The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-01-20
Meeting of the City Council.

Tuesday night. the following members were
present: President, John B. Evans; Messrs.
Kayscr, Bagby, Fultz. Abby, Witt, Burke,
Fnnkhouser and Hoge.
The reading of the minutes was dispensed
with.
The petition of Hannah Loutham. Tor remis-
sion of water tax, was reported by the Finance
Commttees with the Recommendation that the
sum of 50 cents be returned to petition r.
Adopted.
Upon the petition OF DR.. B. 3. Donaghe,
asking that a certificate of $500 be issued him
in place of one of that amount alleged to have
been lost. the Finance Committee recon-
mended the adoption of the following ordin-
arce
Be If ordained. that the Committee on FL
nance. cause to be issued to B. Il. Donaghe. q
certificate of debt of the city Of Staunton, for
the sum of $500, with interest thereon at the
rate Of per cent per annIlm, from the lSt OF
January. 1876, payable sem-annnally, and the
principal to become dne Oh the LIST OF July,
1891, in place OF certificate for said sum which
said Denaghe, in his petition, alleged to have
been destroyed. That said certificate be regis
tered by the CITY Treasurer and designated by
=
fore the delivery of said certificate, the said
Donaghe be required to enter into a bond with
surety. to be approved by the Council. in a
sum OF double the amonnt Of said certificate. -
Said bond to be executed to the city OF Staun-
ton with condition to indemnify and save the
city harmless on account of the Issue OF said
ceftlfcate That said bon,ls after being APP
proved by the CounciL shall be FLED and pre-
served by the City Treasurer.
~ hAA: Il ~
approved.
Upon notion the resolution Of the Council
at lis last meeting. ordering the payment OF So
each to Drs. Atkinson anil SIcChcsney, for
post norton examination of infant, was recon-
sidered, and Mr.. IIoge offered IL resolution pro-
viding that s25 to each of the physicians be al
lowed, which was defeated, and Mr.. Burke
then offered a resolution which was carried, al
lowing $25 for the services of both. Pending
the adoption of the resolution, DR.. Atkinson
appeared before the Council ard, by permission,
stated that it was not so much a matter OF dol
liars and ce.ts that he and his colleague, Or.
McChesney, declined to receive the sum al
lowed them, but that it was a violation OF the
Code OF Ethics to which all respectable physi-
clan held themselves amenable, and which
tabiishes certain tariff of charges by which
they were governed. This tariff fixed the COM
pensation for holding post necrtem examin-
ton ut from S25 to 5000, and while he had no
disposition to challenge the action Of the Coun-
Gil, still in justice to himself and lis profession,
he would be compelled to decline any
sum less than the minimum before mentioned.
The acceptance of the amount allowed might
not in5ure him here, where all of the circum-
stances We're known, but when 1t was publish
ed, and perhaps fall under the eye OF his
professional brethren in Petersburg, his old
home. and elsewhere where he was known.
they would at once say ''I1e is pretty far
gone With all Difference to the Council,
he wonld, therefore, require the payment OF
the mininrm charge $25, or wonld decline to
accept any compensation at all. In this par
ticular instance he had saved the city large
expense by obviating 4 protracted trial, which
would have caused no small outlay, and which
had been avoided by his testimony. When
Called upon to render his professional services
in this case he hal refused to attend until pre-
emptorily summoned. for the reason that he
was aware that it wo;:!d require great deal of
time making the examination. testifyng be-
fore the jury, etc, which he could not well
spare.
Several accounts Of DR.. McChesney, for sim
liar services, were allowed at the rate of $l2 so
for each case.
The former ordinance on water was re-or-
dained. with an amendment providing tax
of $40 on each fountain or ornamental Jet
This amended ordinance will remain in force
until the new water works go into opera
ton.
The following resolution of Mr. Burke, was
adopted, and the President appointed Messrs.
Burke, Funkhouser and Basby OH the COM
mittec
Resolved. That Special Committee OF three
be appointed to take into consideration the sale
of all the unprodtlctive property owned by the
city, and the proprierty OF erecting suitable
building for the use of the city out of the pro-
ceeds OF sale of the said property, or SO much
of it as may be needed for said purpose.
Captain Bumgarlner presented a resolution
from the Board of Supervisors of the County,
appointing him committee to wait upon the
Council and ascertain whether it would be
wiling to sell any interest it may have in the
Courthouse building to the county. and upon
what terms. Referred to the Special Commits
tee appointed above.
BY resolution the warrant issued to Knightly
for the lot condemned for the ,lsr of the water
works was made to bear interest from the LIST
of January, 1876, until paid.
Mr.. FultL read Il communication from Messrs
Menifee Il Jordan, stating that they had re-
quested the City Engineer to lay off the work
for the receiving we'll so that they might pro-
coed with the building OF it, and he had refused,
and asking that tie work mig hit either be laid
off for them, or formal order be issued by
the Council instructing them to suspend for the
present.
Mr.. Fultz stated that the Special Water Com
mittee had been unable to come to any tlttermin-
alton in the premises, as the Engineer had said
that masonry laid and subjected to freezing,
could not be accepted, but would have to be
condemned and rebuilt, whilst by granting q
suspension they would relieve the contractors
from their obligation to complete the work
within the specified time. After considerable
discussion, resolution was passed. instrueting
the City Engineer to comply with the request
contained in the communication, and lay off
the work at once