
s.,,,t,,sso,c fI,r tho povrnant of hills