Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-26
COULD LIQUIDATE AT ONCE.

4
Aside from the sinking. fund. Mr.. Nc
Carthy said the city has salsble assets,
which Will at any time bring enough 10
pay every dollar OF the city's debt. He
didn't include the City Hall in this. either.
OUT meant TO refer 10 the franchises un-
uer the glft OF the people. Sell the Water
ahu Ias-N orks, he said. and the revenue
from them, without impairing the city's
annual receipts. would pay one-half Of the
oebt. a source Of the evils which the
citys Finance Department is laborlng un.
uer Is the fact that its receipts from taxes
should come In In lump each year. in.
stead OF coming half i'm December and
hait IN July, as this split In the receipts
hecessitates borrowing for six months ana
paying interest on the sum borrowed
The Speaker, after another thrust at
the newspapers, referred in terms Of high
encomium 10 the present City Council.
ana concluded with severe arraignment
OF fraud in politics
Mr.. Hill Montague offered q vote OF
thanks to Mr.. Mccarthy. and paid glo-
rouS tribute TO him for his fearlessness
and watchfulness. The motion was car
ried.
During the course of Mr.. McCarthv's
remarks, he referred to several letters
iiom the pen OF Mr.. John +. jackson.
crlucising the city's financial methods,
ana after Mr.. Montague concluded Mr..
jackson replied to the City Accountant.
maintaining the correctness Of his atti-
tude on the subject. notwithstanding the
criticism Of Mr.. Mccarthy.
OUR OYSTER INDUSTRY.
At this juncture Mr.. Barton II. Wise
was introduced as the chairman of a spe-
ciai committee charged with the duty
OF investigating the oyster industry OF
the state with a view to suggesting
some plan for increasing the States reve-
nues therefrom. He read a lengthy re-
port, which set forth that there are, as a
result of the oyster laws now I'm OPERA
uon, $4,000 acres of planting grounds
not under cultivation. and suggested that
the laws bearing on the subject be so
amended as TO make it profitable for
planters 10 rent these acres and foster
the growth Of the oyster I'm the Chesa-
peake, instead of congregating in certain
places and destroying the oysters, both
seed and otherwise Thus, he said, rev.
enueS OF the State from its riparian rights
would make II possible for the State
10 do away with the license tax imposed
on those doing business In Virginia The
report suggested that this end might be
achieved by throwing the gates open TO
all comers and not restricting the rental
of the oyster-grounds to residents of the
State.
MR.. POLLARD DISSENTS.
Hon. II. r. Pollard I'm discussing the
report, said the whole thing was based
on fallacy. The State did not own the
oyster-beds, he said. Such ownership
would be contrary to the common law
the State merely held the property in
trust for its citizens Concerning the
statement that there were $500 acres
or oyster-planting grounds unoccupied,
Mr. Pollard said that nine tenths of this
area was unfit for oyster planting some
Of it being so soft as TO cause the death
Of the oyster and the rest of it too hard
for the propagation of the bivalve Any
man who planted on these vacant grounds
would lose the oysters he planted there.
Mr. Wise replied 10 Mr. Pollard, and
denied absolutely the fallacy of his re-
port, asking the City Attorney to show
him the law alluded to, which was re-
pugnant 10 State ownership of water
bottom. He asserted that Connecticut
had sold her oysters-beds. and unless
the Tidewater people were more liberal
in the future than they had been In
the past Virginia would do as did her
New England sister
Mr.. Pollard cited the law as requested
by Mr.. Wise. and declined to further ar
que the question.
THE TIDEWATER ROAD.
The committee to look into the ques-
tion of the construction of a Tidewater
electric railway reported through Mr..
Eichelberger. it's chairman, that the cleo
tiou i'm Gloucester had resulted in favor
of the road and that the prospects for
the lire were bright.
Mr.. w. G.. Pollard, Of King William;
Mr.. j. w. Fleet, Of King and queen ana
Mr.. w. ID. Carter, of Essex, We're present
in the interests Of the movement, ana
Mr.. w. ID. Carter, who had been selected
as their spokesman, was introduced lie
told of the great amount OF commerce
done in the section which would be pene-
| trated bv this road, and said 1t would
mean a great deal to the people OF Rlch-
mOnd as well as TO those of the Underwater
! counties. The business of this section, ne
| said. now goes to Baltimore, Richmond
| being almost inaccessible to II; but the
people would prefer to deal with the cap
| ital city of their own State TO gong out
| side of its borders, and would do so II
| tho road was built. Mr.. Carter thought
the passenger traffic would be large but
! of this he could not speak definitely
THE FREIGHT TRAFFIC..
| He did know. however. that the freight
| traffic would be large The Weems Steam
! boat Company, which serves the people
| Of Essex i'm taking its freight to Baiu-
| more. receives annually about $OV,oo
| worth of freight from the wharVes ol
| that county The freight charges were
| excessive. TOO. he said. and the value ol
| the merchandise was about twenty times
as great as the freight charges. The
| travelling men out Of Baltimore were
| fighting the proposed road Mr.. Garter
said because they realized that the con
| struction of the line would divert the
| trade of the section TO Richmond. He
! urged the Richmond people 10 pesur thelii
| selves in behalf Of the movement aho
pIedged the assistance OF the people o.
| the county. The great necessity was y
| convince the people OF hsseN MluuieseN S,'.N
! zinc and Queen, and the other adjacent
! counties that the promoters ol lhe lpa|
| ,,ere I'm earnest and meant business, ano
| tbue arouse them and get them to go tC
| tbe nolls and vote for the issuance ol
| e,ch bonds as were Necessary FOR the
| success of the movement.
| Hon II. II. Pollard, being cailed On
| said that Richmond had for years STOOD
| IN its own light by not opening up th'
| Tidewater country TO its commerce ah'
| ba thought the citizens OF this mulllcl
| naiitv should arouse and make every eiloi
| 10 bring the trade here.
| Tbe committee on the proposed roae
! ,,es continued. and thanks were extend
| ed IA the gentlemen from the Tidewate'
| reeion for their attendance, after Whlci
the meeting adjourned.
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A LYNCHING FOILED.
| ,,ob Assured That Jail Guard Woni'
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