Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-05
WILL NOT SELL NOW.
THE COUNCIL DEFERs ACTION AS
TO GAs-wORKs SALE.
TO GET BIDS BY NOVEMBER.
All Who Submit Proposals Must Put
Up Guarantees of S5O,OOO-City At
torney's Opinion Touching Sale of
BOnds-Other business.

The interesting question OF the sale
Of the City Gas-Works was considered
at the adjourned meeting of the Com
mon Council held last night, and was
side-tracked for twelve months. After
much discussion and the Offering of
many resolutions and amendments there
to, it was at length determined to refer
the whole question back TO the JOINT
committees on Finance and Light with
instructions to report on it November
LIST. having in the mean time secured
bids. which are to be accompanied by
certified checks for $4,000 10 guarantee
good faith The committee is TO deter
mine the restrictions to govern the sale.
The session was very busy one, and
was attended, after the preliminaries, by
twenty-three out Of the thirty of the
members. A great amount Of routine
business was transacted, including the
concurrence in number of resolutions
and ordinances OF minor interest, adopt
ed by the Board of Aldermen.
Clerk August called the Council to or
der at $50. and Mr.. Joseph Wallerstein
was elected temporary chairman. The
report of the Committee on James-RiVer
Improvement was received and adopted.
II authorizes the payment of certain ex-
penses incurred by arrangements madq
for the removal of a large rock IL the
river-bed
THE GAS-WORKS' SALE.
The report of the Joint Committees on
Finance and Light, recommending that
competitive bids should be invited for
the City Gas-W orks, and that the highest
bid should be submitted TO popular vote,
was received and read. The statements
of the Superintendent Of the Gas-Works,
showing the earnings during the past
thirty years, were then called for.
Mr.. Stokes offered as n substitute to
the report that 1--WE recommend to the
voters that at this May election they au-
thorize the sale of the City Gas-Works
and franchise on the most advantageous
terms. but no offer to be considered OF
less than sl,OOO,CO) cash, and all such Of
fers TO be accompanied by certified
check, payable to the City Treasurer, for
$4,000 as a guarantee Of good faith
said check TO be returned to party sub
hitting offers if said offers are not ac-
ceDted, and if accepted, said check to be
retained until the payment of purchase
money is completed All offers to be sub
mitted within ten days after this is APP
proved by the Board of Aldermen
Mr.. Hawkins moved as an amendment
that the sum of 100000 should be sub
stituted for 100000.
Mr.. Briggs moved as an amendment
that the minimum should be set at ST.
100000.
Mr.. Rountree urged that the matter
should be laid upon the table until later
I'm the evening It was n matter of vital
Importance. he said, and should not be
nassed upon unless there were larger
representation of the Council present.
TO REPORT BY NOVEMBER.
This suggestion prevailed, and the mat
ter was called up by Colonel Jones later
I'm the evening. when there was fuller at
tendance. Mr. Briggs withdrew MS
amendment. Mr.. Caskie moved TO lay
the whole matter on the table lie con-
tended that the voters OF this city would
not have time TO be properly instructed
and acquainted with the question by the
time of the next election-May 2Ith. lie
suggested that the matter should be post
poned for twelve months, to give every
body plenty Of time to consider the mat
ter. LET us give the gas-works d trial
during tha next twelve months he sald'
done" as, -,
Colonel Jones said he would like the
matter mt i'm such a way that 1t could
be taken ND not later than November
1st. He moved that the matter should
he referred TO the joint committees on
Finance and Light. with Instructions
that they should report by the end or
the fiscal year bids for lease or sale OF
the pas-works under such conditions as
the Joint committee may determine.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Walersten,
Colonel Jones amended his motion so as
10 require all persons submitting Dids 10
deposit $4,000 certified check as
guarantee of good faith. MT. Jones ac-
cepted the amendment, ana inc resolution
was nut and adopted by the following
vote: ,, ~,
Aves-Messrs. Briggs. Cottrell. Eoel'
Foster HARRISON, Hawkins, HoDson,
ZONES King. CARRIER. Miller, Mostly, wall
lerstein. Williams, Witte, Woody, cas-
kie--l7 49, n,
Noes-Messrs. Bloomberg, Noble, Pol
lock Rountree, Stokes. Tanner-6
THE ENGINEERS FORCE.
The ordinance drawn by the Retrench-
ment and Reform Committee and passed
bv the aldermen providing for three as
sistant engineers and clerk In the
Office OF the 0lly EuSiil''it 81 Va
shall be appointed by the head OF the
department subject to the approval OF
the Committee on Streets, the clerk to
act without additional compensation as
clerk of the committee. was read and
adopted after some discussion as to the
advisability OF resembling the salary OF
the Clerk to the Streets Committee.
A communication was received from
the City Attorney stating that the
reason he had not instituted proceedings
against the sureties OF Mr.. Il. b. Grymes
was that he had never been furnished
with a statement OF amount said TO be
due. A resolution was adopted direct
ing that steps be taken to recover the
money. "a .i-A
THE SALE OF BONDS.
A further communication was received
from the City Attorney. replying TO the
resolution OF April 18th inqurlng whether
the ordinance OF April g. 1891. canceling
the appropriations OF 1896 has the effect
of canceling the appropriations there
tofore made out OF the proceeds OF
bonds. II said bonds had not been sold
previous to the said 9th day OF April,
1851. The City Attorney states that
ha wing been informed that the resolution