Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-02
0HAVE AN INQUIRY.
The Council Directs One Into the
Cily-Hall- Contract Matter.
MR. NOBLE WANTS REFORM.
The G. & q. Grniu- Elevator Resolution N
for New Crematory-some street
work Agreed Upon.

Richmond is to have an investigation OF
the recent award of City-Hall contracts by
the Committee on Grounds and Buildings.
The Common Council so decreed IN It's
regular mont ly session last night.
At this meeting there were present
Messrs. Glover (president), Brauer, Boy
kin, Carneal, Carter. Gibson, Gpigon'
Griffin, Noble, Grimes. Grooms, Jackson.
Mcdowell. Murphy, Page. Smith, Stratton,
Thomas Vaughan. and w. l.. White.
The first matter to engage the attention
of the body was the report OF the Com
rnittee on Streets. II embraced the fol-
lowing items:
A resolution for Improvement of the
alicy between Marshall and Clay stree 2,
east of Fifth. the work 10 be chargeaole
to the abutting property-owuers. subject
70 the recent opinion of the supreme
Court Of Appeals in this connection.
Adopted.
A resolution instructing the City Attor-
ncy 10 procure bv gift. purchase. con-
demnatlon, or otherwise. sufficient pro-
perty 70 open Fourteenth street from Mar
snail street to ShockOe creek. The rules
were suspended, but the resolution was
Lost.
An ordinance allowing John C.. Small 10
construct a cellar door and coal-shute IN
front tNo. ITO cast Nam street. Adopted.
An ordinance establishing the grades OF
certain portions of Haryle, Plumb. and
Lombardy streets and Floyd and Grove
avenues. Adopted.
An ordinance granting 20 Lewis Ginter
and others permission To enclose the tenn
porary railroad 10 be constructed on Jeifer-
son street on account of the new hotel with
q board fence. Adopted.
ALMsHoUsEs REMAIN As THEY ARE.
From the Committee on Relief of tho
Poor came the old resolution of Slr. Epps
directing an inquiry into the eXpedlency
of erecting almshOuses at some point IN
the county and the converting of the
present almshouse INTO a city hospital.
The committee reported the matter 10 be
inexpedient. and the paper was filed.
The resolution from the Finance Com
Elttec donating 300 loads of gas house
coke 10 the Women's City Mission to be
distributed among the poor was agreed TO.
Whom the roll was called upon the resO-
luton providing committee OF seven.
four from the Common Council and three
from the Board Of Aldermen. to cooperate
with the committee from Lee Camp IN the
matter OF making arrangements tor the
reintermCnt Of the remains OF eX-Presldent
Jefferson Davis and apprOprmting $1,000
toward defraying the expenses OF such re-
interment and the attendant obsequles,
every member upon tho floor voted ave"
Quite a large number OF rame-bullding
permits recommended by the Committee
on Fire Department were granted by tho
Council.
Chairman TAYLOR. Of the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings. submitted n state
ment a. to the expenditures and dlsburse-
ments on account Of the new City Hail.
The total amount appropriated Is Sll9J.-
600. and there Is now q balance OF S52.-
760. ~ 20 the credit OF tins fund. The re-
port was received and fled.
The ordinance IN regard 70 milk inspec-
tiOn and providing for the appointment OF
a milk Inspector was referred to the Com
tee on Ordinances with the instruction to
report TO the Common Council.
HEAVY LICENSES FOR TURF EXCHANGES.
Mr.. Glover Slr. Stratton III the chair
offered an ordinance which brought forth
much argument. 1t provided for the re-
duirement of license OF any person who
snail keep any place whereat an order or
request Is received for the placing OF any
bet or for the transmitting by telegraph,
telephone. mail. or any mode of commune
cation to some other person an offer ~
oct on auy race or trial OF speed u be run
within or without thus State. This license
Is to be 81, 500 a year. The second section
of the ordinance provides that no person
shall receive or offer to receive any
order or request 10 place any bet,
etc, or transmit any communication
em mbraclng an offer to bet on any race or
trial of speed To be run within OF without
this state without having obtained IL
ceuse tor such, which is 20 cost $4,000 ad-
dltiona. This Is simply "A taxation OF
-, 500 Tor the house and personal taxa
tiOn of 5000 upon the proprietor. The
penalty tor the violation OF the ordinance
is not less than 500 nor more than 500,
each day % constitute a separate viola
ti0n. After some discussion rs 10 the ne
cessity for such law at once. IN view OF
the recent opinion of the Supreme Court
of Appeals, the ordinance was unanimous
Is adopted.
The Chair announced Messrs. Mellow
ell, GrOOms. and Slam as members of the
Committee on Retrenchment aud Reform.
THE C. AND o. GRAIN-ELEyAToR.
The petition of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway Company for permission 10 con-
struct a cOrrugated-lrOn graln-elevator
52xl20 feet on Tenth street between Canal
and Byrd was granted, II being made plain
that the matter was urgent.
When the name OF Mr.. Epps. q member
Of the Committee on Grounds and Build
that gentleman stated that he desired to
say a few words IN regard 10 some publ
cations in the Richmond papers which re-
hected upon that committee. lie remark
ed that 1t would seem that tho committee
had stolen about one halt of the city's
money IN tho recent award of CIty-Hall
contracts. lie assured the Council that
he had voted upon those occasions for
what he believed 10 be TO the clty's best
4 L.. 3 i.a oll IN
yestlgation. He still believed that he bad
acted wisely. This subject was dropped
here for q short while.
Mr.. Grimes offered a resolution appro-
priating =, 1000 for the purpose OF erecting
another crematory, which was referred 70
the Committee on Finance.
NJ. NOBLE TAXES THE sTEP
Mr.. Mobiles name was then reached and
be said that as there had been certain ln-
situations of bribery on the part OF the
Grounds and Buildings Committee he
would offer the following:
Whereas. il having been insinuated. II
not positively asserted, through the CO.
lumns of the public press OF Richmond TO
the detriment of the city and us credit.
that there have been certain irregularities
bearing upon contracts for gas-hxtures,
otfice-iiles. and furniture for the new City
lldll IfctullN fultltt AtlAo bS wiz NHt'''iilN
tee on Grounds and Buildings. and that the
awards OF SAID contracts have been con-
trolled by personal preferences TO the IN
Jury TO the city, and III justice to oil con-
ccrned, therefore be II
ReSOired by the Council # he city Of Rich
nOnd (the Board of Aldermen cOncurrlng).
That his Honor the Mayor be requested 10
investigate the cases referred TO as early
as practicable (before the contracts are
signed) and report TO either body the re-
suit OF said Investigation.
COMMITTEE OF NINE.
The resolution evoked a great deal OF
argument. Mr.. George b. Davis thought
that the Committee oa Rotrenchment aud
Reform should make the inquiry into the
aiIair. aud so moved. Mr.. GulgOn offered
still another substitute. that special com
mittee OF seven be appointed TO do this
work. Mr.. StrattOn thought that this
committee should be equally as large AS
the Committee ON Grounds and Build
ings. and a'ked that the number be
increased to nine, five from the
lower and four from the upper
branch OF the Council. Some one else
suggested that the Mayor be placed at the
head of this SPECIAL committee. Mr. W.
L. White argued very vigorously that the
Mayor was the proper person TO conduct
this investigation, and he urged the Coun:
ell to agree 10 the original resolution or
Mr.. Noble. Mr.. Noble accepted the sub,
/ tamNn gNNN