The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-05

I Making the net expenditure. Sl32,isS 0I
December ~. ISL, the minutes record the
/ fact that the Council authorized the
renting out OF the machinery, etc, OF
the river plant, and the superintendent
was instructed 10 keep an account OF the
receipts and disbursements. No account
can be found. November I, ISIS. the min
utes show that the cost Of towing the
monitors to the city was Sl.13l.O9, and on
December 5, lSss, that the committee built
landing" Tor the steam launch OF tho
fleet.
The committee, by the authority Of the
Council. also authorized dredging" TO
/ the amount OF $50 around the monitors.
and at a point beyond the Jurisdiction lin
any sense OF the city.
| IL uupears from the minutes Of the COM
/ mittee that it rendered service TO the
! Warwick Park Transportation Company
/ 50 valuable that Mr.. Burgwyn offered to
pay for them Si,250. The offer was de-
clined.
December 8, 1894. the committee ordered
! a "crane" for one OF the dredges the
party doing the work agreeing TO take his
| pay out of the appropriation Of 1895.
November l5 1925, the committee or
dered the chairman aud the City En-
gineer to put the plant of the department
in nrst-class condition for "buiness and
/ pleasure"
on various occasions the committee
granted the use OF the steam tug, etc,
| for "eXcursions"-oncet 20 the School Board
and once to the "committee' for trip
! TO the naval fleet at old Point.
have searched without result for any
accounts kept by any Dne connected with
the Committee on James River Improve
ment, and there are none so far as / can
learn. except the regular list Of bills or
dered To be paid, which appears in the
! minutes of the monthly meetings Of the
committee.
II appears from the minutes that sales
were ordered from time 10 time but there
/ seems 10 have been no record of the
! items sold or the amount realized. except
in the one instance already mentioned.
The minutes Of the meetings OF the
/ committee were for years poorly kept,
and more than once the fact was COM
mented upon and the Council urged TO
| furnish n competent clerk for that pur-
pose. Since the appointment Of the pres
ent clerk 10 the committees Of the Coun-
ell there IS a marked Improvement I'm
| neatness and accuracy creditable to the
clerk and worthy of c0mmendation.
The committee has recently April. 1890
| turned into the Treasury 500 dhe pro-
| ceeds Of a sale of old materiaD. OF which
amount Sl194S must d. used 20 balance
| the appropriation account of the commit
tee. ovcrdnwn for the year 1895.
So long as the committee confines its
expenditures 10 the appropriations made
! by the Council and pays fits bills by war
rants only. there IS really no necessity FOR
accounts I'm the strict sense Of the
word But the old practices Of the COM
/ mittee NOW abolished, such as selling
material. renting the plant, contracting
for work 10 Doc paid for. etc, ought 10
/ have suggested some systematic record
| Of receipts and disbursements.
Very respectfully.
CARLTON MCCARTHY.
Special Accountant.
Mr.. Caskie. on behalf Of the Commit
/ tee on Finance, presented the following
/ ordinance:
THE ORDINANCE.
"An ordinance as 10 the duties Of the
Commissioner Of Ecvilue, as 20 listing
persons and corporalltns fable 10 taAa-
ti0n.
"Be fl ordained by the Council Of the city
Of Richmond:
Isl. The Commissioner shall. as soon
as may be after the first day Of the fiscal
year. ascertain. by personal application
| and I'm a book (called the personal prop
erty book enter:
F,rst. '"rhe name OF every male IN
age Of twenty-ouc years recording IN
separate columns those that are white
and those who are not white.
Second THE Iamc of each person,
whether living On or out Of the city.
who i'm his own right. Is possessed OF
any personal property In the city, subject
to taxation. showing I'm each case in what
character he Is possessed of the same.
Third. "The name OF every bank. in
surance company or other incorporated
companies, located or doing business In
the city.
Fourth. Gle shall ascertain from the
report of the Examiner Of Records, for
the seventh judicial circuit. the personal
property. moneys. credits. notes, bonds,
stocks. shares in action and other evil
dcnces Of debt. whether held by any per-
s0nal representative. committee, trustee,
cestui trust guardian or other fduciary.
whether living I'm or out of the city, or
held subject TO the order of any court.
subject 20 taxation. showing in each case
in what capacity Doe is possessed Of the
same and list and enter the same on the
personal book. as if said return was made
by such personal representative. hduciary,
etc. as now required.
'"The Examiner Of Records shall
annually receive ass compensation for rem
dering said report "a commission OF fiV
per cent. upon the tax collected thereon
i'm excess Of 5000. The Council hereby
reserves the right 10 revoke the payment
Of said annual sums AT any time.
"Thi5 ordinance 10 be in force from its
passage
TIE ORDINANCE ADOPTED
Mr Caskie. I'm explaining the object and
purpose of the ordinance stated that al
present the hduciaries in this city as
Wen as in the entire State, did not make
the proper returns Tor taxation, and the
General Assembly therefore provided for
the ,apuo.ntment Of an Examiner Of Re
cords for each judicial circuit. The
State allows this official one-tenth of 1
per cent. on the total amount of property
returned by him for taxation. Mr. VIII
liam II. Sands has been appointed EX-
am.ner OF Records for the Seventh Judi
cial Circuit comprising the city of Rich
mond and the county of lienrico -
present only about s5e0o0o worth OF tax
able property Is returned In this city by
nduc.aries. while 10 should aggregate
from four 10 five million dollars. The
Examiner IS 10 receive only "a commits
sion. which would amount 10 about 81 900
a year. and only on taxable property
not vet returned 20 the city, while il Is
expected that the resources OF the city
will be increased from $4,000 to $4,000
annually.
The ordinance was adopted without a
dissenting vote.
The Council concurred i'm the action OF
the Board Of Aldermen and adopted over
the veto OF the Mayor the ordinance re