Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-10
DOWN WITH THE CHAIN-GANGi
Committee Meeting on This Subjecs
Yesterday Evening.

Yesterday EteutnRs
There was a called meeting Of the
Council Committee on Health YESTERDAY
afternoon, at which DR.. r. g. Cabell,
chairman, presided, and the following
other members were present Messrs.
Ammons, King, Adams, and Riddell.
Before the committee went into the
transaction of business Sergeant New
ton NJ. Lee appeared and asked to say
a word for Mr.. Trimmer, Of the chain
gang. He heartily endorsed him, and
said that he was one Of the most efii-
cient men in his line in the service OF
the city. Mr.. Lee then withdrew.
The following communication from
Mayor w. @. Darlington was read:
"B. T. august, City Clerk:
81 do not approve to-day the resolu-
ton abolishpg the use Of the chain
gang and substituting voluntary
labor, because as yet the Board Of
Health have no arranged force to con-
tinue the work, and the resolution
taking effect at once would leave the
work undone several days.
at is important just now that not q
day be lost from the service.
81 heartily endorse the change, and
only delay approval to give time to get
hands together. l notify the president
of the Board Of Health to have other
hands ready for work next Monday
morning, and if you will send the reso-
luton back to me Saturday will ap-
prove it.
$50 it will 90 into operation Mon
day next"
When the above was read Mr.. King
said that the Withholding Of the Mayors
approval was a slur upon the commit
tee. The Council had passed the ordi-
nance abolishing the chain gang, and
it only awaited the Mayors approval to
become law. The Mayor had said that
be was willing to do this, but he was
waiting on the Board of Health before
he would put the law into force. If
the Mayor wanted to take the rights OF
the committee away, he for one would
resent it. If the streets were to be
cleaned without right of law, let them
60 dirty. The committee, and not the
Mayor, were responsible for the clean
ing OF the streets.
DR.. j. g. Cabell. Chairman of the
Board Of Health, said that the Mayors
action would not have been taken had
not it been for request from him.
That makes no difference" said
Mr.. King, 81 expect to put spoke in
all these wheels as long as | am a COM
mitteeman or member of the Council" "
lie declared that at a days notice hs
could get all the hands he wanted, but
be was opposed to the employment of
any hands except under the provisions
Of law.
Mr.. Ammons said that DR.. j. q.
Cabell, of the Board Of Health, was
not the right man to have addressed the
communication to the Mayor. His
brother, DR.. r. G.. Cabell, chairman of
the Committee on Health, should have
been the man to have made the request.
Yes" said Mr.. King, " if this COM
mittee can't attend to its duties, the
members should resign"
Mr.. Ammons said be knew of several
rem who wanted work on the street
force, and Mr. Archer said he did also.
After Or. j. &. Cabell had explained
that the Mayor meant no discourtesy to
the committee, and that he was actuated
by motives of the best sort concerning
the city's interest, on motion Of Mr..
King the committee adjourned without
taking any action on the communication
of the Mayor, who, DR.. Cabell said,
would sign the ordinance to-day.