The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-27
IT gives ABSOLUTE POWER.
City-Attornsy XssdIth on tho Long
Distance Telephone Ordnance.
Mr.. ALLEN WARNS THE COnIIrrRB.
The City Attorney Says He Had Never Seen
Such Literally TO . Company-Shs
Proper Safeguards Authorized
by the Committee.

Committee to order at 5 o'clock p. NJ.
yesterday, in special session. when there
were present besides himself Messrs IA
hen. Bloomberg, Burton, Carter, Foster.
J. J. King. j. NJ. King. and Woody.
The Chairman stated the object OF the
special meeting to be the hearing OF the
opinion OF the City Attorney as to the
right of the committee to take $i.soo from
the Council appropriation FOR streets gen.
erally and transfer It to the account OF
hands and carts as requested Of him BY
resolution OF the Street Committee at its
last meeting.
The City Attorney, Mr.. c. V. Meredith.
who was present. brought a written
opinion on the subject which was read by
Clerk S. B. Jacob. as follows:
CANNOT TRANSFER.
Richmond. Va, April %. 1897.
ITO the Committee on Streets:
''Gentlemen,-In reply to your inquiry
whether you can transfer 81. 500 from the
account OF streets generally TO the ac-
count OF pay roll OF hands and carts. |
have to report that | am OF opinion you
cannot.
THE Council in so dividing the funds
of the Street Committee intended that the
funds should be spent as designated and
appropriated and your committee has no
power 10 spent money for one purpose.
when the Council has declared that II
should be spent for another.
Sgned) &c. v. MEREDITH
city Attorney"
Mr.. Meredith said he understood that
the practice Of the committee in the past
had been 70 expend $1,000 apiece in each
of the six wards of the city and 5000 for
general expenses, the details In all cases
being generally left to the Ward Commit
tees.
The Engineer could. on an emergency,
spend 1900 for streets generally. but not
for hands and carts account.
City Engineer Cutshaw said that the
amount due by hands and carts account
overdraWn, Is ........................ $lol.H
l-2 day April nth. th........."........ l5o.D
Roller and Crusher .................. H.46
$327. 81
Due when the work was stopped
April 18th, pay roll fcr April.
everything included ................ s2at. 90
s55f.s7
And he would need for April 18th TO July
lst next, including the s55l 81 referred 10
5000 for this work.
Chairman Allen stated the question TO
be whether the committee should ask the
Council for permission to take 5000 from
the appropriation for street generally.
and transfer II to hands and carts and
rolled and crusher accounts to meet the
deficiency and continue the force at work
till July and 1t was decided in the affirm
alive.
Colenel Cutshaw in reply to a question
OF Mr.. Eloomberg said IL was not now the
custom Of the committee to report the
items OF expenditure to the Council and
that the practice of the committee had
been that stated by City Attorney Mere
dith, the $500 being used for contingen-
cies, repairs and incidentals.
LONG-DIsTANCE TELEPHONE.
This matter disposed OF. the City At
torney asked the committee, through its
chairman. for instructions regarding the
Long-Distance Telephone Company oroi-
nance. lately referred to him. He want
ed to protect the city's interests, said he,
and 1t was his duty TO do so. but ne
could not do II In that ordinance.
a corporation as In this ordinance, for the
city puts herself completely In the power
OF this company. so far as the streets
are concerned. Absolutely in It's pow
err" he repeated; "and especially so as
20 It's poles and conduits, for the COM
pany may put down and take up, one
or the other or both, at its pleasure.
He could not help thinking that the
ordinance was more liberal to the COM
pany than II was intended to be by the
committee.
Mr.. Bloomberg said he thought that
the City Attorney should prepare an
ordinance protecting the city's interests
and based on the one referred to him
by this committee.
MIR. ALLEN REPEATS.
Mr.. Allen here called Mr.. Bloomberg
TO the chair, and took the floor himself
He said that the City Attorney had only
reiterated Just now what he had said at
the last meeting OF this committee. Mr.
Allen had said then that the committee
was giving away the rights OF the city.
and, further, that his amendments To
prevent such a state OF things were voted
down. lie was very glad to hear these
opinions OF his supported by Mr.. Mere
dth. and 10 hear them expressed by that
official so clearly and tersely.
They should arouse the people Of Rich.
mond to the fact that there Is a trap they
are dropping in.
II the City Attorney draws an ordi-
nance like the one sent him, both the
Councils rights and the city's rights are
gone forever. so far as injunctions are
concerned.
you will give on you adopt this ordi-
nance)." said Mr.. Allen. Ito this COM
pany the same privileges you are now
trying 10 take away from the Bell Tele-
phone Company"
PROPER SAFEGUARDS.
Mr4 Bloomberg moved that the city
Attorney be instructed to prepare an Or
dlnance based upon the provisions of the
Long Distance Telephone Company or
dlnance sent him by the committee. with
all proper safeguards for the protection
OF the citys interests. which resolution
was adopted, and the committee al
jOurned.
Mr.. Clarence +. Young. representing
the Long-Distance Telephone Company.
was present at this meeting. and wish
ed TO be heard. but Chairman Allen
thought that as the meeting OF the COM
mittee was only for the consideration OF
one subiect-namely, the instruction
asked for by the City Attorney---that any
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