The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-02-17
The City Council.

At the meeting OF tile Council, on Tuesday
night the following members answered 10 the'
names: Mcssrs. Evans, Kayserr Eagby, tnitz
Abby, Funkhouser, Witt and Hoge.
After the reading of the minutes, the regu
lar order of business was suspended III ofaer 70
hear from the Special Water Committee.
: Mr.. Futz, from that committee, stated that
the contract time at which the Water works
were to be completed. had passed, ana thaC
communication had been addressed TO the con-
tractors, apprisng them of the fact. Which had
elected Il reply from Messrs. Menifee q DOR
dan, stating that they had been prevented }rt m
the execution Of their contract by the refusal OF
the City Engineer to lay off the work. The com
mttee had decided to lay the whole matter be-
fore the Council for such action as it should
deem best.
Mr. Hoee said that the contractors were pre-
pared to prove that the work had been slls :
pended by the verbal order OF the City Eng
neer.
| Mr.. Allen, who was present, denied that any
such order had ever been given, and said thai
he had no authority for suspending the work:
All Of his orders to the contractors were CON-
municated in writing. lie had advised them
verbally to complete the receiving we'll earlier
in the winter, so as not to subject the masonry,
whilst under construction, to the action Of the
FROST He had also told them that he would
not receive work liable to be injured by the
cold weather, but he had never authorized the
contractors to suspend the work, gor was he
empowered SO to do.
lie then referred to the minutes of the Sre-
| cial Water Committee, and read resolution
| thcrefrom, providing that all orders should be
communicated to the contractors in writing.
Mr.. Hoge.-Were the contractors ever furIl-
ishcd with a copy of that resolution?
Mr.. Allcn.-No.
Mr.. Hoge.-Well, how were they to know
anything about it?
Mr.. Alcn.-The contractors know very we'll
that all orders connected with the work are,
ard have been, communicated il writing.
After great deal OF talk. participated IN by
all the members, the subject was cropped with
out any action being taken upon it.
Petitions Of Lynn & Trout, and Lynn It Tins
lev, for remission Of taxes, for causes assigned,
were granted.
The petition of S. N. Baghy and others ask
ing for the opening Of an alley, was granted,
upon condition, that should any expense be in
Cured, it should be borne by the petitioners.
The report of the Superintendent of Water
| Works, was received and ordered to be filed.
An ordinance providing for the issue of $4,000
in coupon bonds to Messrs. WITT and Holt, for
the Main street property, was adopted. The
bonds are TO become dye in thirty years from
the lst of January, 1876, and to bear interest
at the rate OF per cent. per annum. The inter-
est payable scm-annually. Three thousand dol
lars of the amount is to be retained as security
against i lien resting OH the property.
An ordnance was adopted requiring bill
posters to obtain license, the amount of such
license to be $780, and providing that any per-
son violating such ordinance shall be fHed not
less than S., nor more than $40, and any per-
son who shall deface or tear down the bills so
posted. shall be fined in like manner, or be inn
prisoned from ten to thirty days. The person
licensed, shall not be permitted to post bills on
private property without the consent Of the
| owner.
A resolution was adopted instructing tie
Committee on Poor, 10 notify Mr.. Peck to sur
render possession of the Poor House property,
on the LIST OF March, he having failed to COM
ply with the terms OF the agreement.
At Nr. Wits reqes', the President of ii g
Council was added to ie Finance Committee.
Mr.. Kayscr presented the account of E.
Brownolq for repairs made to the town clock,
which wis allowed. lie also presented pSe-
position from the same gentleman offering TO
wind up the clock aud keep in it repair, for the
sum OF $50 per annum. The proposition was
accepted.
| number Of petitions were presented and
properly referred.
Under the head OF unfinished business, came
up the proposition presented at the last meet
ing of the Council from the trustees OF the
Wesleyan Female dnstitRte, proposing to sell
1 to the city the valuable property :on Main
street, now occupied by the ppblie schools, for
the sum of $4,000, in six per cent. bonds;
the city also to assume the deed of trust for the
Shlre's fund, which amounts to about 81 ,O00.-
Maj. Bell. preside mt of the School Board, ap-
peared, and by permission, advised the pur-
chase of the property by the city. Its central
location, the ample accommodation it afforded
the schools, and the reasonable price at which
it was offered made it, in his opinion, 4 very
iutlicous investment. The. Council had in
1871 passed an ordinance, setting aside $4,000
in per cent. bonds to be appropriated to the
purchase Oh school property. Whether it would
be necessary now TO pass a neV ordinance, OF
simply carry into execution the one already en-
acted, was for the Council to determine. One
thing was certain, the question must be faced
atonce. This years session would soon end,
| and provision must therefore be made for
school accommodations for the approaching
term. The school board had unanimously rec
commended the purchase Of the property, but
if any member of the Council could offer a
more acceptable proposition, they were per-
fectly willing to adopt it. All they wanted
was assurance that the proper school accommo-
dations should be provided. The city is now
paying $500 per annum rent for the pror erty,
while, if purchased, it would only cost $780,
The building will afford ample room Tor much
| larger number of children than now attend
the school.
In answer to Mr.. Witt, as to the nature Of
the Shire's Fund, Maj. Bell said that that Fund,
amounting to some $4,000, had been bequcathed