The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-06-27
PETERSBURG.

T he CAUcUS-MEETINGs OF THE. COUNCIL
WHAT HAS BEEN AND WHAT IS TO BE
| DONE-REDUCTION OF SALARIES-MEETING
| OF BAPTIST MINISTERS--PUBLIC 1SSTALLA-
| TION - FACTORY STOPPED - WANTED IN
| Observation-Disclosures OF TOO MUCH RE-
TRENCHMENT.
| Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatchl
JUNE 25, 1878.
The princinal topic OF interest in the
community lust now is the proceedings Of
the us.rncetings Of the Common Coun-
| Gil. Two meetings have been held, and the
third and probably last will take place to-
morrow night People are at q loss to I'M
derstand why these secret meetings should
be held. SEEING that the Council is
unanimously Conservative, and no Just
reason for secrecy exists, and they have
pretty generally come to the conclusion that
the members do not desire that their votes
on certain questions shall be known, but
that King caucus shall assume esponSibility
for whatever is done. In the meeting night
before last the salaries Of all city employees
appointed by the Council were. reduced, as
follows: City auditor from $50 to 500 per
month; street commissioner from 5000 TO
5000 per annum; chief Of police from 5000
TO $500 per annum; privates OF police from
$40 to $40 per month; and other Of
fcers in proportion. The Council at
its meeting on the 1st Of July will be bound
by the action OF the caucus, and the fact
will be established that the minor officials
Of Petersburg, including the police corps,
aftor that date will be the poorest paid OF
any officials in the State Of Virginia. Mr..
II. j. Jarratt was displaced from the chair
manship OF the Committee on Public FRO
perty, and Mr.. II. II. Mann from that Of
the Cemetery neutrality-suspicious. which
they have held for the past two years,
and for which they were rcnomlna-
ted. A sweeping change was also
made in the Board OF OyerSeers of the Poor,
only three or four members Of the present
Board being retained. Tomorrow night
the caucus will agree upon the nominations
to be made for the various Offices, and
lively contest is in prospect. There are,
for instance, many candidates for the posi-
ton of street commissioner, nearly all OF
whom have friends among the councilmen,
but no one will ever know how the men,
bers vote; so with the police corps and all
the other officers. The Representatives OF
the Press are denied admittance: the men,
bers arc under promise OF profound secrecy.
And vet in the market-houses and on the
streets the morning after the caucus one
can hear everything the meeting, as body,
did.
The meeting OF the ministers OF the
Portsmouth Baptist Association adjourned
last evening, after session OF two days.
Many matters OF interest to the churches
within the limits OF the Association were
discussed Yesterday an interesting state
ment, embracing the history, condition, and
prospects OF the Ettrick church, was made
by Rev. j. L. Truman, and the plan pro-
posed for change OF the asSociatlonal re-
lations OF the church was approved by the
meeting, and the reception OF the Church
into the Portsmouth Association was
recommended. Encouraging reports were
also made as to the condition OF the
Baptist cause in Prince George, at stony
Creek, and at Weldos. a very able
speech was made by Rev. DR.. c. II.
Toy on the subject Of the reception OF
members into the churches and their dis
mission. Revs. O. +. Flippo, George D.
HOLIDAY, and j. w. Perry were appointed
committee on programme Tor the next
meeting, and the meeting adjourned to hoid
its next session at South Quay cburch on
the Saturday before the fourth SUNDAY ID
September.
THE newly-elected officers Of Naomi
LODGE. No. so, knights OF Pytblas, VIII ne
publicly Installed at Library Hall next
Tuesday night. o,
The commencement season will be closed
this week. The closing exercises OF st.
Josephs (Catholc) School will take Place
to-morrowN afternoon at Library Hall, with
concert and distribution OF medals and
premiums. IA
The ladies CT the High-Street Methodist
Episcopal church commence feast IN their
church tonight to raise money to pay Oft
debt OF 81, 200 on their. parsonage building.
The present Common Council will hold
its last meeting tonight to wind up the af-
fairs of the fiscal year.
Ettrick cotton factory has been closed
since Monday last by reason Of q break in
the canal which runs. the machinery,
caused by the heavy volume OF water fol
lowing the recent rains. The damage will
be $500, or 5000. All necessary repairs will
be made this week.
3 Wilson Poteat, the negro who was ar
rested in your city the other day for at
tempting to rob the freight-cars on the Pc
tersburg railroad, is wanted for trial in
Chesterfield county on the charge OF rape.
1t is feared that the rigid retrcnchment
policy of the Council il extended to the
public schools will result in shortening OF
the session:of 1850, or in q reduction OF
the corps of teachers. AS at present con-
Quoted, the School Board say it will cost
$4,000 to run the schools the next year.
ROBIN ADAIR.
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