Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-15


branch OF the Council In treating theil
protest with such scant courtesy. Th'
Board of Aldermen, he continued, now
stood between the city of Richmond anc
the citizens, and he urged the members
of the Board, that II the city was not
able to embark in the enterprise on Its
own account, they would preserve these
rights to the people against brighter
times.
AGAINST TRAMP ORDINANCE.
Mr.. McCulloch then turned his atten-
ton TO the Tramp Ordinance" which he
denounced as product OF diseased
faculties and adamant hearts" He
hoped the Board would not disgrace the
city or the citizens by permitting such
| cruel suggestion to become a law.
Mr.. Allen: Why do you condemn the
tramp ordinance?
Mr.. McCuloch with heaO: 1t is a piece
of vicious class legislation. The condi-
lions are such that the poor are forced
| TO beg. This ordinance would compel
| them 10 steal instead. Every city Is
\ bound to afford relief.
Mr.. Allen: What would you do for the
people who come to the city?
| Mr.. McCulloch: The city should re-
trench and put the unemployed to work.
Mr.. Allen: Do 1 understand you to sug-
| gest that every man is to have work?
Mr.. McCulloch: Every man should have
work. IL he is not worthy 1t will soon
| be found out,
At this point the Chair interposed, say
ing the discussion was not germane to
the question.
Mr.. Zimmerman said he thought the
questions were along a line in which the
Board was greatly interested, and he
moved that the interrogation should be
continued. The motion was adopted, and
Mr.. Allen asked Mr.. McCulloch what
course he would suggest, in lieu Of the
ordinance. 1t was not feasible. he con-
tended, to give work to all the unem-
ployed and tramps. Furthermore, he
ventured the opinion that the honest
workingman would not care to be classi-
fed as a tramp.
Mr.. McCuloch said that honest work
ingmen were being forced into the tramp
class. Hundreds in his own line OF busi-
ness passed through the city. in month |
and appealed to their fellow-craftsmen |
for aid The proposed ordinance would |
put them into a condition Of slavery. |
What would be their state after working |
for ninety days in the bed OF Shockoe I
creek? he asked, and he went on to say |
that If the Council would retrench they l
might soon be able to use these valuable /
franchises to the great advantage of the |
citizens,
SHOULD BE GIVEN WORK.
Mr.. Zimmerman asked Mr. McCulloch
If he contended that all tramps who
came here were honest in their purposes
Mr.. McCulloch replied that he did.
Mr.. Zimmerman said it was fact that |
the tramps on the streets were often in
solent, and he asked Mr.. McCulloch what
be would do with such people.
Give them an opportunity to work."
answered the labor leader.
Mr.. Noble asked whether Mr.. McCul- |
loch proposed that the city should pro-
vide a workshop for the poor residing
here or for the people known as tramps.
For both" said Mr.. McCulloch, and ,
he further advocated that the provision
should be permanent one. The pre-
siding officer interposed, and said the dis
cussion was drifting altogether too far
away from the original proposition, and |
Mr. McCulloch left the floor.
THE QUESTION DEFERRED.
Mr.. King then moved to lay the ordi
nance of the Southern Electric Company
upon the table. Mr.. Turpin advocated
he calling Of a special session of the
BOARD to consider the matter He an ,
that he was in favor Of the city
,wning its own electric plant and con-
ended that the members were not well
nough informed as to the provisions OF :
he ordinance TO vote intelligently upon
t. Mr. Allen spoke in favor OF the ordi- u
lace. Inasmuch as II had been before
he members for eight or nine weeks. he y
I'D not think a day or so more in which
o consider IL would facilitate matters to
ny extent.
There followed a lively passage of arms
etween Mr. carter and Mr.. Turpin, the
ormer saying that, inasmuch as the lat !,
er had asked TO be excused from voting. :,
nd that the ordinance had been printed !,
4 full In the Dispatch, his action In OBJ \
tructing a vote on the question was in .
onsistent Mr.. Turpin admitted that he n
ad neglected to post himself on the pro-
isions Of the ordinance. After some fur "
her remarks from Mr.. Zimmerman, Mr.. n
.ing's motion 10 postpone the furthes 7
onsideration of the ordinances until Il
DecIaI meeting OF the beard was carried a
Y a vote Of TO 8.
FROM THE OTHER BRANCH. h
The board then concurred in the follow CT
lg: Appropriation of $3.779 10 pay claims o.
property-owners on Fourth street, who a.
filtered from the recent bursting OF o..
ever: ordinance TO fix the salary OF the
toward of the almShOuSe az $oV year =
.dfnance providing for a new system or 81
,ok keeping in the office OF the Urea ~
lrer and Auditor; ordinance providing AZ
n a daily cash settlement in the Col
ctor's office; the remission OF overpaid
YES TO certain parties, and the appro-
iation of a quantity Of coke to be dis
ibuted by the ladies Of the City Mission
nong the poor.
rREET CLEANING DEPARTMENT. W
The ordinance providing for street ca
Gaming department next came up for bt
scussion. Mr. Iawder moved TO strike IN
If the provision that the men should IN
ear suits OF white duck. This same pro- co
sion drew out an exhibition OF indigna- WI
IN from Mr.. Bahen. He ridiculed the
ca of paying a man 50 week for work WI
nd recurring him TO dress in white ID
lck suit, and he forcibly denounced the Nj
mmittee that had framed IL. 1t was as
.plained that the committee from which H'
e ordinance emanated was the Re- !
enchment and Reform Committee. and mi
r. Bahen sneered at the intelligence OF hi
at body, and said the man who had pa
troduced such a provision was foolish. fr'
Mr.. Zimmerman said the Retreneh- at
ent and Reform Committee had always ne
en- a mark for stigmas. He protested OBJ
,ainst the language Of the member from AL
ckson Ward. and against the epithets fei
hich that gentleman had thought AZ TO IN
ply. va
Or. Bahen did not recede from his posi- mi
m, and took the ground that the ordi-
nee was nothing more than an effort