Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-07

any EInHIlES OF iAttt w 49, -
,ntsrestrd IN any contract with the city,
dIrert,y or Indirectly. since July !, lsst
The resolution provoked bit OF dis-
c,,ss,n, ana a reference 20 the bearing
AZ the Code OF Virginia, 1881, upon the
subiect. after which 1t was adopted on
a recorded vote, only Mr. Bioomberg
voting In the negative
president Glover announced the follow
ing committee assignments: Mr.. Lawder,
10 the Committee on Grounds and Build
ings and Mr.. Bloomberg 10 the Commit
tee on Schools.
COMMITTEE STILL IN EXISTENCE.
At this point In the proceedings Mr..
3unst. chairman OF the special COMMITTEE
on Investigation OF the Affairs OF the
city Gas Works. arose 20 question OF
personal privilege and stated that meet
ing OF that body had been held during
the afternoon for tho purpose OF taking
the action necessary 10 get the report OF
that body before the Board OF Aldermen,
when The. point had been raised that the
committee was no longer IN existence
Ha wan,ed TO know II the committee ex-
plred when IL presented its report to the
Council. The Chair stated that the ton-
mittee on Investigation was still In exist
ence. as II had never been discharged.
The Ieport Of the Committee on Streets,
containing a batch of resolutions pfovid-
Ing for various minor street improve
ments. was submitted. and the resolutions
were disposed Of From this committee
came the ordinance granting tne hlcn-
mond and Manchester Railway ana I'M
provement Company permission 70 eiee.
trify it's Fourteenth and Marshaii-suee'
loop, which was adopted. M
The application of the southern ben
Telephone Company for permission 10
erect n number OF poles TO extend us
lines. which came from the Street Com,
mittee without recommendation, was iaiu
upon the table. 81
The Council agreed to the extension OF
the time OF the Richmond standard Ieie-
phone Company, In which 10 nave us eA
change in operation here, for periou VI
sixty days.
n,ittee on Finance the offer or the oe-
brew Cemetery Company for a strlp OF
land between the cemetery and the hospi-
tai OF the almshouse.
A resolution requiring the Collector OF
DELINQUENT Taxes TO present IN person 70
every person delinquent In the payment OF
his personal taxes bills for such deiln-
auency was passed.
ACCOUNTANT REPORT.
From the Committee on Finance came
reports of the City Accountant touching
several branches OF the city government.
The first read was that dealing with the
accounts of the Fire and Fire-Alarm de-
partments and the methods of the Board
Of Fire Commissioners. the purport or
which was TO show that while the de-
partment had been largely extended and
developed and improved, this had not
been done without an increase In the ex-
pense. He cited. for instance. that there
had been an average increase OF slo,oiS.oS
In the payroll account alone. he also re-
ferred TO the Indebtedness OF the Board
Of Fire Commissioners, its separate bank
account. and its policy of trading horses.
engines, and to its general mercantile
business in selling fire-alarm boxes, gongs,
old hose. &C The methods of the board
were characterized as pernicious In some
respects by the special accountant.
When the reading of the report was
finished Mr.. Davis moved that the mem
bers of the Board of Fire Commissioners
present be allowed five minutes each In
which TO address the Council.
Mr.. Wallerstein spoke briefly upon the
| report, saying he thought the paper
should be referred TO the City Attorney
for his opinion as to the duty OF the
| Council I'm the premises. and offered
| motion to this effect. President Glover
CMr Caskie in the chaiD said that this
matter was serious one to the
members Of the Board of Fire Commits
| sioners, and he thought they should be
heard
PRESIDENTS TART REPLY.
| The Council agreed to hear the COM
rnissioners, and Messrs. John II. Frisch-
korn, president Of the board, and
| Charles +. Taylor consumed the time
| thus allotted by general consent. Mr..
| Frischkorn explained that Captain Nc
| earthly, the special accountant, had made
an investigation of the books of the de-
| partment, at the request Of the commits
soners, and had taken occasion to make
aspersions against that body, which
should be refuted. He stated that a
| good deal OF the matter with which the
special accountant had filed up his re-
port was nothing In the world but stuff. y
He Nsked II the members of the Coun-
ell would have the board refuse T.
heed the Macedonian cry Of Fire. from
neightoring towns and cities when aid
could easily be rendered. This was one
feature OF the boards conduct which
| Accountant Mccarthy had seen fit to com
ment upon. The board had lived alonf
policy OF progression, and had convert
ed every scrap Of old material into new
IL was true, as the City Accountant haC
said In his report, that that body ha(
spent SIS In floral designs, TO place upoi
the casket of their departed members
and upon that Of one poor man. who hat
saved the city Thousands of dollars II
one instance. When the Fire Depart
ment first started the fire-alarm system
the city had only twenty-five boxes. Du
ring the succeeding fifteen years. II
which time the department was controlle'
by a committee of the City Council. tn
/ - -. hrv To ~ Y
Now the city owned i56 boxes. 1t wa
the best-boxed city In the United States
according to It's population.
President Frschkorn defied anybody I
Intimate that the Board of Fire Com
missioners had not honestly and con
scientiously done what It's members con
ceiyed to be their duty. He said Car
tain Mccarthy had constituted himsel
the law-officer of the city in that report
while, as a matter of fact, he had nc
thing to do with the matter, further tina
10 examine the books and accounts. Tn
r president Of the board referred to tn
comy ,imentary manner In which the AZ
countant had spoken in meeting OF tn
| board OF the exhibit made by the depart
{ men,. and of the manner In which he ha
J found the books
HAD THE RIGHT TO DO 1T.
Captain Charles f. Taylor. who fol
lowed President Frischkorn In his re
marks. said he took the high groun
that the report OF the City Accountan
, had no business being before the Cour
Gil OF the city Of Richmond The Boar
of Fire Commissioners was a body char
tered by the Legislature of Virginia, an
. | was. with all due respect, not responsible
! | 10 the Council of the city OF Richmon
, for It's acts. He referred to the opinion
expressed In his report by the City Ac
countant. which he said. were give
| 90 tho,,.h ba vere the law officer of thI