Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-27

implicit confidence 10 inc IOuiNlif 'uN
we.are down on them because they have
not been frank and open Mr. Minor
said that members OF subcommittee
were bound 90 make known the result
of their investigations. first OF all. TO the
Council. and had no right TO make
municipal matters prematurely public
Captain r. H. Lea said y he was
elected he would go 10 the Council
pledged TO vote for the best interests Of
Barton Heights. I'VE don't want TO go
backwards" he said. We've had a
black eye. and II we vote 60 tie the
hands OF the Council we shall make a
great mistake" He hoped It would be
decided TO have the town nicely lighted
and well warcred. The day is coming
ne said. when our water viii be con-
tamlnated. and we must have a supply
from some place.
RUN AGAINST Ills WISHES.
Mr. r. L. Gllnn. the. candidate for
Mayor on the opposition ticket was re-,
ceived with prolonged cheers. lie s"'"
he had been brought into the heid III OF,
position to his wishes lie was opposeu
TO the issue Of bonds as utterly hhpi"c-
table. -
Mr.. Alex. Meyer .aid ne had come 10
tho meeting for enlightenment, never
having heard Of the issues. He cesirea
10 have answers to certain questions thal
the discussion suggested TO him:
"What." he asked, will be the reVe-
nue. from the water-works with the pre-
sent number Of water-takcrsE
The answer. which came from
crowded part Of the hall. was $3.50
"yhat will be the additional tax 10
borscbolders?" was MI. Meyers next
question. He was told that the tax
limitation had been reached
MIR. sharp said that TO cover the e@-
ucnses the present water-takers "oui"
have TO pay $3.50 month. ~ -,
"Then" said Mr.. Meyer, TINS ponu
issue only affects the fifty-tour people
who are now taking water =.
IF they don't pay for 1t. wei nave 70,
shouted some ore I'm the back OF the hali'
Mr.. John +. Rose suggested thal 'h,'
were many expenses 10 be cOiSIuCl 49,
and Mr. Meyer remarked that ne dluh
understand il. and he didn't believe any
o0e oleo aid. If IL cost only s. a house
ON the Heights. he thought residents ought
TO be willing TO pay II to get auequa.S
fire protection. Il could get as much on
my fre-insurance policy" and Mr.. W. d.
Meyer suggested that besides insurance
there was the safety Of women and chill
dren TO be considered. This led up 10 q
discussion of insurance rates.
PROPERTY ASSESSED TOO HIGH.
CAPTAIN OBannon declared that there
was not a house i'm the town that would
sell for it's assessed value
Mr. Beach said he thought that state
ment much exaggerated.
Mr. Sangster said he had tried 10 neso'
cod of
and the most he could get was $500
Captain O'Bannon said many complaints
had been heard against the Council. IT
wasn't what the Council had done that
was objected 20. but what it proposed "a
do. The debt the Council proposed 10
incur would injure more than enhance
the value of property. People won
come here and pay these excessive taxes,
and we who live here can't afford to pay
this double taxation, and shall be driven
away ] charge the Council with telling
one set of people what they will DO and
not the others" continued the speaker.
He combatcd Captain LEAFS staten nt
as 10 the probable effect of the surface
drainage on the present water supply.
The proposed debt, he said, meant double
taxation for thirty years and we won't
stand it.
HE WANTED INFORMATION.
Mr. Rose wanted to know exactly what
the Council proposed to DO with the $1,000.
This provoked wordy war, and nc was
asked how ne had voted I'm the county
courthouse question, and whether the
Supervisors had divuiged their plans be-
fore they were perfected. lie replied
that he had voted against the courthouse
and that the Supervisors had always
shown q picture of the proposed building
when asked. we want picture now OF
what the Council will do" he added.
4 voice: Did the county issue bonds?
Mr. Rose: No.
A voice: Did the county increase the
taxes?
Mr.. Rose. No.
Mr.. sadler: Not to the limit Of the table,
anyway.
Nr. sands: Can you reduce the county
levy?
Mir Rose: We can do so, If we think it
advisable.
MI Beach said he favored the bond
issue. under certain provisions. The .n-
come of a town at first was never able
10 cope with big improvements. If we
have TO wait for these things until we
can pay for them, We shall have to wait
twelve or fourteen years. The sugges-
ton 90 raise money as submitted is a
business proposition. As far as the water
Improvement is concerned. IL is hoped
the income will cover the interest ana
expenses. 1t is supposed that others Will
come i'm.
Mr. Sadler: Where will the water come
from?
Mr. Beach: don't know; but the Coun-
ell would not, as businessmen, undertake
10 build an S0,0o9-gallon tank without
knowing where they are TO get the water
from TO hn IT, He dwclt at length on
the fire contingency, and the present rate
of taxation and in the latter connection
he said that il stands 10 reason that the
tax can be reduced to 50 cents on the
SlCO. and then the income would more
than cover the expenditures. Some con-
fdeuce must be placed in the Council.
Ii Is not always practicable TO make pub
lie the proceedings OF such a body.
Richmond people. who are annoyed at
the water supply i'm that city particularly
i'm the elevated districts, had told him
that they would gladly live in Barton
Heights if secured against fire and as
sured Of a plentiful water supply Every
time we get a new house it adds material
~ 10 our assessed value. he said the
question Of water supply had existed be-
fore the town was Incorporated. 1t had
been born with the Council. and they
must be given time 10 solve the difficulty
We can't go on with "a spring, and we
can't go back 10 the county.
MIR. Ki,tle: We will put men in who
can figure quicker.
Mr. Beach: They can't figure without
money. Give them time.
Mr. Rose said: No one wants 10 20
hack 10 the county but we are OBJ
Dosed TO issuing $4,000 bonds. II II won't
pay.
Mayor Jones: Then we are all on the
same platform.
MIR. Rose: Teen the Council - on it
for tho first time. We are paying S1l7
- ..,..r NOW II The nouy arrouoc-