Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-01-21

men, [laughter.] He made the statement
in no sense as threat to the Council but
as statement of the facts OF the case. He
had been mortified to see it published in
the INDICATOR that he had been allowed
S. for post norton examination, and he
wouldn't like that statement to go forth to
his people where he came from. The doc
tor cited some of the circumstances OF the
case in which this professional service had
been rendered, to show that the value OF
post mortem examination by an expert
enced physician was not to he measured
simply by the manual work done. The
doctors speech had a good deal of quiet fun
in it and as the result showed softened the
hearts, as his arguments reached the heads
Of the Council.
MI. Abby thought the charge too high.
Two leading physicians of Staunton who
made post-mortem on the body of Capt.
King, which required good deal of sur
gical operation, only charged $40 each.
The vote was then taken, and Mr.. Hoge's
motion to pay $25 each was defeated, only
Messrs. Evans and Hoge voting for it, and
the proposition Of Mr.. Burke to pay them
$3.50 each was adopted.
PROSPECT OF A NEW CITY BUILDING.
Mr.. Burke offered a resolution, which
was adopted, appointing a committee Of
three to report upon the amount of, and
the expediency of selling.the unproductive
property of the city and erecting a suita-
BILE building for the use of the city. Messrs.
Burke, Funkhouser and Bagby were ap-
pointed on the committee.
Capt. James Bumgardner, Jr., was pres
emit at the meeting, having been appointed
a Commissioner by the County Supervisors
| to ascertain if the city is disposed to sell
any interest it may have in the county
courthouse. Capt. B. said he had been
examining the records, and could not find
! where the city had any property in tile
| building.
| Mr.. Jas. F. Patterson, the venerable
clerk, said the city had right by having
contributed towards building it,
The whole matter was referred to the
special committee just appointed on Mr..
| Burke's resolution.
THE WATER WoRKs-THE QUESTION OF
SUSPENSION OF THE WORK FOR THE
WINTER.
Mr.. Fultz, of the Water Works Commit
tee, read letter from Messrs. Menifee u
Jordan, who are building the water works,
in which they say that on the 7th of JAN
uary they requested the City Engineer to
lay off some of.the work, for them to pro-
coed with it, but he declined. They ask
for an order for the laying off the work, or
an order of the Council suspending it. Mr..
Fultz said the Engineer objected to laying
off the work asked for, because portion OF
it was masonry and the winter was not
the proper season to lay it.
Mr.. Burke said the Engineer might lay
off the work and let the contractors go on,
and if the work was not good he might
condemn and refuse to accept it.
Mr.. Fultz said that was the question
which the Water Comm ittee was divided
on, and desired the Coun Gil to decide. He
also called attention to the fact that the
application he had read was signed by
'Menifee & Jordan" when "Menifee 4
Parkins'' were the only contractors recog-
nized by the Council.
! A resolution by Mr.. Burke directing the
Engineer to go on and lay off the work,
was adopted.
THE IMPROVEMENTS OF PROSPECT
STREET, AND TALK ABOUT STREETS
| WORK GENERALLY.
| A communication was read from Col.
James H. Skinner, a resident of Prospect
street, who many months ago took 5000 of
Staunton city bonds on condition that that
amount of money was to be spent in the
improvement of that thoroughfare. He
states that the Improvement" put on the
street does not improve it much. Where
as it TO rmerly had a good bed, two grad
ings with dirt, no curbing, and the dirt
washed by the rains have rendered it worse
than it was before. The latter was referred
to the street committee, but gave rise to
a spirited debate out of which some profit
may come. A member asked why it couldn t
be improved now.
Mr.. Kayser--The City Engineer says it
can't be done now.
Mr.. Burke-It seems as if nothing can
be done qaou.
Mr.. Fultz-The whole secret of the mat
| job elsewhere.
| Mr.. Burke-It is very remarkable that
none of the improvements ordered can be
done. The street to the Asylum has been
waiting about two years, and Augusta
street, at the bridge is still waiting.
Mr.. Alby-I live on Prospect street, and
I know the work could be done if they
would set about it. What is the conflict
of authority that prevents the city going
on with it?
| Mr.. Kayser-The only conflict is that I, of
the street committee, tell the men to do it,
and the City Engineer says it can't be done.
Mr.. Evans-If he was over the water
committee I would resign.
| MI. Burke offered resolution that all
work on the streets, and all new work
hereafter be under the control of the street
committee, which was adopted.
Mr.. Hoge called attention to the I'm
fenced and dangerous condition of the wall
near the Jail.
Mr.. Kayser said they were ready to put
the fence up, but the Engineer had not
given the line.
1t was ordered that the fence be put up
right away.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The fact of the butchers burning city
gas in the day light at the market house,
was directed to be put an end to.
The petition Of Miss Hannah Lowther for
a reduction of water tax was granted.
A new city bond for $500 was ordered
to be issued in place of a lost one, on petit
tion of nr r r Donauha