Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-03-02
The Record of the Present
City Council.
Editor Vindicator.

on the present condition of our city as
brought about by the acts of its Council,
to which you replied: "If Cur cotempo
rary has the idea, which has been elabora-
| ted in some quarters, much nearer nome,
| that SGaunt)n is not as good place to
| own property and do business in as it was
before the last municipal election, it is
| mistaken"
knowing how we'll thi, idea ''ads been
elaborated much nearer home" by those OPP
posed to the present city government, L
wish to take advantage of the offer or
your columns 10 make statement of the
acts anG doings of the Council, and let
| our fair minded people see whether the
| condition of the city is such as has been
represented by those enemies OF said Coun
cil-and let me say IN the outset, that the
statements | shall make herein, are not
based upon recollections of council pro-
ceedlngs, but are copied In condensed
| form from the records of the Council as
made up by its Clerk and attested by its
President, and from the books of the City
. Treasurer.
/ What was the financial status of the
city with respect to its bonded debt and
sinking fund on June 80, 1856, the day pre-
vious to the present Councils entry into
office?
Its bonded debt was....... "..... 1901 900 90
Its sinking fund.-" 81 ,3o3, 43
When this Council came into office what
did it find upon the table as unfinished
| business of the previous COuncll?" Name
ly two eminently proper reports that had
| been made upon two communications
| that had been addressed to said former
counoil-one from j. Fred. Ef1inger propos.
| ing to sell the city the ''Statfol d property"
F., then used as an aims house, and one from
the Board of School Trustees asking "ln
the interest of the health of the pupils and
the efficiency of the Schools" that larger
buildings, we'll ventilated. lighted and
heated, should be furnished said schools.
| On the former communication, Messrs.
Bledsoe, Gooch and Wheat, Committee on
Relief of Poor, had endorsed-"W While
fully approaching the Importance Of the
cjty owning suitable property for the care
and maintenance OF its poor, this con-
mittee is not prepared, for acant OF time, to
Investigate and make any recommends
| rion.'' And on the latter. Messrs. Elder
and Bledsoe, Committee on Schools. after
strongly endorsing at length, the recon-
mendations Of the School Trustees in re-
gard to the manner in which such build
ings should be erected with respect to
well ventilated rooms. properly heated,
lighted, &C., close their report as follows:
Wherefore we suggest and recommend
that the within communication from the
School Trustees, be left for the action of
the incoming council; and we trust 1t will
not be regarded by that bOdy as officious
on our part, when we besl eak for the sub
| iect of the communication the careful con-
! sideration of our successors IN Office" We
will refer to these legacleS later on, and
now take up in their regular order the
principal acts of the council with respect
| to expenditures for permanent improve
ments.
A special committee was appointed to
enquire into the expediency of the City
establishing an electric light plant for use
on it's streets, and said committee having
made a report advising the adoption OF
such a measure, resolution was offered
authorizing this special committee to en-
ter into contract with the Thomson
Houston Electric Co. to furnish said plant
in accordance with the proposition SUBJ
mitted by said company, which resolution
was agreed to by the following vote:
Ayes-J. A. Cochran, President; Barga-
min. Bel kelley, Butts, Craig, Crowle, Nc
Quaide, Oberdorfer. Tams and Teabo.
Nays-rone. And when the cOntrac, had
been made it was ratified by the council
upon the same votes as just given.
This plant cost the City So go 05, every
dollar of which has been paid IN cash.
You will remember, Mr.. Editor. that
when this question was first brought be-
fore the council. you quoted the chairman
OF the special committee as saying III the
council adopts the SO light plant-the siZ9d
plant first discussed-lt could De Dperased
| at an annual cost of about $l $50, " and
you also remember you quoted gentle
man who appeared before the council ID
opposition to the measure as saying these
SO lights would cost the city annually
81 $50. OF course you know that instead
of es ablishing the 38 light plant, they
decided to install as light plant which
necessarily increased the annual cost OF
operation. The committee concluded this
larger plant could be run for about $l ,50O
per annnm. AS their conclusions were
based upon relative data, they were not
entireIY certain that that sum would cover
the cost, nevertheless they asked for an
appropriation of the amount named.
From the monthly reports made by the Su-
perintendent of Electric Light and Water
Works. it will appear that from Jan. 1,
1877 to Jan. l, 'SS, be has lighted the streets
during 2 226 hours and minutes at COST
of 81 $50 80, and by reference to the
accounts allowed and ordered to be paid
by the Council for operating said street
plant, it will be seen that such cost as
shown by the books of the council equals
81, 594 50, the difference between the two
|
for freight, kilograms, &C., not Kept by
the Superintendent. This sum as you
know approximates very closely to what
it formerly cost to light the streets with
gas and coal oil, and surely every citizen.
unless he be blinded by. prejudice, must
acknowledge they are better lighted Than
they ever we're before.
AS the old pumping engine was begin.
ming to show signs Of repairs needed, and
in order that the city might not be some
day found without water In h0S reservoir
with her pump undergoing repairs, this
council proceeded at once TO carry out not
only the ideas of the former council. but
the dictates of common sense and pur'-
chase Immediately new pump at "a SOU
f. O, b. with guaranteed daily capacity
of II million gallons This action of the
council was ratified by unanimous vote.
AS the building of an addition TO the
pump house to accommodate the new
rump and electric light machinery was
imperative, a resolution for that purpose
was passed by a unanimous vote.
The cost of this addition and pump was
s7.2l3,5O complete. This pumping engine
has come fully up to all that was guaran.
teed for it, and the city is now provided
agai: st all accidents on that score.
The Board of School Trustees having
again petitioned the Council for new
school buildings fer both the white and
colored children, giving as their reason
that the old ones we're ''utterlY made
uuate, !" that subject was taken up, and
the Committees on Finance and Schools;
who already had had the matter under
consideration were urged to bring in some
recommendation. After thoroughly d.
costing the measure, the committee made
a report recommending that rev school
house be erected on the old Methodist In
stitute lot, ample in s'z9 and thoroughly
en.iated, heated and lighted, and for
that purpose they suggested that suitable
plans and specifications be drawn and sub
mittnd To the Council for ratification