Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-15
LOCAL MATTERS.
crrY-HALL PLANS DISCUSSED IN TIE
coxnoN COUNCIL.
The Building Ordinance Passed Over
Mayor Carrington's veto-Lee
Monument, &c.

Monument, &c.
At q called meeting Of the Common
Council held in the Council chamber
yesterday evening at o'clock the fol.
lowing members were present: Messrs.
Bethel lin the chair, Ammons, Archer,
Bowden, Connor, Ferriter, Hayes,
Hudnall, Jones, Kendler. Laoge. Mol
10y, Montgomery. Murphy. Owen, Pa
rstsr, Parrish, Pearce, Pizzini, and
Starke.
The clerk read the call for the meet
ing, which stated that It's object was to
take action on the Mayors veto OF ths
ordinance giving the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings the right 70 con-
struct the City Hall.
The veto is as follows:
MAYORS OFFICE.
RICHMOND, Va, August IL, 1886. !
To the Honorable Members Of the City
Council:
Gentlemen,-So fully do l approve
your object in speeding the building OF
the new City Hall, and the manner in
which you indicate it should be done.
that actually regret that my sense OF
duty constrsips me to return the
amended ordinance on that subjec:
without my approval.
Your ordinance gives full and COM
plete power to the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings to build this
Hail, not simply to expend what has
been appropriated topards building il
so far IS it will 60, but to build it To
full completion, and hence TO spend
what is necessary to build it.
II the ordinance is valid and legal
the city would be as fully bound by
the acts and contracts Of the commit
tee to build the Hall rs il the appropris-
tion were actually made to pay for the
building completed. II, therefore, it
will require an additional appropriation
exceeding sl00 to build " the hall, it
will require "a vote of two thirds of
the members elected to each branch "
to make the ordinance legal, as will be
seen by reference to chapter 3, section
Is Of the city charter.
The balance in the hands of the COM
mittee is about $3.50, 900 of funds there
for appropriated. The architects " Of
the plans now in the possession Of the
City Engineer" the City Engineer him
self, and your own committee all declare
to you that to "build the hall will
require much more money than is now
in hand-probably sl00, 0,000-but be-
yond even shadow Of doubt "exceed-
| ing $l00."
With this absolute certainty that an
appropriation exceeding sl00 ;" is Of
necessity result of the ordinance, it is
IN reality as absolute an appropriation
as il the words were used, aud, there
fore. to be legal must have "two-
thirds vote Of the members elected to
each branch"
The official record shows that in the
Board of Aldermen only nine voted in
favor Of the ordinance. while it would
require at least twelve to be "two
thirds of the members elected to that
body"
To my mind it is clear that the orsi-
nance has not passed by legal vote,
and / am therefore compelled to return
| it to you.
Yours most respectfully,
W. @. CARRINGToN, Mayor.
Mr.. Pizzini moved that the ordinance
he passed, Notwithstanding the veto Of
the Mayor.
HE WANTED TO GO TO WORK.
Mr.. Montgomery was not ready to
vote for such action. He knew that
the city had bought and paid for plans,
and be was not willing to sit in the
Council chamber and vote away the
city's money for other plans which the
committee had right to purchase il it
chose. He intended to support the
Mayors veto. He did not doubt the
veracity and the ability Of the members
of the committee to build the Hall, but
be thought this discretionary power
given the committee meant delay, and
this he was opposed to. He repre-
sented the laboring- man, and the labor
ing.man wanted to go to work on the
building.
SURPRISED AT THE MAYOR.
Mr.. Pizzini said he was surprised at
the views of the gentleman from Mar
shall Ward. The committee wanted
the permission to build by either plan.
1t was not committed to either. The
committee wanted to 60 to work at
once. He was also surprised at the
action of the Mayor, who, he thought.
was a friend of the City-Hall plan.
The Mayor knew as we'll as any one else
that the committee could not exceed the
appropriation that it could only spend
the money already appropriated, aud
then ask the Council for more if necsS-
sary.
Mr.. Pizzini was willing 10 guarantee
that if the committee was given per-
mission to 60 ahead that in months
time the City-Hall lot would be filed
with workmen.
NO PLAN AGREED ON.
Mr.. Render said, for the benefit Of
the Council, that the committee had not
agreed on any plan.
Mr.. Murphy. was in favor Of passing
IL