The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-02-11

PERsONAL--AGNUALR REPORT oFETHEi FL
NANCE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Or
4 DINkHCE PA So ED-GEME ETERiES- FIRE
STATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS a
CoMPL LIiENT-THE FREE BEzDGE4NEW
BUSINESS. ,ss.gi
The Board OF Aldermen met yesterday
afternoon. TIE body was called to, order
by Mr. Beall. He stated that the President
was detained by sickness. On motion, OF
Mr.. Beall, MIR. Wagner was invited to pre-
side. eS.ras ~, s..r.... =
The following Aldermen responded TO their
names Messrs. Bnrksdale, Beall, CabelI,
Cannon, Crump, Dickerson, Gasser. Gray,
Kelly, Lipscomb, Scott, Todd, Wagner,
Williams, and Meredith. III -.. t :
RELIEF OF THE POOR.
mfr. Barksdale submitted the usual report,
showing the condition Of the almshouse,
&c. Received. -
scEAPPRoPRIATIoNs.
Mr. Cannon, from the Committee on
Finance, presented a joint resolution re-
ducing calvert fax against lain-Street
Christian church To- fifteen cents per foot !;
reducing the tax on Lot No. ID. Nicholson
street, in the sum Of $500, being a clerical
error. 80 fs-, %eftg-,,e. fFysg5 )
The committee say: We present herewith
for your consideration an ordinance aDpro-
priating the revenues, commencing Febru-
airy l, 1879 published in. the Dispatch yes
terdayl.: q the same has been carefully con-
sidered in all its parts, and commands The
unanimous support OF the committee. 40
x Attention is called to the provision which
has been made for the eeXtinguishmento OF the
floating debtHof the cityH..T The committee
felt the urgent necessity OF providing for'its
payment teforeit its growth should reach such
dimensions, as TO require additional taxation;
orranii increase OF. The bonded debt of thecity,
to cancel it. No better opportunity than tte
present in which toproyide for its payment
ont Of the current revenues is likely to oc-
new assessment. under the laws Of the State,
is to be made OF all real estate in the Com
monwealth; that assessment, so far rs the
city Of Richmond is concerned, viii fix
the value OF the taxable II real estate
which is to form the basis mof our
tax levy for, the year 1884, No iintelli-
gent observer Of passing events can
doubt that such assessment will show u
shrinkage in real-estate value in the city to
the extent Of four or five millions OF dol
lars !; or, in other words, that the wealth Of
the city has been diminished since the last
assessment by that amount, thus diminish
ing to that extent the taxable values Of the
city and its consequent ability to pay its
debts. Besides this, it is almost certain that
the city will be compelled to issue bonds
within the next twelve or eighteen months
for the purpose OF constructing additional
pumping power for the water.works, and
in financial point OF view it is in every
way desirable that the city should not 60
upon the market to sell her bonds with an
outstanding floating debt unproyided for
Your committee therefore deems it highly
important that this floating debt should be
at once extinguished in the manner pro-
vided for id the proposed ordinance. ) !.
The liberal appropriation contemplated
for the public schools of the city by the
proposed ordinance was designed by the
committee. forihe maintenance OF the schools
during the present year.
In the appropriation which we recon-
mend we desire it to be distinctly under
stood that our purpose is to help to keep
the schools open during the present year,
and to have the appropriation applied solely
to pay off the teachers and current expenses
for the present year only. Any application
of the amounts appropriated contrary to
this purpose will be, in the opinion Of your
committee, violation OF the implied under.
standing on which the recommendation is
made. ,'4-i
. The committee believes that the amounts
appropriated for other purposes are amply
sufficient to carry on the various depart
ments of the city government.
! Economy and prudence in expenditures
are demanded by the condition Of affairs.
Our wealth has diminished, while our debt
still remains the same; but we are enabled
to and should economizc in our ordinary
expenses. Provisions have not been so low
in price for thirty years past, and nearly all
kinds of merchandise and material have
fallen to similar low rates.
The committee urges upon all depart
ments or committees having primary con-
troll Of expenditures the necessity Tor a
rigid economy and for the utmost prudence
in the expenditure of our revenues.
The report and resolutions were adopted.
Tbe ordinance as printed in the OtSpatch
yesterday was then read.
Q! MIR. Williams moved to lay the ordinance
on the table except section 4, in reference 20
the liquidation Of the floating debt, amount
ing to S34.94423. Mr.. Williams said II
that section1is adopted then the whole orrdi-
nance, might as well be passed. IL ~!
~ .Mr. Bealt said that he had read the ordt-
Tat,cs carefully as published in the Dispatch.
He was glad to see it there, because every
member OF the Council had had ample time
to read and digest it. He hoped the motion
to table would not prevail. ~ ~
it:g Mr.. Williams wanted the chairman OF the
Finance Committee to explain how he pro-
posed to liquidate this floating debt without
the city government TO too great
an extent .1js'y l&iHtMt ~ ~ - ~ :. =.
40 Mr. { Cannon said that the report OF the
Finance Committee, as read, set forth sue
cipctly the views OF the committee on the
subject. II Mr. Williams wanted him to
give reasons why it was desirable this float
ing debt should be paid he would give him
his views!l ,..t.'I il74a = zs>ii"1 ,5a' =
) Mr.. Cannon replied at length to Mr.. Will
liams, and in the interest of the taxpayer
said that this item had been put in. 5.s7:.'
Mr.. Williams's motion was l0st-ayes, 5 !;
noes, IL. .b..ta5 ~, .-
MIR. Cannon explained that the resolution
OF Mr.. Bass for an appropriation OF 1000
in the Appropriation ordinance, to improve
CANDLES Hill, was omitted from the fact
that it was not Joint resolution, but came
only from the Board OF Aldermen. s.ts'
* The appropriation ordinance was unanl-
mously adopted. -,
@.%2 la ~ r ~ CEMETERIES.
!, Mr.. Lipscomb, from the Committee on Q!
Cemeteries, presented a report and ordl-
nance III, reference to the pay OF the Super
intendent OF Oakwood Cemetery. and highly
commending him for the faithful manner in
which he has discharged bis duties. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Ordinances.
pnpr.srtr1oSs FOR TEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.