Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-07

length upon the points involved Ia the
controversy. He thought that the coun-
ell should then direct It's attention to
the subject at issue. and lay the matter
Of condrifs, poles. &c. aside for future
consideration. He said that the first thing
for the city to do was 20 get back from
the company the power that she had a
number OF years ago given 10 It. This
power had been rather recxlessly granted,
thought the City Attorney, and he was
OF opinion that Il should be at once as
certained whether the Council was in the
power OF the telephone company or the
telephone company IN the hands OF the
Council. This. he declared. was no de-
structive war against the Southern Bell
Telephone Company. but a question OF re-
pealiDg an ordinance which gave the COM
pany special privileges and the adoption
OF an ordinance placing all such corpora
lions upon a fair and equitable footing.
The Southern Bell should not object to
this. The merchants of the city were
knocking at the door Of the Council and
asking for the revokal OF that ordinance.
The question Of compensation for the
use of poles could be very easily settled
by arbitration. A general ordinance was
what the city needed and wanted, and
II the old ordinance were repealed, the
city Attorney assured the body that he
would do away with all possibility of the
running up OF prices for phones in the
event two companies should enter the
field and one go down. He would draw
up the measure subject TO amendment,
so that the Council could at its pleasure
say that the said company or companies
shall not charge more than $50 per annum
for the use Of telephones.
Mr.. Caskie here explained his position
Nnf~ hat
he simply wanted a postponement from
the last meeting of the Council that he
might have more light upon the matter.
Now that he had gotten the information
he desired. he was willing to vote for the
repeal. 4
Mr.. Epps called for the pending ques-
tion, and the ordinance was revoked by
consent Of every member Of the Council
present
INFRINGEMENT REPORT.
Clerk August read the report of the
Committee on Retrenchment and Reform,
which has been published in full in the
Dispatch. and which has special reference
TO the questions Of the collection of taxes
and keeping of horses and buggies at the
city's expense by certain city officials
The first feature OF this report treats the
subject of charging interest 10 delinquent
taxpayers. and reduces the commissions
Of the delinquent tax-collector. AS re-
CARDS the horse-and-buggy matter the
committee recognized that II was to the
city's interest to furnish these officials
with teams, but II urges against the i'm
proper use Of such horses and buggies
Mr. Caskie moved that the report be
laid on the table, to come up at the next
meeting Of the Council.
Mr. Trower moved as an amendment
thereto that the report be printed. The
amendment was carried, as was also the
original motion.
VACCINATION OF CHILDREN.
Under the head Of business from the
other branch, the first matter taken up
was the resolution providing for the vacci-
nation Of pupils of public schools, which
was, on motion Of Mr. Davis, referred TO
the Committee on Health.
The proposition to refer the resolution
transferring to the Committee on Water
and Light Jointly the subject Of an in
creased water supply. was agreed TO with
out a dissenting vote.
Clty-Attorney Meredith submitted the
following opinion, which has reference TO
trench digging by the day-labor system:
"On November s. 1894. your honorable
body laid on the table proposed ordi-
nance concerning trenches for water
mains. gas-mains, and sewers, and asked
my opinion as to what vote is necessary
for it's adoption. / am of opinion that
under said ordinance no money Is appro-
priated, and a majority vote Is needed"
The opinion was secured upon an appeal
taken from the Chairs decision by Mr..
Bloomberg, and sustains the position
taken by the Jefferson-Ward member.
THE ENGINEERS SALARY.
Under a suspension of the rules the
first report of the Committee on Re-
trenchment and Reform was taken up,
and the ordinance reducing the salary of
the City Engineer from 5000 TO $4,000
per annum- Yves discussed. Mr.. Caskie,
chairman OF the committee, spoke of the
work of that body, and expressed the
thought that their labors had been con-
servatively performed. He wished 1t dis
tlnctly understood that no personalities
whatever had entered into the recon-
mendatlons, and If the committee had
made a mistake, il was of the head
rather than of the heart. He admitted
that the salaries Of some officials had
been recommended to be cut, where such
recommendations should not have been
made. but on the whole, the report. he
thought, was very conservative and fair.
He referred at some length to the de-
plorable condition of the city's finances.
He knew that the City Engineer was
an honorable gentleman and efficient OFF,
cial, but in view Of the great necessity
for curtaillng expenses. he thought that
that official should be satisfied with a
smaller salary.
UNDER A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Mr.. Carter stated that he had voted
for taking the report from the table
under a misapprehension, and offered
motion that IL be retabled until such
| time as the newly-codifed ordinances
| should be considered. Mr.. Caskie opposed
| the motion, and urged against permitting
a matter of so much moment to drag
through an indefinite period.
Mr.. Carter said the subject would have
| to be again discussed when the ordi-
nances came up for consideration, and he
saw no reason for taking two bites at a
| cherry.
Mr. Davis offered as a substitute to
Mr.. Carter's motion that the report be
laid on the table until the next meet
| ing of the Council, and that II be printed.
AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE.
Mr.. Wallerstein opposed this on the
ground that It was unnecessary to incur
| the additional expense of printing the re-
mort. AS announced by the Chair, the
| vote resulted in a tie-l4 to Ia. This was
shown to be in error, and verification
| of the roll resulted in the substitute
being carried by a vote Of II to 13. Mr..
Gunst and Mr.. Cottrell then proposed 10
change their vote from aye TO no, and
| Mr.. Grimes moved that an adjournment
be had. Mr.. Gunst offered as an amend
| ment that the body adjourn until Friday
night next. Mr.. Hobson submitted as a
| substitute that an adjournment be had
until the first Monday night In January.
| Then commenced flibustering, which
would have done credit TO a Republican
| Congress. Mr.. Glover offered as a sub
| stitute for all that the body do now ad-
| journ." Mr.. Carter arose TO point OF
| order. stating that the roll-call had been
| ordered Several members arose to their
| feet, but being called out Of order took
| their seats. and Mr.. Carter's point was
sustained, Mr.. Hobson's motion was
| lost, and Mr.. Glover then reiterated his
| motion. The Chair ruled this out OF
| order, as a motion to adjourn could not
| prevail without some intervening motion.
Mr.. Grimes then moved that a recess OF
| fifteen minutes for refreshments be taken,
| and afterwards moved that the body ad-
journ subject to the call of the president