Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-27
NEEDS ACTION or THE COUNCIL
Committee Has No Right to Make
Transfer of Funds.

Transfer Of Funds.
s called meeting OF the Council Com
r.,fee on streets was held in Room No.
Of The City Hall last evening, 10 re-
csiye ana consider the opinion OF the
CITY Attorney relative TO the transfer OF
s. SOD from the fund for streets generally.
Tor the purpose Of continuing the hands
and carts upon gravening and repair
work generally. The following is the de-
clslon OF Cty-Attorney Meredith:
Richmond, Va, April p, 1897.
TO IRE Committee on Streets:
Gentlemon.-In reply TO your inquiry,
whether you can transfer Sl,Oo0 from the
account Of streets generally. 10 the ac-
count Of payroll OF hands and carts
I have so report that 1 am Of opinion
th.f SOU cannot.
~ Council. I'm so dividing the funds
3D.. the street Committee. intended that
ihs funds should b. spent as designated
and appropriated and your committee
has no power 20 spend money for one
purpose. when the Council has declared
hat il should bc spent for another.
G. v. MEREDITH. City Attorney.
WHAT CAN BE SPENT.
The CITY Attorney explained that this
could not even be done If the repairs
were done by contract. the hands and
carts of the city 10 be employed by me
contractor. He stated that the city En-
glneer had requested him TO construe
sections ii and u Of the ordinance
relative 70 the Street Department, when
empower the City Engineer 10 eXpend
NC0) upon streets generally IN case OF
emergency: allowing the committee 10
.Uu no fund Ia the credit
Of streets generally. and each ward com
mittee TO expend the sum of 5000 from
the same fund for streets generally.
without authority from the Council. Mr..
Meredith went on 10 say that II
was plain that the committee or SUD-
committees. or Engineer. could only
spend this money If IL was TO the credit
OF streets generally. and would nave 10
spend 1t then for the purposes designated
They could not expend money not ap-
prOpriated.
Colone Cutshaw. the City Engineer.
made q statement. 10 the effect that the
Committee had already overdrawn on ac-
count of hands and carts, and roller and
crusher. up 10 April 17th $326.5l, and 1t
would take SPA more TO carry TINS
force. bringing it up 10 S55).6l. Colonel
Cutshaw added that 1t would require
about s.. 900 10 pay off this debt and carry
the work forward 10 july ]. 1881. he sug-
rested that the committee should recon-
mend 10 the Council the transfer OF 500
from the account Of streets generally 10
that Of hands and carts and roher ana
crusher. Mr.. BlOomberg offered a mo-
lion 10 this effect. which was adopted.
There was some further discussion re'a-
five 10 the ordinance regulating the Street
Department, but no action was taken
THE L.ONG-DIsTANCE ORDINANCE.
Mr. Meredith stated that he had one
other matter 10 bring TO the attention OF
tha committee. He said he did not eX-
actlv understand what sort Of an ordl-
nance the committee wanted TO govern
the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company OF Virginia. lie did not know
whether he was 10 throw the usual SAKE
guards around the city, or simply prepare
an ordinance in accordance with the oEil-
nance agreed upon by the committee
The Attorney stated further that the city
By this ordinance. would Put herself dp-
solutely ina the hands OF the company
80 FAR as the streets. poles, and conduits
are concerned he asked the body Tor
Instructions as TO what he should 90
Mr. Allen left the chair (Mr Boom
berg presidine). and said that he was gisf
that the City Attorney had called the
attention Of the committee 10 the gene
rally sweeping nature Of the ordinance r.
commended 10 be granted TO the long
tance company. BY its terms the committee
was simply giving away the rights OF us
citizens. and placing them at the mercy
Of this corporation. he was opposed 10
the ordinance. and had done all in MS
power TO keep it from going through IN
this manner.
After some further debate Mr.. Bloom
berg offered notion which was adopted.
instructing the City Attorney to prepare
an ordinance based upon the provisions
Of the ordinance sent 10 him by the com
rnlttee. with all the proper safeguards
for the protection of the city's interest.
The body then adjourned.
Ordinance Committee I'm session.
The Committee on Ordinances held a
lengthy session last night. IL was the
first meeting Of that body for some time:
The most important matter CONSIDERED
was an ordnance iustructing the Coliec-
tor OF Delluouent Taxes 20 accept ffac-
tional payments. when same are onefed.
on all city taxes that are dellnquent lol
TWO or more years. and requiring MIN 10
give receipts In curtailment or the SANE
lutu the fun amount delinquent Is pald.
The CITY Accountant and CITY AColloi
were heard relative 70 the matter, but
both were opposed 20 the measure. on the
ground that 10 would greatly cONluNt Ai0
duties OF these Offices. After much debate
the paper was returned TO the Couhch'
with the recommendation that u De re-
fcrfed 20 the Committee on Finance
a communication was received from the
City Engineer relative TO the Importance
Of having some system for sweeping
Chimneys throughout the city, In orcer 10
prevent 80 many chimney fires. when ire
quentiy call out the deDarimeht uhnecss-
sarIly. The Engineer suggested that tni5
work was important. and should DC uhuei
The charge OF an inspector or DuilulhSs
The communication was REFERRED 10 inc
Board OF Fire Commissioners.
The committee recommended 10 INC
Council the adoption OF the ordinance re-
curing the city Clerk 10 furnlsh me
city Treasurer with copies OF all resoiu-
tons making appropriations.
The ordinance recently proposed rela-
tive 20 the collection % delinquent taxes
on city sewers was considered at length,
and recommended 20 the Council
Other Committees Meet.
A regular meeting of the Committee on
Accounts and Printing was held IN Room
10. " OF the City Han yesterday evening.
Some u the bills for the month OF April
were approved. and others were lald upon
ne table. having been sent In too lave
| 70 D. audited. There was great desi
VI discussion regarding the manner IN
winch the City Printer should get UP me
ANIMAL reports OF the city for last year.
4 Was decided that this work sholiu pc
~"ne exactly In accordance with the