The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-23
MR.. ALIENS VIEWS.

tOUffIUtI.
MR.. ALIENS VIEWS.
Mfr. Allen thought that IL this ordinance
u ."' conc,,rrca IN bv -. Alder
men. the investigation would be ciostu
up After reading the reports IN w, ,nJ
newspapers and hearing the additonai
evidence laid before the Board OF HI1.hr
men he could not yet be satisfied WIN
the present result. The penalty had Dc,n
placed upon one man. VINO nag nV nv,
his position only since 1891, and "hlle w
10 that time the deficit had hSufcn hp 70
about $1,000 the deficit during ms 'V,i'i
of Office had increased only about r.
co. and there was no evidence ,ndt ~. ~
deficit had originated I'm Mr.. Mereoiii
accounts. lie could not submit 10 tiS
proposed execution OF one iran uIu,s
the presented information. Apparently
there had been loscncss IN We lei,
agemcnt OF affairs certainly as iar phch
as 1886. If not longer. Mr.. Mereulth ~!
been charged with incompetency ana yei
the existing deficit could only De lealhe"
from the books which ne kept ~ W.
certainly not fair 70 discharge man
under these conditions. The city oi1cldls,
as well as the City Councils ana theIi
committees had been the negngent pLi
ties. as well as the chiei OF the uepS ',,d
ment. Before the root OF the eyil cou.d
be reachsd,( further, invest iton was
necessary THIS should be do,e by abso-
htely disinterested people.
In 1892 the Committee on Retrenchrlent
and Reform had undertaken 10 look INFO
the management Of the city arairs. Jhey
had thought II was their daty 10 1nNcS-
tlgate the various city departments. ihc
committee made che mistake by starting
ONT with the biggest part first. the inves-
tieation OF the construction OF the cry
Han one meeting was held anc thivF
questions were asked, one or Whlcn le
mained unanswered. In V.ndlcalloh Oh "
committee before the people OF Richmond
and the people OF Virginia he hdd 10
saw that at that time the Board OF Al
dcr'nen adopted a resolution "hlch pIa-
tiCally paralyzed the committee iron. '.N
ing another step. 1t provided nat the
cop,nfttee should put their questions IN
writing and M Ike 'hem eNihcl. az
was an absolute advertiseme 70 nis
mind that the Common Council ma NC
Board of Aldermen did not want thaI III
Until a cer~ful Investigation was gone
into he would be un%illlnG % try ilan
for incOmpetency. Mr. Meieu-th ma. -
ing the sysiom of bookkeeping tneh III
existence i'm the Gas Department. 10 p ii
him out would be an act OF injustice, anu
the proper thing 20 30 was 10 s ,t,.,n Of
special committee Tor the CohtihN'"'" Va
the investigation. A., a..o-
Mr. King here moved TO lay 'he hla''e'
on the table. ,- ...o.,,o, ~
he a disposition of shifting the response
bilitv upon the city Council In ms
opinion. the report was magnihcent
nlau to Whitcwash department.. NJ
vvae utterly astOnishcd over the atutuuS
If tho Mayor. who was remaining in idle
nose while the law directed nm 10 nav
Tho accounts of the various departments
Investigated at certain Intervals. IL
the head Of "A department was roIl
and should go. then his parasites diIS
creatures should also go. The fupeiln-
tendent of the gas-works should certainly
have the power of dischafging 4 man
when he thought him 10 be crooked. As
IL stood. he was not prepared TO Vote iJi
Mr. Merediths DISCHARGE WIlnou' a" "'
ditional report on the subject.
NIr Hardwicke asked that the report
Of the committee be adopted, which pro-
yided that the committee ana not l,ie
superintendent appoint the book-heept.
so that the former might be check on
his superior. The Council was also
asked in the report to give authority ~
the CITY Attorney TO recover the MONEY
the city had been defrauded or ana una,
was the only body that could take huch
steus.
THE MATTER TABLED
Mr. Kings motion to lay the matter
ON the table was then adopted by vote
OF 10 TO Z. ,...,., ...o.,.,d-
in, that an ordinance De prepared by
the C!tv Attorney setting forth that the
bonds OF city officials be hereafter luI-
rished by companies organized foI such
purpC ses. The matters Was rtelISu ~
The Finance Committee.
Upon Mr.. Blakas motion the ordinance
was taken from the table which proNldcs
for the appointment OF coii,nl-l,'c
clerk TO be- in the city Hall every dav
IRON A. NJ to =. ". The ordinance
vas concurred in as coming from the
lower branch. by vote of - TO 2
Upon motion 10y the same gentleman, m
ordinance was adopted providing Tor
special committee of three members from
INC Board and six from the Common
Council ia exaine into the city ordinances
as revised by the cOiiiied. and TO recon-
mend such changes as they ma. deem
The president appointed the following
members of special committees. ON re-
union of Confederate veterans, Major Vt
Wav ). Allen. on selecting a site for
mark i'm Jackson ward, Aldermen Balm
and Mitchell.