Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-05
CAN LAY THE TRACKS
Traction Company May Put Temporary
Ones on West Broad Street.
ro SELL A PIECE OF PROPERTY
,o,sb Cemetery Wants II, ana LII
VIII Be offered Mt Public A"c'i""-
.,nt. Report on James
River Improvement

The Common Counch helu " iO'e
.od,ors session last night, with merely
hara quorum present. The passage OF an
o~I,rance allowing the Traction Company
20 construct double tracks on Broad street
,ro,, Harrison TO Pine was the only piece
., hus,ness Of any general interest trans
acted. ~,
s,ecial-Accountant Mccarthy submitted
a lengthy report, giving the result OF MS
examination OF the records of the James
River Improvement Committee, which, he
saws have been very loosely kept. IN
regard to the committee itself, he says;
The James River Improvement Commit
tee is composed Of seven members Of the
City Council, and seven citizens who are
not members Of the Council. The Presi-
dent Of the Board of Aldermen appoints
three. and the President of the Common
Council appoints four members. The
| Chamber OF Commerce elects seven mem
| bers The committee. as now constituted,
seems 10 be exercising powers which can
| not be delegated 20 persons satisfactory
| 10 the Council and the ordinance seems
| 10 combine the powers which may be
| delegated with those which may not, and
| confer all on the committee, composed
| partly Of persons not responsible to the
| Council. ], therefore. respectfully recon-
| mend that the City Attorney be requested
| 10 examine the question and file his In
| formation.
ORDINANCES NOT KEPT.
The accountant calls attention to the
! fact that the election of Captain Cum
ningham as superintendent OF James-river
| improvement has not been approved by
| the Council, as required by ordinance;
| also. TO the fact that the requirement
| that moneys and property set apart for
! the work shall be under the charge and
/ keeping OF the City Treasurer. and shall
| be paid out on the warrant OF the Audi
tor. has not been compiled with; and,
further. that monthly reports are not
made to the Council. From 1873 TO 1850,
inclusive, the appropriation for the i'm
proyement Of James river amounted to
S2GJO. and during the same period the
committee turned into the Treasury
s9G5l.9s. making the net expenditure
1892 49S.O7.
| The accountant says no account such
| as the superintendent was directed to
keep of receipts and expenditures calls
attention 10 the expense incurred in
| connection with bringing the monitors
| here and making them safe; says the
| minutes OF the committee snow that 1t
! rendered services TO the Warwck-Park
| Transportation Company so valuable that
| Mr. Burgwyn offered 10 pay for them
81 $50. which offer was declined; refers 10
| the fact that the use Of the steam-tug
| has been granted for excursion pur-
| poses-once TO the School Board, ana once
| TO the committee for a trip TO the naval
fleet at Old Point. Nearing its end. the
report says: Since the appointment OF
| the present clerk to the committees OF
the Council there is marked improve
| ment in the neatness and accuracy,
creditable 70 the clerk and worthy OF
! commentator. The committee has re-
Gently turned into the Treasury $500 the
proceeds Of the sale Of old materiaD, or
which amount $174H must be used to
balance the appropriation OF the COM
mittee overdrawn from the year 1888"
SELLING TO THE CEMETERY.
There was some little discussion over ar
ordinance authorizing the Committee on
| Relief of the Poor TO sell a certain piece
Of property on Hospital street. near tbs
city Almshouse and Jewish Cemetery
Mr. Caskie was opposed TO selling the
property TO the Jewish Cemetery Commit
tee for 81, go, as contemplated by the or
dinance. Mr. Caskie said two real estate
agents had valued the property at SZ'oV
end he saw no reason for selling IL al
a. 25O He was in favor OF putting tbs
nronertv ND at public auction. and see
ing what il would bring. The Hebrew
Cemetery Committee. he understood, MAJ
agreed 10 pay 81 $50 for ii, no matter no"
low the highest bid for II was.
Mr. Wallersteln said ne did not thini
the property would bring 5000 under or
dInary conditions, and putting II vi
would only invite speculation from thos
who would wish TO buy the property u
resell il TO the Hebrew Cemetery ofhcials
Mr.. Rloomberg thought the city woul'
he getting the full value or the propert.
n they received $3.50 for II, ana MI
Gunst thought $3.50 foot was all IN
nro,ertv was worth Right on the oppo
si,a side OF the street, he said, the cit.
could not get " a foot for its property
Mr.. Eppes was in favor or putting IN
nrooerty I'D at public auction.
The ordinance was amended so as {
authorize the property 10 be sold at pub
lie auction. - a.,
motlon TO reconsider, In order ina
NJ Gunst might amend the ordinance o
nrovtdIng that the committee be INSTRUCT
"a 10 sell the property either by priyat
or public sale, was defeated
rha ordinance establishing the votine
! ,xactrc,s AT the different wards In IN
city was passed.
ANOTHER STREET RAILWAY.
NJ, Mcdowell presented petition froi
800 Iae Lorraine and Wixon Ball. Z
I. his citv and Henry y. Ferden OF Ne
vo,k asking that they be empowered
onerate a street railway from the ~
| nosition-Grounds, known as the Leo Dis