Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-30
THE CITY COUNCIL.
SPECIAL MEETING LAST srsar or TEE
LOwER BRANCH.
Session OF tho Board To-horrow Nighttime
watsr-Tax Ordinance the Subject
of Consideration.

OF Consideration.
Thu Common Council convened In speclal
session At 1880 o'clock last evening, having
been called 10 meet At that hour 10 consider
an amendment 10 the ordinance approved
October 10Th, amending snd reOrdalning
certain sections OF chapter q OF the City
Ordinances concerning the water works
Tn. interes. felt in the maiter 70 be cou'
sIdered was atte.'ed By the presence OF q
very large number Of representative eth
zens. including thos, in private lie, and
builders. contractors. and others o. wen.
At few minutes after the appointed hour
Clerk August raped the body 10 order and
stated tsat he had received 3 message from
Mr.. n. Z. Campbell, the president, saying
that be would be unable to De present on sc-
count OF the extreme Illness ol ms we.
Mr. Henry Bodeker was elected president
pro TEN.
The following members answered to their
names at roll-cail: nessrs. Bodeker, bo"-
den. Brauer, +. Il. Carter, J. W. Oarler'
Christian, Courtney, Curtis, Fefflter'
Grimes, HINT, Joyue'. Mitchell, hHsssn'
Pbilips. Pleasants, Steel. SiIatton, y. W.
w uitc, 10y al " hitts ~ w.
WHY THEY NET.
Clerk August read President Campbell 2
call for the meeting. which was issued IN ac-
cortance with toe request made Ia q letter 10
Mr.. Campbell from Nessrs. STATION. Plca-
SAINTS. and other members u the body. The
rsAl object OF tie meeting, briefly stated "bs
10 strike out \ clause contained N the Ordi-
psnce rei.rled 20 above and which was de-
signed 70 20 INTO effect january lsi, when
increased the tax on persons having water.
closets that are not seli-closing nom = and
s3 20 s. per mum. .
Anhougst the ordinance had been approved
for more thsu two months, very lew, u any,
tay.Davers bad noticed this OBJECTIONABLE
cha,,ge until attention was called 20 II "a last
Sun.ay's Dispatch, ava had II net been Tor
this publication th0Issbds Of people would
have been forced, aitex mex TUESDAY, to paw
this additi0sal charge. Durlng toe week
protests have arisen from all quarters, anu
public sentiment demanded that The clause
he changed 10 conform % It's Original pro-
visions.
CHANGE Proposed.
Mr.. Sfratton presented an amended ordi-
nance meeting the objection, and in support
OF II ne said that IL only restores the pricts
on water-closets to what they formerly were.
He regretted that The ordinance had been
PASSED with this Objectionable feature ~ y,
and as the Council had made what III would
acknowledge TO be a mistake, the best Ting
10 do would be to correct Il. He had Teen
informed that there were about 1000 non.
self. acting closets m the city, and most oil
them we're among the poorer classes. From
this 1t would be sesn that the new charges
.u~..II .~.rI . erro.t har1.hfn on fHn-p WUO
are not able 10 stand the increase.
THE B%HcKLAYERs.
Mr.. Hunt heartily endorsed all that Mr..
Strattou had said, and declared thst he
would cheertully vote for tne ordinance;
but he desired that the following should DC
stricken cut oi the twelfth section:
"When in a building brick are laid, or
stone-work or plh9toring done, D cents for
each thousand bricks, , cents for each cubic
yard Of homework, and 10 cent. for each
hundred yards OF plsstering. A license
shall be obtAined from the superintendent
for each building or other work ie'Ore such
work IL commenced, for which The city wafer
is wanted for any OF these purposes; but no
license shall be issued until the charge, for
water shall be paid on the estimated amount
Of work 10 be done, aud whea toe same shall
be completed the said license shall be re-
turned 10 the superintendent, With a state
ment by measurement Of the number oi
bricks laid, yards OF p'lsieriag or stone
work"
In ,upport Of BIZ motion Sir. Hunt sad
that he bad thought Tor years mat The Conn-
cIl, instead Of Offering inducements TO build
FRS. had thrown impedinrnts in t1e way.
lie h9d been approached by numerous build
1-. nj .,rfra.far. and NaL4I "a uar ID Is |.
forts to have the amendment mair.
Mr.. FerrIter opposed this amendment. s1y-
ing that the owner aud not the cJnuacior
had TO pay tic water charges.
Sit. Iunt said llr. Fcrurer Nas mistaken.
Tue water taA being a comparatively sna
one, but an imposition that should not cXi-t,
the builders rarely II ever embraced It Ia
their estimate or charged more on THIS aca
count.
superintendent Boiling, by invitation, az
peqred before the Council and SAID tuat the
increase Ia these charges were made al tue
suggestion o. = builder. ana they we're not
A. high as in many cities. Formerly the
charge was 8 cents per thousand bricks ana
I cents for each hundred yardsot plsstcrine.
Mr.. Christian dld not think the BRICK ayers
should be relieved from water-tax any more
than printers, or any other workmen. II
contractors failed 10 add the cost ~ water IN
their cstimalts il wa thcn their lookout, and
they should blame only themselves.
Mr.. Hunts aaendment VAS lost, only him
self voting 10 the affirmative.
TnE CLOSET QUESTION.
A recorded vote vas then token on the
o;diunnce, which vas practically only an
amendment concerning The w5tcr-cioset tax,
and il was ad0pted-aVes. I'D; noes. none.
Mr.. Brauer offered ~ amendment, which
he at the sugge,tion 4 ~. Ferriter sIbse-
queRtly Withdrew t. c1-r aga n at some III
ture time, providing INT when any u the
closets that are not seli-closing shall need
repairs the seli-acting pattern shall be intro
ducee.
Adjourned.
THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN TOMORROW.
Colonel !. 7. Bass. president OF TIE Board
Of Aldermen, Wa, present, aud issued call
for a meeting Of that body 70 be bell to-mor-
row afternoon at O'Clock to consider tins
same matter.
The ordinance will probably be euroledin
advance % thu II NAV he prcsenied 10 The
Mayor after the meeting oithe Board 10 NOR
row and approved tna' ni-ht.
II tins change IS matc-2ld Il most as
surcIiy Will be-a neW - OF bills viii have
to hc made out 10 lieu u those which arc
now ready for delivery.
Fulton Ckurcn suusay schooi.
On FRIDAY evening the fulton church held
their anuual sunday school, celebration. The
exercises were opened by tac pastor. Rev.
M aurTa t.H q a - a