The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-25

Mr.. Mofetl, from the Committee on
Finance, yesterday reported to the House
the Senate bill ''to reestablish the public
credit" with an amendment to strike out
section 13 and insert the following:
"13. The Treasurer OF the Common
wealth Is authorized and directed TO pay
the interest on the bonds issued under this
net as the same shall become due, and pay
able out OF any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated"
The section to be struck out the Senate
bill is as follows. and this action Of the
Finance Committee is in acc lrdance with
the determination OF the kesdiuster eau
Gus:
"13. That the semi m-annual interest as
may become due and payable upon the
bonds issued under his &C: may be prompt
ly and regularly met, one third Of the net
revenue collected from the levy on all pro-
perty personal, real, and income) and forty
per centum OF the revenue collected from
| licenses shall be paid into the Treasury to the
credit Of the public debt, and the same ap-
piled TO the payment OF the interest there
on: provided that the Legislature may, at
every session thereafter, pass to the credit
OF the Sinking Fund such balance as may
then stand to the credit Of that account
remain due and unpaid upon the bonds is
sued under this act, such balance so trans
| ferred 10 be employed by the said Commits
sioners of the Sinking Fund in the redemp-
ton Of the said bonds rs provided in the
eleventh section OF this act"
On motion OF Mr.. Moffett this (Riddle-
berger bill was made the special and con-
tinuing order. beginning at O'Clock Thurs
day. The bill and amendment were ordered
to be printed.
THE RICHMOND CHARTER.
The Committee on Cities and Towns on
Yesterday had under consideration the Dlll
to amend tie charter OF the city OF Rich
mond.
Messrs. c. l.. Todd and r. NJ. Manly
spoke against the proposed change, and
sDecially in regard 10 CITY Engineer.
A few minutes before the committee rose
Mr.. LOvenstein, having presented the me
mortal, was requested to give his views.
MFR. Loyenstein stated that having been
requested by many OF his constituents 10
present the petition, he did so; and at the
time the petition was presented had s'ateu
he was not committed in favor or or against
the proposed changes. He was not now IN
favor of the bill As a whole, rs the amen l.
mcnt DIoposed 10 elect some officers WHO
were never elected by the people, ana
should not be. Bat il appears that every
speaker against the proposed change pro-
tests against it on account OF the Clly En-
gineer. No other officer has been mention.
ed. Not one word has been said III regard
TO other officers proposed 10 be electeu:
Not voice has been raised in support OF
the efficient Superintendenis Of Gas-W orks,
Water Works, City Almshouss, or any o'her
officer; but the whole argument OF these
gentlemen has been that this amendment
will deprive Us OF the services OF our pre-
sent Engineer, Colonel Cutshaw. As Tor
himself. he had not a word 10 say against
that gentleman, and il he were candidate
before the people Gas ut present advised), he
would vote for him. The first gentleman
who addressed the commi;te- Major Stiles-
said that the City Engineer never was elect
ed by the people Before the war the once
was known as superintendent OF streets
and was always elected by the people
In 1870, in providing a new cnaflGr
for this city, the Engineer was maze
an elective office, and at the eieGtio'
held in the spiing Of 1870 Captain Dim
mock was elected. having defeated Cap
. tain Lybrock in the primary election. Al
the same session OF the legislature, Mr.
Lovenstein thought, and after the election,
the charter was changed at the request Oi
the CITY Council: and since that time we
have had a continued demand for change
back to the old law. Much stress has been
made bv the speakers because millions are
: represented on one side and only one NIL
lion on the other side. The people whose
~ operty is injured by the changes in the
= grade Of the streets have rights which
should be respected, and il they do
not own as much aS the other side, they
should be protected in what they do own
AS he understood the question, however
the whole subject Of grading streets Is reg
ulated by the Council, and no engineer,
u whether elected by the people or not, can
, make the change unless il has been ap
: proved by the Council. Consequently he
!, could not see why so much should be said
y |, in regard to having one particular man in
u the place. as he presumed that the
citizens themselves would not select any
one unless he has sufficient skill tt
5 carry out the instructions OF the C0un
Gil. He was willing that this Office
, should be elected in order to get rid OF th'
; subject. At every session of the Legislature
:, this subject is up for consideration. Ant
IL at the last election OF the City Council feel
= inc was high upon the subject; and gen
= tleman who had been chairman OF the III
= nance Committee for years, who had Ell
) dorsed the paper Of the city, who hat
J. devoted his time and energy for the welfar
; OF the city, and who had the confidence o
i tbe people. was removed from that position
| and the oniy crime Mr.. Lovenstein had hear
1 bc was guilty Of was that he yeted agalns
7, Colonel Cutshaw and voted for another ma
! for city engineer.
/ Refore MIR. LoyenStein had concluded th
e committee rose to meet this morning at |
T. O'Clock. when he will conclude, and I'd
y committee will take final action.
The gentlemen who oppose the amenc
u mpnt 10 the charter have contended Delor
10 the committee that the change contemplate
) * not desired by the substantial people
. Richmond. They point 10 the petitlo
- against the amenoment, embracing III
~ largest property-owners and most ln1uel
e, ti,j businessmen of the community, an
claim that the present mode OF eleeting II
10 officers named-that is, by the City Coul
y cil-has given satisfaction, ana ID
U' the interests OF the city have bee
IL carefully guarded and administere
u, Furthermore, they represent that the OF
1 GERS now sought to be elected by the peol
W all. or nearly all, require to have spec
u training 10 lit them for their positions, 81
y, that the CITY Council-a body directly
- sponsible to the people-has always De
u able so to fill these places as to secure a VI
u and iuF .icjous administration OF the depa
. ments in question. ,,,.
. great deal has been said TO the comm
: tee about the present City Engineer, .
- no man has yentnred to intimate anythl
~, NJ cainst the integrity which has marked
=. administration throughout. II has be
- shown that under his direction the city