The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-03

WI Uooo Judgment PrevaiI-GunranteeS
Asked For.
SH High-street Baptist Church was
SS51rowded by colored citizens last night
consider the proposed appropriations
municipal improvements. Tho
Ezpeeting was called to order by P. w.
sSpliver, who asked Rev. r. r. Jones,
3astor of the First Baptist Church, to
Sanvoke the divine blessing.
Rev. Jones was made chairman, and
j. Oliver secretary of tho meeting.
he chairman returned thanks for the
#aonor, and explained that the object
to determine how the colored free
S9oiders of the city would vote on the
proposition to expend S426, 900 for street
improvements, sewerage, school build
5S#hgs, fire alarm system, public building,
re department. building and q city map.
5] He presumed the colored voters would
$s3sk that a portion of this money should
%83e expended on streets bounding the
S~F9roperty of the colored citizens.
hey were entitled to this, but whether
ff5hey would demand it through a COM
or otherwise, the meeting must
2lRetermine. Several Councilmen had
promised to be present, but they had
ds8lot put in an appearance.
IA L. w. Oliver said it was important
Ssghat the colored taxpayers ascertain
2Yhether any portion of the large
H$mount of money they wore asked to
#Hote for would be expended for their
Nfeneft. 1t was proposed to expend
s8'75, 900 for school buildings, but the negro
s3vas not mentioned in this ordinance.
was probable that the remainder
4&Pf the appropriations would not secure
od3he negro a street lamp or a hydrant.
F3rhe present Council seemed DESTROYS
2#Sf ~monopolizing business and expendi-
ures which properly belong to its sue
lessor. Why this hurry? The colored
SA>eople were not unreasonable and would
Z glot ask for the Improvement of this or
S# hat street, but the ordinances ought to
designate where street improvements
IRE to be made; whether on Salem
81 avenue. Jefferson or some other street.
q j. w. Redd favored the appropriations
81 or streets, sewers and schools, but was
Supposed to voting money for a city map,
@ire alarm or building for the fire depart
. nent. In his Judgment it would be pre-
II iumptious to ask the Council to desig-
s. late any amount of money to be ex-
81 pended for the benefit of the portion of
f he city inhabited by colored people. 1t
81 would not be good sense to reject tho
s. proposition OF the present Council when
II he people could elect men next spring
n Who would spend money wisely. In ali
81 .ities the business streets were improved
Haarst; the suburban last. He offered the
4tollowing resolution
Resolved, We, the colored free
%lold voters of the city of Roanoke, vote
dior the following appropriations for the
S&eity of Roanoke: Sewerage, streets and
$achools, and are opposed to the other
appropriations.
y Ed. Harvie said that the author of the
3fesolution could not appreciate the
8{Redd had water; they had none. What
had they hat the proposed
Appropriations would benefit them?
b Peter johnson attacked the appro-
%9riation ordinances in vigorous language
Eand the demonstrations Of approval in
adicated clearly that a majority of his
hearers were opposed to the resolution.
la motion of P. w. Oliver to appoint a
\ committee to wait upon the Council and
3ipresent the grievances and claims of
}the colored people, was adopted by an
overwhelming majority. Following is
the committee: A. j. Oliver, P. w.
Thomas Penn, Ed. Harvie, Asap
yColes, and Rev. r. R. Jones, the chair
3EDnan.
n Peter Johnson desired that the COM
mittee be instructed. There was no
3need to grope in tho dark when they
l,could walk in the light. They had
voted time and again for appropriations,
but have received little or no direct ben
Aeft from them. The time to talk
|Eplainly had come. The colored tax
lipayers had been the handle to the cor
operation jug long enough. Now is tho
[ftime to get a share of the contents oil
1.-THE jug, said be.
ri j. w, Redd offered the following reso-
|s1ution:
4 Resolved, That we, the colorcd citi-
tzens OF Roanoke, in mass-meeting as
gsembled, agree to vote for the appropria-
tions and instruct the committee to so
Uniform the Council of the fact, and TO
TASK the Council to please remember the
scolored people in their distribution.
Y A.. j. Oliver jumped upon this effort
4 of the willy colored politician with
both feet and it was defeated by a ire
gmendous majority.
! Thomas Bolen made an effort to
4 ascertain The number of freehold voters
present, but, after remarks by Rev. w.
4 w. Brown, his motion was defeated.
The committee will attend the meet
ling of the Council tonight and report
to q mass-meeting to be held next Mon
day evening at 8 o'clock.
! A large majority of the participants
4 at the meeting were opposed to sane
| tioning the appropriations in the
would be expended on permanent i'm
I provements, and that tho colored people
! would receive their share of these.
4 "