Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-12

Just 20 state that the Council inaugurateo
the work, and when tho board TOOK
charge they found the boxes at the CEDAR
Works and Richmond Locomotive ana
Machine Works put there by the Council
The amount charged against US for re-
freshments was for expenses incurred In
providing food for firemen while continue
ously at work upon dangerous ana long
lasting fires. and also for the entertain
ment Of visiting fire companies to this
citv.
inspection really dinners ana sup
pers)." This amount was used conformity
with tho Police Board In an annual IN
spection; also in entertaining the Mayor
and other officials from Winston, ~ C.,
who came here to inspect our Depart
ment officially.
Expenses OF Chief. sseo5o" This
amount Is for seven annual conventions,
is subject to a credit Of s49.35 returned by
the Chief. Precedent set By the Council
caused us to continue this proceeding
Expenses OF Superintendent. Nzo.
This also, Is subject to credit Oh >sSsoS'
returned by the Superintendent. ana as
shown above, was for inspection OF
storage battery. previously alluded 10.
Expenses OF secretary, S32a for
this amount the secretary was sent 10
Washington to examine a patent TO pre-
vent INFRINGEMENT WHICH htbh~
volved the city in lawsuit.
Carriage hire" was used by the board
visiting the department all over the CITY
late at night on inspection.
''Floral designs. s25."N Suitable floral
designs for Commissioner Boswell ana
Secretary Fisher.
badges, $s6." These are the Official
badges, and are the property OF the
city.
HELPING OTHER CITIES.
Every damage sustained by this de-
partment when called TO Ashland, Man
chester, Henrico county, etc., has peen
promptly settled FOR. and the funds dedi-
Gated to the renewal Of the city property:
II we are not to be allowed TO send
help to sister cities, when we can spare
1t without injury to our own city, tneh
we are OF all objects the most contempu-
BILE, for in our distress and helplessness,
in our own great fire when the bridge
burned, we did not call In vain to other
cities.
The hack to the Hotel Jefferson was
made necessary from the fact that, just
as the board was leaving the City Han
to inspect the hotel, Governor Coffin and
staff Of Connecticut, then In our city,
came up. were introduced, and, upon
being invited to Join the board. accepted.
II was then necessary TO call carriage
for the Governor and take him UP. which
was done
As for the beds at the fire-alarm Office.
they were purchased at an assignees sale
for less than billed for at the factory.
The class of goods was purposely Sc
lected to be In keeping with the general
furnishings of the City Hall, ana espe-
cially in an Office in which one day alone
fCQ folt ra0fatarQd "a nd
20 900 people have inspected them since
they were purchased. The beds are used
regularly every night by the men on duty,
and the price named includes the cost OF
mattresses. etc.
Whenever the board found II necessary
to consolidate the appropriation. they al
ways appealed to the Council, who cheer
fully complied, without question or hesi-
tation.
The money from overdrawn pay-rolls
put In the private-bank account was
money for fines reported after the pay
roll had been drawn. and In both In
stances was offered to the City Auditor,
who stated that he had no account to
which he could credit It, and refused 10
accept 1t.
A MISLEADING STATEMENT.
The statement that the board Is spend
ing more money for the maintenance Of
the department Is misleading, as the in
crease has been by direct vote OF tae
Council I'm increasing the number Of
stationed men In the department. and
also the increase of the pay OF fremen:
but not one cent increase has been made
IN the expense account.
In the matter OF trading. which tho
Accountant calls ''pernicious. but little
explanation is necessary. IL We have an
old horse. and must get new one. which.
we will say. is offered to us for SO and
the old horse. then the new horse costs
the department only $50; but. on the
other hand, II we must pay $1o0 for the
new horse and turn the $50 for the old
horse into the City Treasury, the de-
partment practically pays $3.50 for the
new horse At this rate, you can readily
see that but little progress can be made
unless the appropriations are largely in
creased.
The Accountant is right In stating that
in one place on the record the City At
torney told tho board that they had no
right TO elect q physician 10 the depart
ment, but he forgot to mention that,
later on, the Attorney said we could
elect him. II the force would volunta-
rily pay him, which is done by every
man in the department
QUOTE FROM THE ACCOUNTANT.
We desire TO close this statement with
the statement the Accountant made to
the board at their meeting March q,
| 1895 COPIED from the record), and ask
generous public to reconcile, If they can,
the spirit OF the two:
Concerning the accounts, he could
testify TO the care and accuracy with
which they had been kept, and didn't
| see how any one could be otherwise than
pleased with the exhibit"
'It appeared to him that every cent re-
ceived was carefully entered on one side
and every expenditure as carefully en-
tered on the other side, while all vouch-
ers were carefully. accurately, and neatly
kept In fact. the board Is In a po3ltlon
to show the record Of their accounts in
detail. which OF itself is a safeguard
! against any charge OF dishonesty, and
II the money had been his personal pro-
perty he would feel that every cent
had been carefully and properly ac-
| counted for. He further stated that while
| the above Is true, and the board had
with the best intention and result. care
| fully and judiciously received and expend-
! ed this money. they had. nevertheless, done
so without the authority Of the law. al
though he would confess that the act
creating the board seems to give 1t much
broader powers than the Council itself"
| BY order OF the Board of Fire Com
missioners.
GEORGE E. PAINTER,
Secretary.
Oh NNhffn MI