Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-12
plated one thing, and the ordinance admit
ted OF another.
VIEWS OF THE ACCOUNTANT.

TED or HnOtncT.
VIEWS OF THE ACCOUNTANT
Mr.. Mccarthy, the Special Accountant.
was called upon 10 give his Views relative
TO the conduct of the sinking fund, and
he began his remarks by giving the COM
mittee the result OF his examinations into
the matter He said that shortly after
his engagement as Special Accountant
of the city he looked into the affairs OF
the fund to find to his horror. that the
city had piled up a debt Of 81 10000, and
did not have a dollar with which to liqui-
date H. At that time there was nothing
to the credit Of the sinking fund Since
that ime deposits had been made. and
but for the loaning OF $4,000 to the city
upon its negotiable note, there would be
about $4,000 to the credit Of the fund.
custom had extended over a period OF
twenty years, and that the precise differ
ence between what the sinking fund had
been and what II ought 10 have been was
that II had been a scheme for annihilating
a debt in 100 years instead OF thirty-four
years-a difference of sixty-siS years.
In reply to the pointed question from
Mr. Rountree as to what the condition of
the city's debt would be if the sinking
fund had been judciously and properly
managed. Mr.. McC rthy stated that the
the equivalent Of about one half OF all
it's debt
Mr.. Zimmerman here stated that he
was of the opinion that the members
of the Board of Sinking-Fund Comm.=-
soners were as much stirred up in cor
recting the evils Of the past in this work
az were the members Of the Committee
on Retrenchment and Reform, and he
thought the committee should drop the
matter. He was satisfied that the in
quiry made by the committee would lave
good effects and rebound to the cltys
benefit, however. This view was adj
hered to by the other members Of the
committee, and the sinking-fund matter
was dropped.
HUSTINGS COURT OFFICIALS.
Just before the City Attorney took his
departure Mr.. Rountree, from the chair.
asked him to define to the committee
the duties OF the Commemorative At
torney Of Richmond. Mr.. Meredith said
this was very difficult TO do, but he ex-
planned that as far as he knew, they
were very slight, as far as the city was
concerned. similar inquiry was made
as 10 the Clerk Of the Hastings Court,
who under the charter receives $3.50
year from the city, and the Attorney de-
scribed his duties. 1t was decided that
tntSe Objects SuOuiu nc luNllfu btlpA1
the committee in connection with these
questions Mr.. Meredith explained that
the charter provided that the Clerk
should receive from the city sum.
which. In the opinion Of the Judge Of the
Hastings Court was proper compensation,
not 10 exceed $lsoO.
Mr.. Snead, through the Clerk, offered
an ordinance providing that all persons
i'm the employment OF the city receiving
salaries of 5000 or upwards be reduced
. per cent; all persons receiving a salary
OF 81. 900 and upwards TO 5000 be feduced
Is per cent on motion the ordinance
was laid upon the table without being
considered.
There then followed a lengthy informal
discussion in reference to the completion
Of the committees work. Mr. Noble said
he felt that the body should take up the
salary list. go through il, and properly
adjust and retrench salaries and wages.
He cited one or two cases in which ne
thought consultations of positions might
be effected and Messrs. Jones and Har-
relson took the same view. The commit
tee agreed TO take IN this matter next
Thursday night at 1890 o'clock.