Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-08
AGAINST THE METRE.
THE COMMON COUNCIL REFUSES TO
ADOPT THIS WATER MEASURE.
A Long and Interesting Session Last Night.
Sewer Resolutions Fail Through
The New Couneilmen.

present: Messrs. Campbell President).
Brauer, Carter. Carneal, Christian, Curtis
Courtney, Ferguson, Ferriter, Glover
Grimes, Guigon Houston. Jackson, Mann,
Seay Steel Thon, 0Neill. Trower. j. w.
White, w. L. White, and Royal White.
The following resolutions were reported
by the Committee on Streets, TO be opera
tive when the funds shall be available:
A resolution appropriating Si56.90 from
the sewer fund to construct sewer in
Fourth street from the alley north OF Broad
street 90 Broad. II was argued by Messrs.
Guigon and Carter and lost
A resolution appropriatlng Sis5.SI from
the sewer fund for the purpose OF con-
| structing a sewer IN NJ. street between
| Twenty eighth and Twenty-nlnth street
for a distance of 81 feet. Lost.
A resolution appropr!ating $1,000 from
the sewer fund 70 construct sewer IN
Leigh street between TwentY-seyenth and
Twenty streets. and on twenty
eighth street between Clay and Leigh
streets. Lost.
A resolution appropriating S2,5O0 from
the sewer fund to construct sewer on
Twenty-third street flom Church-Hiu
avenue southwardly. Lost but on motion
recOmmitted 20 the Committee on Streets.
A resolution directing the City Auditor
20 consolidate the various accounts OF the
street Dep artneuL IOr lHe ItudluucA VI
the year 1891 was adopted.
PAY FOB CONDEMNED LAND.
A resolution approDriating $500 to pay
for the necessary land condemned at the
northeast corner of Pickett and Clay
streets for the purpose of STRENGTHENING
Pickett street. and instructing the Com
mittee on Finance to provide the funds,
was, under suspension OF the rules,
adopted
A resolution appropriating 1915 10 pay
for the land condemned for the opening
Concurrence street and instructing the
Finance Committee to provide the neces-
sary funds was lost.
The vote was reconsdered and the mat
ter referred TO the Finance Committee.
The resolution instruCtlng the City At
torney 10 secure by gItt, purchase, con-
| demnation, or otherwise, sufficient land
for the opening of Duyql street between
Sixth and Eighth streets was referred TO
the Committee on Finance.
A resolution recommending that the
petition of the Richmond Union Passen-
ger-RailWay Company TO construct its
tracks on Broad street between Twenty
| first and Iwenty-fourth streets be re-
iected, was adopted without argument.
coNNKcr1oH-TRAoK oRD1NANcE.
The Street Committee reported a new
ordinance in lieu of the present one gov
erning the Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac and Richmond and Petersburg
Railroad Connection Company, differing
only in that in the substitute permission
is given to the railroad TO run one tram
not TO exceed fifteon unloaded freight-caTs
over its tracks from Elba station 10 the
Union depot every twenty-tour hours.
This measure provoked much discussion
on the part of Dlessrs. IrOwer, w. l..
White. Curtis, aud others. The ordinance
was finally adopted.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The Committee on Finance presented q
lengthy report, which touched upon many
measures. tho most important of which
was the recommendation OF change OF
the ordinance governing salaries OF city Of
fcers so as to increase the salary of the
Superintendent of the City Water-Works to
81, 800. The Council refused TO make the
change aud. on motion, the measure was
recOnsidered and tabled.
The committee also reported the follow
ing measures:
4 resolution appropriating $3.50 10 pay
the salary Of the Clerk OF the Third Mar
ket. Adopted.
A resolution recommending that the FL
| nance Committee be instructed to arrange
| for temporary loans for the city. Adopted.
| A resolution recommending the con-
| City School Board. Adopted.
a resolution apprOprlatlng $3.50 to the
| Richmond HowitZers and the Finance
| Committee instructed TO provide the
money. Adopted.
A resolution instructing the Auditor TO
refund 10 George w. Beasley the sum OF
| $50 excessive license-tax. Adopted.
THE FIREMEN's ovERcoATs.
A resolution appropr sting 1900 to
| furnish the fremen with gum overcOats
and rubber boots was returned with the
recommendation that 1t be referred to the
| Board of Fire Commissioners tor report.
| This action was taken after some argu-
/ ment.
The petition of the Fire Department for
overcoats was also referred 10 the Board OF
Fire Commissioners.
A resolution recommending the consoli-
| dation of the seyOral accounts OF the fire
and Fire-Alarm Departments. Adopted.
| A resolution apprOpTiatinG $4,000 for the
| improvement Of the James river was re-
| turned with the statement that $4,000 had
already been appropriated for this. pur-
pose and nothing had as yet been done
! with it. The statement was filed.
Aresolution appropriating 500 TO pay
| the claim OF the Engel Sanitary and Gre
nation Company for expense incurred in
| delay in the construction of the crematory.
| Adopted.
A resolution appropriating $4,000 to the
pay-rolls and expense account of the
Health Department. Adopted.
A resolution appropriating 5000 to the
expense account Of OakwoOd cemetery.
| Adopted.
A resolution donating $50 bushels of gas
| house coke to the Woman's Christian
| Association for distribution among the
Door. Adopted.
A racotutfop recommending the pOnQOli-
datlon of the several accounts Of the Gas
Department for the remainder OF the year
| 1891. Adopted.
THE wATER-sIHTERs.
The Committee on Water made report
| in which was embraced a recommendation
| for the establishment of meters. A printed
ordinance accompanied the report and
general discussion was given the question
| of the introduction of the new system.
Mr. White stated that the present plant
was now working very near 10 its utmost
capacity, and that something would have
| to be done very soon. The paper pre-
sented by the Superintendent of the
| Water Works stated that the cost 10 sup
ply the city with meters, which would last
| ten years, would be @22O,000; whereas the
cost TO increase the plant so that an ade-
quate supply could be obtained would be
! 1854, ,55l.
Dir. NTlOFor SalQ ne WOulu fOto lDI ulhluS
of any size to give the people Just as much
water as they want TO use.
MIR. Christian thought that the Council
| could not afford TO pass upon so important
q matter without full attendance. and he
moved TO table the report. The Council
refused to table and Mr.. II. l.. Carter en-
tered the pow-wow and said he believed
that in some Of the levels the fire hydrants
had not been opened in seven or eight
months. thereby impeding the water
| which the people are entitled to. He saw
| q plug opened somewhere nearthe corner
| of China and Laurel streets and stream
| of mud came out for two or three minutes
before the water began 70 flow.
THEY ARE DEAD ENDS
Mr.. Mann: " / would like 10 ask the gen.
| tleman if he does not know that those
plugs are called dead endsI'"
AIR. Carter: Well, them dead ends
| ought TO be opened, you understsnd."
| Continuing. Mr.. Carter said IL was time to
call halt. scarcity of water was not de-
| sirable as q health measure. and he wanted
TO see everybody have plenty Of 1t.
| The closing speech was made oy hr. j.
| w. White, and ON a recorded vote the
water-meter system fell through.
Mr. Christian moved TO reconsider the
| mafter hut the motion was lost