Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-09
TO GOVERN OFFICES.
INFRINGEMENT & REFORM COM
MITsTEE FRAMES AN ORDINANCE.
FIXES The HOURS OF OFFICIALS.
Some Changes RecOmmended-The
Work Wei Nigh COmplete-City-
port Progress.
port Progress.

Streets with reference to the Street De
partment, which had passed the Common
Council, but had been referred by th'
Board OF Aldermen to the Retrenchmen
and Reform Committee. The ordinance
framed from the report was considered
section by section. and on its basis new
ordinance. somewhat broader in scope
was drawn up. and will be sent back tt
the Council The ordinance regulates th'
office hours of the several departments o.
the city government; defines the work o.
certain officials, and deal in great mea
sure with the Street Department.
GETTING DOWN TO WORK.
The following members responded tt
the roll-call: Messrs. Allen chairman
King. Rountree, Noble, zimmerman
Harrelson and Jones.
Colonel Jones raised the question as tc
the means at the disposal Of the commit
tee for the printing of the ordinance and
evidence in the Broad-street investigation
No provision, ii was stated, had been
made for this work. Colonel Jones ther
moved that the City Attorney should be
instructed to prepare the ordinance and
submit it to the committee at its next
meeting The motion was adopted.
Mr.. Zimmerman moved that copy OF
the evidence should be filed with the or
dinance and submitted to the Council
and this motion was also adopted.
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF
ALMSHOUSE.
The committee then proceeded to the
consideration of business in the regular
order The necessity for first assistan'
superintendent at the almshouse was mrs
considered. Mr. Zimmerman moved thal
the salary of 1900 should be allowed u
remain as at present
Mr.. Jones opposed this He said OF MS
personal knowledge the second assistant
was engaged sometimes i'm the collection
of dues for a society Of which he was a
member He had done this without per
mission Of the Committee on Poor. II al
assistant had time 20 go out collectlhe
for his own benefit, there could De no he
cessity for two assistants.
MIR zimmerman said he knew that tho
man was so employed during ms lelsur'
hours. He thought the argument al
NHnceO lot lut dpOANiSAi VI N--~
probing too deep.
AR tones contended that there were al
together too many people employed al
the almshouse. -.
Mr.. Allen said it was necessary to have
an assistant at the colored almshouse az
wavs on duty, and he propounded the
question as TO who would be al the aims
mouse If the superintendent was lorceu
to be absent. .,,
Mr.. Jones replied the steward would De
hand. but it was pointed out tnat super
intendent had stated that the stewart
time was fully occupied with his peculaf
duties.
WILL HAVE IT INVESTIGATED.
Mr.. Noble said that as member OF
the Committee on Poor he would IKE 10
have this statement OF MI Jones re
gardinr the collecting fully investigated
There was a city ordinance In existence
which expressly forbade any city en-
nlovee from engaging in any occupation
for his own benefit during the hours
which belonged to tho city. With Mr..
Jones's permission. he said, he should
like TO move as a substitute that the mat
ter should be referred 10 the Committee
on Poor for a thorough Investigation
renort to be made TO this committee.
Mr. Harrelson said he believed the
white almshouse could get along without
the surerintendent during his absence.
Mr.. zimmerman said the Second As
sistant Superintendent had been collect
ing for the Royal Arcanum for fifteen
wears. He knew every member In It,
and his services were valuable. yet he
felt sure that If the Superintendent was
notified that his engagements In this oc-
cunation was contrary 10 the laws or
the city. he would at once give it up.
Mr.. Mobiles substitute was put and
carried
THE LIGHT DEPARTMENT..
The office next in order for considera-
ton was that of Mayor. But 1t was not
taken up.
There was some discussion as to the
affairs of the Light Department. An ordi-
nance. which was the outcome Oh lhe
Retrenchment Committees report had
been passed by the Common Council.
and referred TO the Light Committee for
y report by the Board of Aldermen.
That body had taken no action in the
matter whatever.
The Superintendent of the Gas-Works
had stated that $4,000 could be saved in
this department. said Mr.. Jones. and the
action of the Light Committee was rep
rehensible. Here is a measure he
continued. "that is practically being
killed by dilly-dallying. He moved that
the ordinance regulating the gas depart
ment which had been passed by the
Council and by the Board OF
Aldermen referred to the Committee on
Light should be returned to the Council
with the report of the committee thereon.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Nob,e
and adopted.
THE ENGINEER AND STREETS.
Mr.. Jones moved that the ordinance
framed on the recommendations of the
Street Committee governing the depart
ments of the City Engineer and streets
should be considered section by section.
Mr.. Jones moved that the first section,
which deals with the office hours of the
should be stricken out. and
that separate ordinances should be made
for each department.
Section was also stricken out. II
prohibited employees engaging in outside
work.
Section 3, I'm regard TO there being three
assistant engineers and a clerk to the
Street Department. was adopted.
Mr. Harrelson said that he saw no
necessity for an engineer and three as
sistants in a city the size of Richmond.
The services of a sewer foreman might
very well be dispensed with and his
work. he suggested. might be done by
an assistant engineer.
Mr. Allen made a statement from the
chair in which he said that the Street
Committee would b. forced to suspend
after a little white.
Mr. Jones moved that the fourth sec
lion dealing with the abolition OF the
position OF sewer foreman and the per-
formance Of those duties by an assis-
tant engineer. should be stricken out.
suggesting that the committee could re-
commend the abolition Of the position
whenever they saw III.
Mr. Allen outlined from the chair the
duties that the sewer foreman was ex-
pected to discharge. He said the econ
ornv which curtailed the sewer work, so