The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-06

Buildings: the cost OF said plans and
| estimates to be returned TO the credit OF the
contingent fund by said committee, and not
to exceed $1,000; and no compensation
shall be allowed any person OF persons
presenting plans and estimates unless the
! same shall have been selected by the CON-
mittee and adopted by the City Council; I;
and the committee are hereby directed to
reserve the right TO reject any and all plans
that may be presented TO them, and also to
divide the said sum Of $1,000 into two or
more parts, TO be awarded as they may di-
rect on the approval by the City Council as
prizes for such plans and estimates as may
| be selected.
3. The Committee on Grounds and Build
ings are hereby authorized and empowered
/ TO build a City Hall on the site approved
by the City Council and in accordance with
such plan or plans recommended by them
and adopted by the City Council as herein-
before provided.
4. The Engineer Of the city, under the
direction of the Committee on Grounds
and Buildings, shall have control OF tne
construction and furnishing said City liall,
said committee being hereby authorized to
issue a. the work progresses warrants on
the Auditor certified by the City Engineer
for the payment OF contracts and claims on
account OF the same.
| 8. The Committee on Finance are hereby
required TO make monthly reports to the
Council OF all bonds issued in pursuance
OF this ordinance and the terms upon which
they were disposed OF.
@. The Committee on Grounds and Build
ings shall make quarterly report OF their
doings under this ordinance. Said report
shall contain detailed statement OF all re-
ceipts, disbursements, and contracts by
them received, disbursed, or made during
the said quarter.
Approved and recommended by the
Finance Committee May 5, 1888.
L. Il. GLASGOW, Chairman.
The report was adopted, only Messrs.
Metzger, and Turpin voting "No."
Light.-Mr Higgins, from the Commit
tee on Gas, submitted report requesting
the Committee on Finance to report an
ordinance relieving consumers OF the cost
OF gas used in the various public buildings
and street-lamps OF this city, and also pla-
cling $4,000, or so much thereof rs may be
necessary, to the credit OF the Committee
on Light, TO be used for the remodelling Of
the works, the said S2j, 900 to be raised by
the issue OF bonds or in such other manner
rs the Committee on Finance may deem
best.
An ordinance reducing the price of gas
after 1st Of October TO Sl.50 accompanied
the report.
The report was taken up Seridtim. and
| that portion relieving consumers OF gas,
&C., was adopted, and that portion look
ing to the remodelling OF the gas-works
was taken up.
Mr.. Curtis moved that IL be referred to
| the Committee on Finance.
Mr.. Ellyson (Mr. Clarke in the chair
said that he hoped the matter would not
be referred, because now was the time to
take action. Reference to committee was
intended to prevent hasty audinconsiderate
action. and this could not now be claimed.
The people had n right to claim action
they wanted cheaper gas; they didn't care
whose system was adopted.
Mr.. Ellyson then reviewed the action OF
| the committee. and came down to the pres
ent status OF the question. He thought the
plan presented last the best one yet offered.
There was division OF opinion about wa
ter-gas, but the only objection to the pres
ent plan was opposition to the gas-ring
and the political effect Of il. Remove this,
and no one objected to the gas-works bed
ing controlled by the city; aud yet there
could not be found man who would stand
up and make a direct charge which could
be sustained. IL any respectable man
would make affidavit that he OF his per-
sonal knowledge knew OF any member OF
the Gas Committee who had been guilty OF
dereliction OF duty he would move his eX-
pulslon from the body. He called upon
the Council to stand up and not allow by
their action tinge OF belief to unfounded
rumors. The substance OF all the plans was
| the placing OF gas in the holder at Sl.0O.
Suppose these companies were TO make
good bargain and wanted to make n better
or had made a bad one, and wanted To
amend it, would they not use their capital
i'm political matters in order to accomplish
their purposes? This was he history oi
such matters in other cities. and we art
only human. Give the Superintendent the
same facilities that the private corporations
would have. and then require that he make
this gas as cheap for the city as the compa'
nies could Distinguished gas officials in
other cities had said that it could be done,
and he was in favor OF holding the gas oill'
cials responsible il it was not done. Give
them the Improvements, and hold them re-
| SpOnslDlc us you WOulu Otutl uSleu NihShS1
OF the city government.
Mr.. CURTIS DIssENTs.
Mr.. Curtis said he was astonished that
Mr.. Ellyson opposed reference TO the Fl
nance Committee. When he (Ellysou) was
chairman OF the Finance Committee he op-
posed the use Of money without reference
TO his committee. He wanted to know
/ H.. 70 on
said the Finance Committee were the pro-
per persons to find this out. Anderson
wanted $4,000, and when he got that ht
didn't care whether Richmond got cheaper
gas or not. IL gas was reduced to Sl.50
under the present system the city coulo
still have $4,000 in her treasury. The
present retorts had been sufficient during
the last winter TO supply the city witt
plenty OF gas, and il this was the ca'e, and
$4,000 be put in the treasury, why change
it? Mr.. Anderson didn't propose TO fur'
nish gas. He only wanted to sell his re
torts. Mr. Curtis was always opposed 4
water.gas. He hoped the Council woult
either refer the matter or vote down any
appropriation.
Mr.. Ellyson, referring to Mr.. Curtis's al
lusion to himself, said that the Finance
Committee had had the matter under ad
yisement for six months. lie was surprised
at MIR. Curtis's position. When he Curtis
WAS chairman OF the Committee on Ligh
he had asked for an appropriation TO built
new retorts. Surely II they were needed
under Mr.. Curtis's administration the.
were none the less needed now. Mr.. An
derson was not under consideration by tn
Council. He didn't know whether MI
, Anderson's or Mr.. Browns retot woult
be used, and he didn't care. The official
, say they can give gas at si.oo II the i'm
proyements are given; and II they fail, the
should be dismissed. The people were il
earnest and demanded action. and it wa