Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-04
In A CUTTING HUM0R.
RETREyCHMENT COMMITTEE RE-
COMBINATIONS ADOPTED.
THE COMMISSIONER AND COLLECTOR.
both Reduced and other Officers
Feel thk Municipal Knifc-sonrc
Measures Tabled Tending Other
Reports.

The Common Council held record
| breaker IN the way OF a meeting last
night. Not before in the history Of the
body has there been such a great volume
| OF business TO be transacted. and It was
apparent from the outset that the ses-
sion would be lengthy one. There were
only four members absent.
From the Committee on Finance came
a report recommending the appropriation
| Of $26O5 from the contingent fund
TO pay certain damages to pro-
| PERFORMERS on north Fourth street,
caused by the bursting of the
sewer at the corner OF Fourth and
| DuVal streets last summer. This was
adopted. as was a resolution providing
for the payment of $500 to Messrs. Gay
| a. Lorraine for coal furnished 10 the
Poor Department Of the city.
The Committee on Streets submitted,
through Sub-Chairman Bloomberg. a
lengthy report. The first item asked for
authority to issue allegations for the lay
| ing Of certain sewers and the paving OF
sidewalks and alleys In certain localities,
I which was done.
Inc UOAN WAS IftblllltlAiu All JUL
nance allowing the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway Company to put in a spur-track
extending from the present tracks TO the
sheds of the Old Dominion Steamship
| Company. which was adopted
A recommendation of an appropriation
of $50 to pay for injury done to personal
property on north Fourth street by the
bursting of the big sewer last summer
was sent to the Committee on Finance.
The Committee on Light reported upon
| some minor matters, which were properly
| disposed or The Council made provision
| for keeping lighted free OF charge the
| clock tower of Park-Place Methodist
church, the clock being there for the
benefit and convenience Of the pubic.
WATER-METER ORDINANCE.
An ordinance was recommended by the
| Committee on Water relative TO water
meter rates. fixing them as published IN
| the Dispatch several days ago-to persons
| consuming 400 gallons Of water or less
! per month. 81 cents per month, persons
using larger quantities of water 10 re-
| ceive the same at the following meter
| prices: 1900 gallons or less per month,
| In cents per 10J gallons; lo'VO 10 5VVJJ
| gallons per month. Is IL cents per lvvV
| gallons: $1,000 to $1,000 gallons per moIll W.
| II cents per 1 600 gallons. bjVoO 10 SVlV
| gallons per month. IL cents per LOU ga
| Ions; g00OO 10 600 gallons per month ~
| cents per 1000 gallons; lZcVp 10 ioJ,Oy y
| gallons per month. cents per lVVV s. 81
Ions. $50 600 TO 30 900 gallons per monlh,
| 8 cents per LOCO gallons; all i'm excess OF
| go 900 gallons per month, cents per l'uy,
| gallons: all charitable institutions to set
water at cents per 1000 gallons anu
| all city departments to pay meter i"'e9
| for the water consumed by them.
| The ordinance was briefly discussed by
| Nessrs. Witte and Ebel and the chalf-
! man Of the Water Committee, Mr' pilbss'
| and was finally. on motion OF MI bloo ,lt,
| berg laid upon the table lor one Hlol'H
| and ordered to be printed .,....
resolution directing the Committee
| on Elections TO pay the salaries OF me
| members and secretary OF the tlecloIai
| Board of the city out OF the approprld-
! ton made for elections this year was
agreed upon. ,,..- -,
The ordinance from the Committee on
Ordinances directing the Collector or De
linquent Taxes to accept frdcuOnal pay
ments upon taX-bils, was, as recommend
ed sent to the Committee on FINANCE.
The ordinance requiring the Clly Clelh
TO furnish the City Treasurer with copies
of all ordinances and resolutions making
appropriations Of money was passed
without discussion, as was an oIdiiiallNe
nrovidinc for the sending out of bills Tor
CITY improvements chargedDle 10 adult
| ting property-owners. ,
ENHANCEMENT AND REFORM.
The long-promised report of me Com-
mittoe on Retrenchment and Reform WAS
submitted by Mr. Rountree. the SUP
| chairman of that body. After reading
part of the report Mr.. Bloomberg mover
TO cease reading the report proper anu
! take up the ordinances and RESOLUTIONS
| sent forward by the committee. Adopted.
The first ordinance was mat reducing
the compensation of the Commissioner oil
the Revenue from 5-S TO 3-S OF J per cent
upon all city property assessed MI.
| Fbel a member Of the Committee ON
Retrenchment and Reform. was the only
councilman TO vote against the proposed
amendments TO the ordinance relative
TO the collection of licenses OF wagons
goats. dogs. &c, shows. blizzard taDles'
pistol galleries. &c. were adopted
The ordinance reducing the compensa-
ton of the City Collector from rs 10 9-o
Of ! per cent. OF all taxes collec1eu ~
him was passed.
There was some debate upon the pro-
nosition 10 cut the Mayors salary from
81 900 TO 5000 per annum. MT. bloohuois
moved to fix the salary at $1,000 a year
arguing that the place should either be
simply one Of honor or one OF work ana
proper compensation for it. The amend
ment was defeated. and the ordinance as
IT came from the committee was agreed
10. r,>-v,,,>-1,x,
CITY HALL SUPERINTENDENT
With reference to the ordinance abolish
ing the office OF transfer clerk TO the Auul-
tor and the Office of engineer ana ma
chinist of the City Hall, Mr.. Gunst' chalr-
man OF the Committee on ,GloundS anu
Buildings. stated that that body was pre-
pairing a report to the Council along the
line OF retrenchment desired by the COM
mittee He moved that the portion Oh the
ordinance relative to the engineer anu
machinist be stricken out. ms was uOhe'
and the ordinance as presented prevailed.
The ordinance cutting down the pay OF
the Harbor Master 10 500 per annun Yves
adopted. and that regulating the dutleS
of the Sergeant-at-Arms of the City Coun-
Ill Il him Sumo Fintpnlpnt OF the
CITY Hall building was laid upon the
table. on motion OF Mr. .Gunst, until the
next regular meeting Of the Council
The Council agreed 70 the ordinance
regulating the duties or the CierK 10 Coull-
ordinances abolshing the Offices of
weighmasters OF the First and Second
markets and putting their duties upon
the clerks of these markets, without extra
compensation. were adopted by vote OF
IS ayes TO 9 noes.
An ordinance fixing the salary of the
Clerk Of the Third Market at 5000 per an
mum was adopted, and the same action
was taken upon the resolution directing
the City Attorney to prepare bill and
present the same 10 the Leglslatur1 pro
viding that the C4.y sergeant shan pay
for all guards at the City JAN out OF ms
own means. At present the city Is re-
quired to pay one Of these guards.
The Council adopted the ordinance liking
the salary of the Steward of the CITY
AlmshOuse at >l2O year. Inc Ordinance
relative TO rules or the almshouse was,
on motion OF Mr.. Hobson. referred to the
Committee on Relief OF the Poor.
A resolution asking the City Attorney
to make application TO the Legislature for
the passage OF legislation when VIII en-
able the City Council TO fix the compensa-
ton of the City Coroner was adopted
All ordinances relative 10 park keepers
were laid upon the table until the next
regular meeting.
The same action was taken upon the
ordinance giving the number and desgna-
ton Of City Hall employees.
THE Council promptly adopted the ordi-
nance regarding the gas-woriss, empower