Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-26
APPLYING THE KNIFE.
Petersburg Financial Investigating
Committee Reports.


cial)- special committee appointed
by the Common Council 70 take into con-
sideratlon the financial affairs OF the city
eovernment-its annual revenues, it's
taxable values. rs bonded and floating
debt as Of July /. 1896. the present actual
status Of its sinking fund. and the pres
ent state OF the delinquent-taX-list;
also the city's annual expenditures, as
auportioned to its various departments,
and the salaries and wages at present
paid-submittcd their report 20 the COun-
ell tonight This report has been
anxiously awaited by the community,
and especially boy the various persons
who hold Office under the city government.
The committee, after careful eXamina-
tion. embrace I'm their report the as-
sesscd values OF real and personal pro
perty for a period ~ 1--WE years. In 1872
these values were sio27ll5; in 1887 t9.52l.-
30: revenue collected in 1872. }23l9lii2;
in 1886. 221il2215. During these years
there has been a general decline in an
the sources Of revenue. The bonded dcpt
OF the city at this date IS N26l,0o The
sinking fund NJ this date shows $,l39it 81
I'm interest-bcaring bonds ard cash. But
for tine bencdccnt effect of the sinking
fund. made mandatory In 1915, all Of the
bonds redeemed by 10 would now be out
standing The committee cannot sug-
Ecst any new sources OF revenue. tho H'ld
being fully occupied; but the suggestion
is made of N more vigorous enforcement
~ the laws hy the Commissioner Of Reye-
nue..
RIGID ECONOMY.
The committee reports the fact that the
! assessments of property. ms evidenced by
actual sales. are largely I'm exces'-e2 to
| 81 ner cent. in excess-of the actual values.
and. in addition. the city rs threatened
with "a deiuge ~ suits for the recovery
Of paving and sewer bills. on account ~
defects in the law. The committee re-
! commords 10 the Cour 10 the most raid
I economy consistent with efficiency I'm the
administration of the city government.
! They recommend the adoption Of new or
! diuauces and the repeal of several Oh
ones. They recommend that the offices
/ OF fauitOr o. the courthouse and keeper
Of the town clock De consolidated. ana
| that the Office on keeper nj the hay-scaies
/ Dee abolished. and placed under that OF
| Clerk OF the Market.
REDUCTION OF SALARIES.
The committee recommend reduction in
! salaries OF city on .ers. as follows:
Navor. SEQ. city Auditor 500. City En-
| cineer $500: Keeper of Cemetery. tpi
/ Superintendent n the Water Works, SO;
Health Odiccr. 500; Chief of Police, Siol
| Lieutenant OF Police 500. serge1nts OF
] e.
| Physician. $3.50. Chief Engineer ~ the
Fire Department. $40; Superintendent OF
! Streets. S0. Superintendent of the Aims
house Slm. Physician 20 Amshou'e i'o
Many other reductions in salaries are
/ recommended aecreg1ting "a saving or
5000 per annum 90 %. Treasury While
[ the Finance Committee had recommended
/ reduction az the rate or uNation To-
| $50 the committee thinks that, even
Id u
would be q deficit ~ the end ~ the year
and therefore recommended that the rate
Doe fixed az 81 leo. as az present
After an animated discussion Of the re-
mort OF the special committee, the Coun-
ell adopted 70 as a whole, with the eN-
cept'on Of combining the offices Of clerk
/ of the Market and Keeper ~ the Hay
Scales; and then passed ordinances
making the report a law.
Mr. Charles Marks. @ prominent ana
hiehly-esteemed citizen N Prince George
! county died last evening. after brI-t
Illness. az his resiIe1ce az GarysFiAe
! Tie was one Of the b-st-known men ~
| the county.
At the residence Of the bride. on Wythe
street. al o'clock tonight. Rev \. j.
Frisfoe officiating. Mr. -Orge a. Ram
kew and Miss Mary r. Kidd were mar
RED The marriage was very quiet
| one. and only the immediate representa-
| tives OF the two families were present
Mr.. ". j. Chapel. n wen-known citi-
zen and builder OF this city. today re-
ceived a letter from Mr.. Clayton #. Chap
rell. OF Macon. Ca, requesting him
| 10 attend q reunion meeting If the Chap
nell family. 10 be held In the parlors OF
! The Exchange Hotel IN Richmond. on
the 1st of July Mr.. Chapel Will at
| tend the meeting. though he IS not ac-
quaintei with the southern representa-
| tives OF his family name.
AN ENJOYABLE OCCASION.
The Sisters Of Charity and a number
| OF the elder girls Of St JOseph's Ca
| tholic School. In this city today enjoyed
| a delightful picnic at "Ellerslie," In Ches-
| terrified county.
Mr.. James Rahily, who recently passed
| a highly-creditable examination for the
| practice OF law. before Judge b. \. Han
] cock. I'm this city. went over 20 Rich
| mond this morning 10 stand a similar
| examination before Judge Wexford, the
| law requiring all applicants 10 be ex-
| amined by two judges before a license
/ can be granted. Mr.. Rahily will prac-
| tice his profession I'm Petersburg.
Among the delegates from this city VINO
! left this morning To attend the Epworth
| League Conference 20 be held In Lynch
] burg were Mrs. Richard Bagby Mrs. j.
! II. Gray. Miss Ruth ,Ilanks, aud Mrs.
| :. s. snyder.
Mr.. Bartlett Roper. president OF our
I Chamber OF Commerce. went over 10
Richmond this morning 10 attend the
meeting OF the Wholesale Grocers' Asso-
| citation.
| Rev. DR.. J. ]. LLOYD. OF Lynchburg.