The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-12
Citizens RecslYa the Report Of the Com
mlt'ee on Local improvements.
COMMITTEE. DISCHARGED WITH THANKS
Unsatisfactory Report of Survey
Heroic Efforts to Prevent wasting
tho wnrd's Money citizens Hero
after Proteotcd by IL Local Hound
ofThoir Own Choosing.

OF John l.. Watson, charman; Ed
ward NIahoney George Il. Trant, Zach
Stringer, G. j. Rudd. J. c. Everett,
Duff Green Porter and Hermann c.
Niemeyar, appointed at q meeting of
the citizens CT the Fifth Ward, held i'll
Hodges Hall, Park View, on the 10Th
of September last. for the purpose Of
formulating q plan of good government
and economy in the management of
public affairs in the Fifth Ward sub
mitted dts report last night at a mass
meeting held in the Tabernacle on Hat
ton street. Park View. aIr. Watson
presided and Mr.. Nemeyer acted as
secretary.
The comnIttse was discharged from
further labor, with general expression
Of thanks.
THE REPORT.
ITO the Citizens of the Fifth Ward:
Neutrality-suspicious. committee appoint
ed at the mass-mceting held Sapt;m-
Der Goth, 1897, beg to repent that, by
virtue of the authorit; vested in us by
the said meeting. we employed Mcssrs.
Watts and Hatton as counsel, and wi;h
dhSm appeared before 'thc Council at its
meeting in October, representing to that
Bady that the citizens OF our ward were
opposed TO the plan Of improvements
> which had been adopted and for which
mGEcr!n!s had been ord red, as such
work would take the entire $4,000 re-
ce.vcd from the sale of bonds. while
not one-SiNth of tour streets would get
any improvements ut all, and those
watch w-re to be worked upon would
only go board curbs and oyster shells
we showed the Council that while
the city's estimate for doing this work
was $l3.5Si.25, it could be done for Sill
S2l.oO by contract. thus crfecting a saw
If ~ ,,.,
the entire sum.
The Council ut our request revoked
the orders for material and ordered all
work stopped eNcep. that upon Glasgow
ana Ann streets, upon which ccns:Gcra-
bic work had already been done. and
rel rred the matter OF Firth Ward inn
Drovemen.S back to thc Stree. com
lnia;2e with the request that thy meet
your committee ana discuss the i'm
prpvemcMs required by cur people and
report the result IN the Council
we met III Street Commi.tee early
in October and presented in writing
suggestions rs to the character of i'm
proNumcnts which we deemed n:,st ad-
NiSablc N; the time taking into consil-
Grafton the limit Il sum al our command
for improvements.
RccGgEi%ing tina, good drainage was
CT paramount Importance. we urged:
LIST. That the plan adopted be dis
carded and that proper plans and spe-
clcat'Sns be prepared for grading Park
View and Lincolnvillc. in accordance
WIN the grade llnss already established
by me CITY Engineer. so as 10 give
propsr drainage to all that seot.on of
our ward.
"a That The streets mes, used as
dhnrough!ares he shclled six inches decp
and fifteen fcur wide in the centres and
HhoSe streets next in Importance be
shellcd eight feet wide
sd That II was unwiSc for the ward
10 create a large pcrmnncnc debt for
temporary improvements such as board
curhs ana cutters. as they w.rr of
doubtful benefit nj best, many believing
mat they hold the germs OF disease ANA
prove menace IL the public health;
also Hhat mos: % The residents had
lard culhing and would j. willing
to maintain them rather than have The
ward plunged into debt for such trlning
improvements
+th. That in addition 70 pre- pairing
n map and specifications The Street In
specicr and City Surveyor submit an
estimate for doing the work by ,ha
c:ty'S force ana chat bids be obtained
by the city IN the usual way. ana that
the work he done by the cheapest meth
od giving preference 10 the Stree In
sr2ciors force to the extent Of 5000 or
even $500.
Having been requested to meet the
commihie. We naturally Thought they
would as all The bids were then in
snow all inc data and make compara-
i've estimates, and In order 10 be pre-
pared for any surprise which might
nave been prepared pr us owing To the
op.i and shut manner IN which the
sPeclhcli1onS were drawn, we took The
prccaution to have our bidders give.
I'll In .nrirns r,,. h., IL.
ph" specifications seemed to call for.
ana for every itsm separately ana in
detail. The city's estimate when road
showed that the same master hand had
'3een used 10 pi;nare ii rs the spccilica-
lions, and 1t was prepared 50 as not to
clearly show what was intended In
la". thc estimate proved tn he the Sc
dtel 40 me specifications as had pre-
N."hsly be5n supposed. The Stree,
Committee declined to shoy ,ho cit,,.s
estimate, but desired to take our IS
Inmates and let us hear fIDm rhem LATER
MS the Council had ordered that trs in
formation we asked Should be furnished
we declined to give the results Of on,
lahors into the hands 81 the Street Com
m'ttcc and take such information rs
an avowadly unfriendly committee
might hand 1ut During a three hours
session we urged upon nhc committees
the fact that their position was an mr.
hilfary assumption Of power, and en-
treated thcm 10 carry ON, the rcsolut ion
Oh me council under The authority of
winch thu two committees wercsin scs-
SION During the discussion ii was
brought out that the Fifth Ward. in
spending $4,000 In the contemplated
improvements. would Lose over samoa or
that sum. or more than 40 cents out OF
every dollar would in some manner dis
appear without the tnyuovnr r,csj,inc