Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-21

| Mr.. Zimmerman mduc Il loIcioic ateu-
ment I'm behalf OF the police force. saying
| that the character of the men composing
! IT, and the demands upon them To rear
/ tholr families properly. maze IL ulbcuit
| for these men TO i've upon Tess tnaIl 'hey
were getting He WAS opposed TO re-
! ducing their compensation uDon the
further ground hat the city required gooi.
| courageous men as It's oihcers, ana tnerc
were so few Of them as TO make each
mans responsibility great ana MS beat
long.
MIR. HARRELsON's CHARGE.
81 do not believe that Richmond has
such an efficient police force as 1t IS
! claimed " said Mr. Hsrrelson to the sur
| prise OF those present, II have gone many
| "A time for four or five blocks without
what I have heard. l think we. could
make some reductions In this depart
| ment.
THAT simply bears out what 1 tave
| said declared Mr.. Ilmmernan. our our
force is too small now. and me men
| have too much territory TO cover MI
| Zimmerman added that the Good Gov
ernment League pledged itself not 10
urge any reduction in the compensation
| Of the police and fire Departments, ana
that this fact was at the time pub
lishod i'm the Richmond papers.
! Mr. Rountree agree with Mr.. Linmer-
man, but the committee, on motion OF
| Mr.. Jones, adopted resolution asking
| the Board of Police Commissioners what
| recommendations that body can make
as TO retrenchment I'm payroll accounts
and reductions I'm the expense account or
its department and stating that In the
opinion Of the City Council a reduction
in the expense account in the department
| was necessary.
The same resolution was offered and
| adopted as TO the Fire, Fire-8arm, ana
| School Departments.
THAT CONFERENCE REPORT.
There was great deal Of informal
| discussion over the fact that the Board
Of Aldermen had refused 10 consider the
| report Of the Conference Committee in
relation TO the Gas Inspector, and the
assistant gas inspectors. &c. Mr. Noole
! explained what recomme endatlons the
| Committee on Light had made In regard
! 20 these matters.
! Mr.. Jones moved that the committee
send to the Council an ordnance liking
| the salary Of the foreman OF the Lower
gas-worIs AT Sl.2D per annum. AT IRE
sent this officer gets $3.50 year. Tne
motion Of Mr.. Jones prevailed, ana there
| was much talk about the comp nsatol
! paid the foreman of the Upper gas-works.
| but no action was taken upon il, the
| committee having previously recommend
ed that IL be fixed at 1.2)O per annum.
! The committee agreed mat the salary
| Of the Gas Inspector be reduced from
| 81 $50 TO 81 200 a year. Mr.. Ebel argued
| that this salary should not be cut more
| than $50 n year. since TINS would De
about the same proportion other oihcers
drawing about the same compensation mao
been reduced.
REDUCED THE MAYORS SALARY.
The most interesting debate Of the eve
fning occurred over a proposition TO reduce
| the salary OF the Mayor. 1he CHAIRMAN
stated that the City Council had the rlghl
| 10 cut this salary. but not TO take e1ec'
| during the term Of any Mayor. Mr.. Roun'
tree was Of the opinion that the Mayor
| Of Richmond should either be pald
| nominal sum and the Office be an mono
| rary one or the compensation should d,
largely increased. lie was not IN laNor 0l
| a reduction unless IL was one Whlcf
would make the place purely one oi
MIR. King offered a motion to reduce the
salary of the Mayor. effective, rom y 1usS
! /. 1855 from $500 to S2CD. lie SAID nc
! remembered when the place only PAID 81
20. and an effort Was then made to nave
| it cut down 20 $L210. The increase e
! g 800 was made during Mt. CdtIIh5loi :
| incumbcncy of the ofiice.
| Mr.. Zimmerman was opposed 10 re-
! ducip- the compensation OF the Mayor
as he thought II would be lowering th'
| dignity of the Office. ,,
as a substitute TO Mr. Kings motion, tI
! recommend q reduction OF the Mayor
| salary TO 81 500 year. but this was Vote'
down and Mr.. Kings proposition pre-
THE SINKING FUND.
There was a lengthy discussion oyel
| what legislation should be recommends
| relative TO the future conduct OF ,tn'
| sinking fund Special-Accountant NC
| Carthy was asked for his views regarding
| this question. and stated that III M
! onirsol- the rrorrut condition; OF the r.fY
| finances was due 10 the manner III Whici
the sinking fund had been managed gu gu
| ring the past twenty years. The city ma,
| paid off its obligations TO the slnklnt
| fund from year to year. and would have
to pay the $1,000 due 1t from last yea
| on May lst -.
| learn. the sinking fund was not now pens
| conducted in accordance with the law
| II was explained that this was not th'
case. and after a great deal OF tdiA t d a.
| curities to be invested in. &c.. the com
| mittce adopted a resolution authorzlnt
! tho CITY Attorney 10 appear before th'
| Legislature at its next session ana nav
| the charter Of the city so changed as u
| allow the Sinkng-Fund Commissioners t'
invest i'm either city. state or virginia
| ar Tinted states bonds. instead OF CITY
| oe Richmond bonds alone. and 70 require
! the Sirking-Fund Commissioners to make
| detailed quarterly reports TO the ClS
The committee adjourned to meet agar
| Friday night.
The Water Committee Meets.
The Committee on Water met in regular
at Il o'clock last evening. Those present
| were Messrs. Briggs chairman. Cutchlns
/ CARRIER Montgomery. Stokes, Tanner aHd
| Ziu1mermann communication was re-
| celVed from DR. W. II. Parker, asking
| for free water for n poor lady who re-
| sides on Grace street near Fourth. The
| pefitiOn was granted.
The pay-rolls of the department
| amounting 10 Sl.0S6. were approved and
| hills made since January 1st. amounting
| to 81. .725f9 We're ordered TO be paid.
Suporintendent Boiling was directed 10
| advertise for bids for supplies for the
| department for this year ana for pro-
| Dosals for water meters. lie was also
| instructed TO have certain repairs made
| 10 the house Of the keeper Of the Marshall
| reservoir. and 10 have the watch-house
| of the New reservoir repainted and GER
| tain repairs made TO some OF the IRE
| hydrants.
| A sub-committee was appointed TO in
| vestigate and report at the next meet
| inc The question of the repairs needed
| 70 Pumps Nos. ard at the Old pump
| house. and 10 report upon the competency
of the water-meter ordinance. the de
| STABILITY of a change in IL, etc. The Chair
| placed Messrs, Tanner, Stokes, and
| Cutchins
| The Finance Committee failed TO get a
| ouorum last night. owing 10 the continu-
| Gus session of the Committee on Re
| trenchment and Reform.
COLONEL MOsBY DID NOT SPEAK
| Overcome by stage Fright at Com
monueuIth Club Last Night.