The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-11
THE MANCHESTER COUNCIL.
First Meeting Of the Newly Organized
Body Last Evening.
TIE COW ORDINANCE DISCUSSED.
Mr.. j. X. Perdue Reelected President and
Addressed the Mecting-Four Police
Commissioners Elected.
The Manchester Council met in regular ses-


| sion last evening.
To those who do not know it may be inter
esting to be informed that the Council meets
in rear room of the building which stands
on the southeast corner of Tenth and Hull
streets. 1t is small room. hardly capable of
accommodating many more than the Coun-
cilmen, but often few of the populace gain
q seat within its walls. and watch with con-
siderable interest upon the debates and legs-
latiye actions of their city fathers The room
is occupied during the day by Mr. Walden. the
City Clerk. the City Attorney and their
officials. who wish TO carry out the ordinances
passed.
When the meeting commenced last evening
! Mr.. John 0'Brien took the chair, and the fol
lowing answered roll call: Messrs T.. ~ Vol
siger. j. h. Perdue. j.. I. Morris, W. ).
| Roin John r. Taylor ID. l.. Toney, w. =.
| Starke. A. c. Jones, Philip BrUwder, W. L.
Pitt A. W Fair. Messrs. Taylor Toney.
! Starke and Pitt are the new members elected
at the late election.
After the reading Of the minutes. to which
few members paid attention. Mr.. OBrlen
stated that the first business was the election
| OF president lnasmuch rs the Council began
new year with IT'S present meeting.
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Rolin nominated Mr.. Perdue. and the
latter was unanimously ected. In happy
manner the reelected president expressed his
thanks to his fellow COuncllmen for the COM
( pliInent and in the course of his remarks
urged upon the members the Importance or
better committee work. lie said that several
committees appointed last year had never
made reports to the Council and very fire.
/ quently matters o. importance were referred
70 them and never heard Of afterwards. This.
! he said should not be the case and advocated
| IN Impressive language the duties OF Council
men IS regards committees
Mr.. Perdue further said that the Manchester
| Council had no precedent IN the form of q
| legislative body for their action frequently in
| reference to ordinances resolution. etc That
they often ignored the committees and con-
sumed much valuable time that could be bet
! ter employed by discussing the merits and de-
merits Of AN ordinance when such discussion
| should be IN the cOmmlttee-rOOm alone That
he wa, SURPRISED mt tho number Of the articles
in the Richmond dailies which stated what
certain Council committees Of that city had
met. and that it was rare for the Manchester
news 10 ever have report of a committee for
the simple reason that committees never met
Mr. Perduc eli sed his remarks by stating
that he WAS detained in bis Office or the night
Of the lat meeting Of tho Council, but that he
was Of the Opini. Il that the ordinance in rea-
ton . G VS. passed. nj that session was null
and VOID. lnasnuch as the rules had not been
suspended. and that 10y rule of the Council
this should be d ne before the body can act
n an ordinance the night it is presented
Otherwise the ordinance had t. lay over for
one week by being referred 10 some desig-
mated committee, and if the committee is not
designated it is referred b. the Committee on
Ordinances without further action
AN OBJECTION.
As soon as Mr. rerdue had concluded Mr.
Rohn was on his feet and objected to the
presi ient's opinion.
He lust objected: he did not appeal: and
his object for Directing was never made
clear. but to keep peace in the family" Mr..
Perdue withdrew his statement.
MI Perdue then stated he would sign the
minutes OF the previous meeting under pro-
test as he did not believe the ordinance legal.
and WAS about to do So when the City Attor-
ney stated that by another rule of the Council
il was Mr.. OBrien's duty 10 sign the minutes.
There was a reference at once made to the
rules. which no one seemed very familiar
with and Mr.. O'Brien ended the discussion by
signing the books. Whether the cow ordi-
nance was null and void or stood rs bona
fide ordinance by the signing Of Mr.. O'Brien
was never made clear This point was lost in
the many readings OF rules and constructions
put upon them by various members OF the
body.
POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
Mr.. Perdue ended this out-of- order debate
by stating that four police commissioners
were 70 be elected and with but little ado Mr..
A. c. Jones was elected from the First Ward.
Messrs. John Il. Taylor and W. $. Rolin
were nominated rs representatives, from the
Second Ward. Mr. Taylor was elected
Messrs. Fahr, Browder and Pitt were placed
in nomination from the Third ward
SIX roll calls were INDUCED in, and Mr.
Browder stated he wished 10 withdraw
Thereupon a controversy arose as to whether
he could withdraw and finally Mr.. Pitt was
elected.
Messrs. D. /. Toney and f. W. Weisiger
were nominated from the Fourth ward, and
the latter was elected.
number of building permits were granted
after which resolution was offered that
committee of three from the Council confer
with committee of the same number from
the Gambler Of Commerceas to the e1pedency
of granting exemption of taxation to new in
dustries
This resolution was offered TO answer the
prevailing idea that Manchester will exempt
all manufacturers from taxation. The COM
niittee from the Council was appointed as fol-
lows Messrs. Taylor. Starke and Weisiger.
Mr.. TAYLOR offered resolution that the
city engineer make 10 the council monthly
report as 10 the condition OF the railways
being operated in Manchester md streets gen.
orally Referred 10 the committee on streets.
ERRONEOUS DEBATES.
From this time on there were n series Of
erroneous del ates false tons and gen
eral consultin. Of intricate and usually dead
letter rules Mr. Neisg ger began the attack
by moving that the ordinance known a. the
cow ordinance be repealed"
Such a motion was out Of order.
Mr. Taylor followed by presenting petition
from nd ut four hundred and fifty citizens,
asking that the ordinance berepealed.
Why these motions were made could not
lie clearly understood. for ut the last meeting
the City Attorney gave IL AZ his opinion that
the ordinance could be passed without the !
rules being suspended and Mr. Perdue /
differed last evening with the attorney and |
stated that the ordinance was null AID void |
At all events the question WIS waived aud /
Mr. Taylor turned the tide OF the discussion |
by moving that the reading Of the names II /
tie petition be dispensed with" }
TIE RULE
Mr. Perdue then inquired what was before |
the Council and Mr.. Taylor moved that the |
action of the Council in reference to the COWS |
he reconsdered.
Mr. Rolin then read considerable num-