Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-22
The MINORITY RULES
Three Votes Defeat the Bond
Ordinance.
NOMINEE TURNED DOWN
Council Refuses to Confirm the Health
Omcer's Selection of Sanitary In
spector aud Superintendent Il
of Garbage.


'aiy Inspector ana superintendent OF
garbarge work ".
Passed the ordinance giving tho
Newport News and Old Point Railway
ana Electric Company the privilege OF
using the overhead bridges at tns
Twenty-f1fth and Thirty fourth stree,
crossings and then voted down the
ordinance authorizing the bond issue,
Awarded the contract to Mr.. Alexan.
DER Potter for experimenting the CON
struction of the sewer system.
Authorized the city engineer to pre-
pare plans and specifications for tn,
overhead bridges.
Adjourned to meet again next Tues
day night
1t was demonstrated at the meet
ing OF the Common Council last night
that the old saw 1.-The majority rules'
does not always hold good. especially
IN legislative bodies. but this may have
been an exception proving the rule
Notwithstanding the fact that tho
majority Of the members of the council
wanted to see work commenced on the
Fladucts at the Twenty-f1fth and Thir-
ty-fourth street crossings the minority
ruled the roost" and defeated the OF :
dinance authorizing the issuance or
bonds to the amount Of $4,000 to defra,
the cty's portion Of the expense OF
constructing the bridges. The vote
stood 9 to in favor of the ordinance,
but 1t required eleven votes to enact
the measure into law. This was a sur
prise to every one and many left the
council chamber with a look of dis
gust depicted on their faces. After
going so far as to order the city en-
sineer to prepare plans for the bridges
and to pass an ordinance granting the
new railway company the right OF way
across the viaducts for a certain rem
tai the ordinance providing for the
raising OF the funds Is killed"
The regular meeting Of the Common
Council last night began with a wran-
gle T
After the minutes had been read and
approved and other routine business
transacted communication was read
from Dr.. Samuel w. Hobson, the health
etheer. in which he nominated Mr..
Richard Harris to be sanitary Inspector
and superintendent of garbage This
started the bali to rolling
I Councilman Burchor moved that tho
nomination be rejected at the same
time stating that it was not because
but that he preferred some one else for
for the position.
Mr.. Mclaughlin then took the floor
He was the workingmans friend and
wanted to see a workingman elected
TO that position. and he would therefore
nominate eX-Councilman Sumpter Da-
Wis for the position.
The President next recognized Mr.
Willett. He said he did not know Mr.
Harris. but the health officer had Sc
lected him for the position and for
that reason thought the nomination
offered an amendment TO Mr.. Rurcher's
motion.
After considerable discussion a vote
was taken and the amendment was lost
by a vote of to 5. as follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Buxton. Doherty. Via.
Wilkie, Willett-Total, S.
Nays-Messrs. Burcher. Mclaughlin.
Hughes. Mackey, Lenz. Roane. Thomas
and O'Donneil-Total, 8.
The council refused to confirm DR.,
Hobson's nomination and it will be nee
essary for him to make another sel..c-
ton.
A resolution recommended by the
special sewer cimmission, which awar
ded the contract for experimenting
the construction of the sewer system OF
the city to Mr.. Alexander Potter. OF
New York. was adopted. and Common
wealth's Attorney ]. X. NJ. Newton was
directed to prepare the contract.
An ordinance was adopted providing
that the city treasurer shall make n
weekly report to the auditor of the city
Of the amount of all money received
by him for taxes on licenses.
The rules were suspended when the
ordinance authorizing the city engineer
to prepare at once plans and speciflca-
tions for the viaducts at the Twenty
fifth and Thirty-fourth street crossings
was reported. and it was adopted by a
vote of - to l. The ordinance carries
with it an appropriation of S75 TO enabl.'
the engineer to employ assistants.
Another ordinance that came up Tor
passage under suspension Of the rules
was the one granting the Newport
News and Old Point Railway and
Electric Company the privilege Of us
but ,io1, +In f.if
proposes to build. The ordinance, as
stated in the the Daily Press Yesterday
morning, fixes the annual rental of $500
for the two viaducts. for the first five
years. and for the next succeeding five
years rental Of $1,000 will be charged
After that the city shall receive two
per cent of the gross receipts.
Mr.. Willett was the first speaker. He
said the ordinance in the main suited
him to It," but the rental was not
high enough. According to his way Of
Gguring for the first Ave years the city
would get but sixty-eight cents for tn:
use Of the two bridges.
Captain Buxton explained that HI
| thought the charges were reasonable.
Then came Mr.. LEM the Ben Tillma.
OF the council. He took the floor. ant
| among other things said: ''We aim
going to establish toll gates. Those
| bridges are for the use of the public
At the same time we want to encourage
the new railway company These gen
tlemen have come to the city and hav'
kept faith with us. I don't care if W.
don't get a cent for the use of thu
bridges. Let us pass this ordnance
| When read the Daily Press Thu
morning. said Mr.. Willett 1T Eel
like congratulating the ordinance com
mittee. think the idea is splendi,
] one and have commended for it all tn
time. The city should derive some rev
enue from the privilege 1t grants
Mr. Willett then made an argument 4
favor Of building a tunnel or bridg
at the Twenty-eighth street crosainr
claiming that the old railway comnan
should be extended the same facilitie
for crossing the tracks. Before takin
his seat Mr.. Willett offered as a
amendment that Twenty-eighth stree
be Included.
This stirred up & hornets nest. Near
ly eyerv member took part in the de
bate,with Mr.. Burcher leading the figh
against closing up the grade crossins
On a roll cali the amendment wa
lost by a vote of s to 4. the member
voting as follows: