The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-06
RETRENCHkENT And REFORM
The Council ADOPTS the Report Recon-
nended by the Caucus.
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL ACCOUNTANT
Regarding the Proper Onicials 10 Receive
the Ciy's Moncy-Ali Money Except
Taxes To be Paid Directly To the
Trsasurcr-i;cll Telephone Wires,

GOuI>, ana NiSptTfN u 81 "a - t~"'N'NT
OF accumulated business There was
soothing especially exciting about the
session. as had been anticipated. There
was quite "A sharp debate when the re-
moving the nrc-alarm wires from the
poles OF the Bel Telephone Company was
under discussion. and again when free
gas Tor the Y VI. {. a. was debated.
The report Of tho Committee on Re
trcnchmcnt and Reform was adopted Win
a few unimportant changes as approved
by the caucus of both branches OF the
Common Council. as has been printed III
full in The Times.
The changes made were Nerhal ONES
made in order to obyiate the necessity oil
a two-thirds vote being necessary when
the matter is considered by the Board
OF Aldermen.
The Council was called TO order by
President Caskio shortly after ciooh'
with TIE following members present
nfe.srs Allen. Blanks, BloOmberg. Bfigss'
Cottrcn Ebcl. Foster. Gunst, llarfelaoh'
IL,wkius. Hobson. Jones. King, Lawdcr'
Miller. Mosby. Ncaie. Noble Pollock
Ronntrec. stokes. Turner, Wake wal
leystcin. Williams. Wittc and Woody.
STREET COMMITTEE REPORT.
A report submitted by the street Com
nnlttce was unanimously adopted pioNiu-
ing Tor the grading Of Fourth street De
tween Duval ana jackson, ana 10 appio-
priatc $50 for the establishment on wv
additional basins at the corner OF fouith
.nd Duyal. also to appropriate $40 TO
go. curb and granite gutter east side
OF Fulton street between Louisiana anu
orleans. also 1895 for paving. granite gut
tcr,ne- aud other work Scott sueel from
peasants TO Barton. and from baI'oi
10 Venablc. also S125 to construct pasli,
al the northeast corner or Mann anu
I,o,nbardy streets: also $50 10 constr
a street basin AT the corner OF l"en,Ie'i
and Marshall streets. also sl-' 10 eoi.s', ~,
n street. basin al the corner OF fui'oh
a,a Louisiana streets. also 500 To con-
s,,uct street basin az the northeast ana
.o,thwcst corners of Clay and 1lcke'l
.,,c..ts. also Yg5 TO construct street
,sein nj the corner OF Twenty -hrst ana
Marshall streets. also $50 LOT " SUI ''1
t,asiu on the west side OF iicke'l H'Ni
Clay street. $1,000 ,,-..,i,,.,
resolution was also adopted directing
,hot the alley between twenty -sccv""
and Twenty-third and Marshall ana LAY
no Graded The Council agreen 10 app
pirate 500 TO grade tho norm 49,,
resolution was adopted restricting lhe
c,r.ot committee TO hear allegations loI
~. having at the cost of the owners q.
ahu.tins, property of the east side Oh
ST, street between Pleasants ana Eur
Ton and the west side Of the same s'''''
between Burton and Ncnahle. ...,.,,
An ordinance providing Tor the reilloNd al
of the nro-alarm wires from 'n' po'1'
~ The Southern Bell Telephone COMPANY,
winch had been referred 10 IN" 9.'''
ronrnittoe bv the Finance commute
- ,.,.eo.roa hack TO the Council by the
,stter h.dv When the ordinance az taken
NJ Warerstein moved 10 amend
~ nv Inserting a provision appropriaunS
e ooo fo. the purpose OF carrying out It's
provisions. .., a,d ,ho,
A. Gunst moved that the rules be sus-
pended and action taken upon the oroi-
nance without reference TO the lii"nDc
Committee .,..
Mr.. Wanersten opposed the motloh.
Ho said that the Richmond Telephone
corr,.nv ia whose poles 1t was pro
nosed 10 transfer the Tres, had not Yet
mn service: that they had no poles IN
Manchester at all. lie favored going
slowly In the matter.
Mr.. RioOmberg strongly advocated tar
Ing action ar once on tho matter. lie
said that there was no use IN the Conh-
ell shutting its eyes 10 the fact tnat
this change had 20 Doe made; the poles
were in an excessively dangerous con-
dltion. and no one knew when accidents
might happen by their downfall.
MONEY WELL SPENT.
Mr.. Gunst again took the dcor in advo-
cacy OF his notion ana poured hot shot
SIS for
There was no possible way, he said in
which s. 0o0 could bo better spent than
IN getting rid Of the Bell poles.
.Why." he said. III the pole at the cor
ner az Broad street and Jail alley were 20
bres< down tonight. this city would De
without TIE protection of tre-alarm
system"
Mr.. Gunst then referred 10 the time
when the question of revolng the fran
chise OF the Southern Bell Telephone
Companv was under discussion, there
were those who declared 70 could not be
done a. that time that the company
must have more time.
you say now that they must be given
more time to remove their poles. Why,
they have had eighteen months,now, cried
Mr. Gunst.
Mr.. Cottrcu hero called Mr.. Gunst's at
.ention 10 the fact that Superintendent
Thompson. Of the Fire Alarm Depart
ment. had said that IL would cost $1,000
10 remove the wires from the Bell poles
90 TIE poles OF the Richmond Telephone
Company
In reply to this. Mr.. Gunst said that he
had carefully looked into the subject.
and he aid not think 1t would cost as
much as 5000.
Mr.. Harrclson said IL was a serious
matter. and one 10 Doe graveiy considered.
There was no question he said. that the
removal Of all the poles and phones OF
the Bel Company al this time would be
source Of great Inconvenience to tho
citizens OF Richmond
BELL CUTTING RATES.
on the other hand. he continued. there
was another question 10 be considered.
He himself had Just been approached 10y
n representative OF the Bell Company,
who had offered him his phone AT
price less than that charged by the new
company. They were making this offer
all over the city and he was satisfied that
II the Bell Company were allowed to
remain here. There would be numbers OF
persons who had not yet taken the new
phone who would continue % use the
old ones. to the great detriment OF the
new company.
Mcssrs. Mcshy. Wallerstein and others
spoke against the suspension OF the rules
and Mr.. Gunst again took the floor In
favor Of H. Upon division. the motion
of Mr. Cunet Was lost. and the rCsolu-