Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-14
PAvEMENrs AND SEWERS.
Big Meeting of Citizens Held at the

Big Meeting of Citizens Held at the
Courthouse.
A largely attended meeting of citizens
was held in THE courthouse last night
for the purpose of considering the ques-
ton of taking steps to secure an
amendment to this charter so as to- issue
bonds to provide sewers and pave the
Streets. Mr.. Jacob E4effelfinger was
made chairman and Mr. Thos. G. Elam
secretary. This business OF THE evening
was introduced by the presentation of a
resolution by Mr.. w. j. A Cumming
proposing such amendments to the char
ter as may be deemed necessary to
construct an efficient sewer system and
to have THE road beds OF the main
thoroughfares OF the, town substantially
laVed. The amendments are to be, un-
uer Mr.. Cumming S resolution, asked for
at the present sesshd of the legislature
The bonds provided for are not to ex-
coed in amount 500 600, and, are to be
issued in classes to be retired at such
intervals and III such amoEnts, and to
be spread over such periods as TO make
the burden fall as lightly as possible
upon the taxpayers. The resolutions
also provide that the property owners
SHALL bear half the expense OF the pave
nlsut opposite their properties, except
where the railroad companies are re-
quired to keep the streets adjacent to
their tracks in order. The tax is TO be
Years. The property owners are to pay
a certain fee for making !.onnvctio
Provision is malde for the collection of
the tax ana Tor the prosecution, LII the
work by noa-partisan commission.
Mt Caussy addressed the body at
length, taking the position that no &C.
ton should be taken until the questions
OF paving and sewering the tIywn had
been submitted to vote OF the people
OF the town, and submitted THE follow
ing substitute for the first sections OF
MI. Cummings resolutions:
Resolved, That it is the sense TT this
meeting that before the bonded, inlikabt-
edness of this town be Increased the
question, amount and purpose as to such
increase, shah be first submitted to a
vote pf the people of the town.
"A lengthy discussion in which Mr.
). Gordon Cumming. Mr.. Causey, Cap
tain Richter, Mr.. J. w. Richardson, NH.
W. J. Cumming and othErs participated,
tolloweI The point In controversy was
the question as to whether the ulte upon
the bond proposition should be confined
TO the freeholders or whether it should
De determined by popular vot=. Mr..
Causey and Mr.. Cumming favored the
latter plan A multitude 1T speeches
w,S're made before vote was reached,
ami ing the speakers being several color
ed mem Among the latter were George
w Ftvld and A. w. E. Basset. MI.
@ulliiHlnS arSueU strongly tor the atiA
vancement OF THE town, which he said,
haI increases its taxe Bile valuation al
most double during the rast ten years
The speaker said, in reply to questMn.
that ne cNaS in fuvnr of paving every
strest m the town If possible Mr.. J. r
HaW vigorously opposed confirming the
vote to the fieeholders, arguing that the.
poor man W'hn rents has rights which
are as much enr.tit d 10 be respected as
those OF the man who owns real esta te.
Mr.. HeTa!f1ager said that in order to
proceed co. rectly the corporate limits
s'hl lulS be eS;c.Ied 80 is to incuss= thz
entire town. The ncorpora ton question
IaiseT a little storm n Which several
West End men participated Mr. Cum
ming opposed any change in the limits,
saying that any such proposition would
XIII the bond question 8 The folh,wfng
proposition offered by Mr.. S. Gordon
Cumming, was then voted upon:
Resolved, That 1t is the sense OF this
nesting that the council be requested to
ask the present legislature that the
n.wn of Hampton be authorized to issue
bonds to raise sum not exceeding
100000 for the purpose of abiishing
a sewerage system and paving the prin-
cipal streets of tlls town: provitlail that
SUI n power shall be conditioned upon a
Vote in favor there; If Of three-fifths of
the voters OF thx town The meeting
then ojadurned